This session will focus on the alignment between the values that support the inclusion of children who learn differently and the shared values that we hold as Montessori educators. If you tell me that you are a teacher, I know a bit about you. If you tell me you are a Montessori teacher, I know so much more. It is our Montessori values that bind us together, guiding our daily practice. The aligned inclusive values you will learn about offer the same guidance for inclusive experiences. Whether you are practicing inclusion or not, these values offer a path for understanding, change, and success. Come to this session, sprinkled with touching stories of inclusive experiences Montessori classrooms, and walk away with a new understanding of how you can change the life of a child.
In this video
Including a child who learns differently in a Montessori classroom for 3- to 6-year-olds. Pamela Shanks speaks to teachers and guides, starting with the girl whose story began the Circle of Inclusion. The talk goes through seven values that guide inclusion and how each one plays out in class. Situations include friendships between children, working with parents and specialists, a child who needs another way to communicate, and a child who can do only part of an activity.
Chapters
- 0:00 Welcome and how one girl started the Circle of Inclusion
- 6:08 Value one: children don't have to be ready to be included
- 11:01 Value two: every child has a right to make friends
- 18:23 Value three: parents, teachers and specialists together
- 22:07 Value four: choices and a way to communicate for every child
- 25:51 Value five: the same materials and partial participation
- 30:48 Values six and seven: how many to include and small steps
