Includ-ed, red europea de educación inclusiva

Summary

In discussions with teachers and teaching assistants we often come across the fact that in school there is not much time to discuss with children about the people among us who seem different to us and how to treat them. There is no time to prepare a class when a classmate who is new and "different" comes to join them. Rytmus therefore offers schools three courses to support the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs, learning or behavior problems into mainstream classes: 1) Experiential workshop for the whole class or group of pupils, 2) Creating a Circle of Friends and 3) direct support for inclusion in the classroom and school.

Project object:

Support the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs, learning or behavior problems into mainstream classes and to develop their social and communication skills

Methodology

In discussions with teachers or teaching assistants we often come across the fact that in the school there is not much time for discussions with children about the people among us who seem different to us and how to treat them.

There is no time to prepare a class when a classmate who is new and "different" comes to join them. No time to prevent conflicts in the classroom, hostility or misunderstandings. Many misunderstandings and behavior problems among children may be based on ignorance. Children do not have the answers to their questions, sometimes in the background of fear or uncertainty in the presence of a classmate with disabilities.

Rytmus offers continuously three courses for schools:

• - Experiential workshop for the whole class or group of pupils
• - Creating a Circle of Friends
• - Direct support for inclusion in the classroom and school
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A / Workshop for the whole class or group of pupils

What it is: Experiential workshops are led by teachers. Students have the opportunity to learn about different disabilities and how to communicate with people with disabilities. Pupils actively participate in workshops, working in different groups and learning to respect each other's opinions. They have space to discuss issues. The workshop is also working on the current class situation, pupils work together and seek different approaches and solutions and are part of the decision making.

Why: Students are aware of their attitudes and the reasons behind them. They are also aware of the attitudes of others and learn to tolerate them. They can verify and expand their scale of values. They also have the opportunity to immerse themselves into the reality of life and possible feelings of peers with disabilities. It also teaches, with tact and respect, to search for other communication options in their own class.

How: The workshop has a basic structure and the course work with a specific school is adjusted to suit the age of the children, the problem, place and the time available. 

Basic structure:

1. 1. Planning Meeting - prior to the school workshop attended by the lecturer, teacher, head teacher or assistant teacher. The aim is to clarify what is the problem in the class and what the school expects of the workshop. Workshops are then prepared according to the agreed issues and the schedule.
2. 2. The realization of the workshop - 3 hours sessions after about a month (basic structure), with a space for reflection on and for students.
3. 3. Evaluation of the cooperation, analysis of the impact of the interventions

Range: 8-10 hours total

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B / Creating a Circle of Friends

What it is: The Circle of Friends is one of the strategies to support inclusion of children with disabilities into mainstream schools. The method was developed in the United States and at other locations and has proven to be very effective. A Circle of Friends is made ​​up by fellow students, but also teachers or other people who want to help dealing with difficult situations in the life of a classmate. A Circle of Friends is looking for ways to establish good relations, friendship, how to feel better in school and to support inclusion in school. After creating a circle of friends, a group of school support workers meet once a week and find solutions for specific situations.

Background

The Circle of Friends approach originated in North America as one of a range of strategies to promote the inclusion into mainstream school of students with disabilities and difficulties (Whitaker et al, 1998). It was also developed to support the process of including people with disabilities in local communities where they had previously lived in institutions (Forest & Lusthaus, 1989). The Circle of Friends approach recognises that a child who displays distressed and difficult behaviours is likely to suffer from isolation from their peer group, both in and out of school (Newton et al, 1996). This isolation or rejection can damage the child's sense of self but acceptance and friendship can foster growth and enable the child, in turn, to contribute to the school community to which they belong (Whitaker et al 1998).

… Circle of Friends is becoming a more widely used approach within UK schools and, unlike other interventions, is not based on ignoring difficult behaviour (Newton et al, 1996). It encourages the development of a support network for the child in focus within a structured setting, which can also extend beyond that setting. Those in the peer group are encouraged to look at their own behaviour and also to develop an understanding of the focus childs behaviour and difficulties in order to develop strategies and practical solutions to help the individual. It is not an approach to provide instant friendship, but over the course of meetings and the evaluation of set targets, it is hoped that the focus child will be able to build closer and better relationships with other children (Barratt et al).

Source: http://www.autism.org.uk/16877

Why: The method “Circle of Friends” strongly supports every pupil with learning or behavior difficulties.  Support and commitment are the sources of understanding and acceptance. Pupils with learning or behavior difficulties learn to trust people and themselves and find positive ways to deal with difficult situations. Furthermore, they are personally involved in the solutions. It teaches members of the circle at the same time and strengthens their personalities in search of their abilities.

How: The circle has three main tasks - to encourage and praise the achievements and progress of the pupils; to name problems, to set goals and to design strategies to achieve them and to help to put these ideas into practice.

Creating a Circle of Friends includes the following steps:

A. Get support and consent of the pupil in question as well as his parents.

B. Meet with the whole class to see who would be willing to be a "supporter" (duration is about 30-40 minutes).

C. Inform parents of students who were selected as members of the Circle and obtain consent involving their child.

D. Schedule a weekly meeting of the Circle of Friends, with the student at the center and an adult person as facilitator (20-30 minutes).

Rytmus is present in the following steps: familiarization with the situation in the classroom, form a circle and hold the first meeting, participation in other meetings of the Circle

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C / Direct support for inclusion in the classroom and school

First step: Together the “problematic” situation at a school is evaluated (e.g. failing to integrate pupils with special educational problems or related problems). After defining the situation, Rytmus offers an action plan, proposing specific actions and support activities.

Other steps may include:

• - support communication in class (a class workshop, circle of friends or other tools that support person-centered planning ...)
• - promotion of cooperation with parents
• - methodological support for teachers

Target

• - Pupils with special educational needs, learning or behavior problems in primary and secondary schools
• - Family members of pupils with special educational needs
• - Schools (lecturer, teacher, head teacher or assistant teacher etc.)

Good practice innovations

The ‘circle of friends’ approach works by mobilising the young person’s peers to provide support and engage in problem solving with the person in difficulty.  ‘Circle of friends’ is not the same as ‘circle time’ but many of the skills and techniques used by teachers in ‘circle time’ can be used to support the ‘circle of friends’ process. Over the past five years the authors have been encouraging the use of ‘circle of friends’ in a wide variety of primary and secondary schools, often with very successful outcomes. A major advantage of the approach is that it does not involve a major commitment of time from teaching staff. This is because the true work is done by the peers themselves, not the adults. The adult’s role is to meet with the circle and the focus child for around 20-30 minutes weekly to facilitate their problem solving in the early stages. Successful circles will often become largely self- sustaining and provide support for the focus child without the need for regular adult input. When there is careful planning and real commitment from the facilitator, results from the process are seen very quickly.

Source: http://www.inclusive-solutions.com/whatisacircle.asp

Good practice achievements

Rytmus offers continuously three courses for schools:

• - Experiential workshop for the whole class or group of pupils
• - Creating a Circle of Friends
• - Direct support for inclusion in the classroom and school