CONTRIBUTORS
What is inclusion in the Early Years, and how do we teach ITT students to be inclusive practitioners?
This month, in our ongoing collaboration with Edge Hill University curated by ALICIA BLANCO-BAYO, Early Years Lecturer and WTEY Programme Leader at the University’s Faculty of Education, we’re delighted to hear from RACHAEL SACKVILLE-JONES, Senior Lecturer in the Early Years Education department at the University.
The Early Years is the prime time for building in young children both a sense of feeling included and also being inclusive towards others. In nurseries and schools, staff will deliver specifically taught content and materials around inclusion, but just as importantly inclusion comes through the attitudes and interactions of the staff who work there and the physical learning environment itself. Students in ITT courses need to be aware of this balance to delivery. ITT tutors will also mirror this approach in their own teaching – modelling inclusive attitudes and practice, whilst also delivering specific content around the Equality Act (2010) and different elements of inclusion and exclusion. It can be challenging to provide a satisfactory definition of ‘inclusion’; –
phrases such as ‘removing barriers’ and ‘celebrating difference and diversity’ are often used. Inclusion is firmly embedded within the principle of the ‘unique child’ in the EYFS and this idea of acknowledging and celebrating uniqueness can be a good starting point. Part of understanding inclusion is challenging yourself to define and describe this. Central to ITT is learning about inclusive provision for children with SEND,
but inclusion is wider than this. An interesting starting point with students is exploring which individuals or groups within school communities they think might feel excluded at different times. This can lead to discussions around gender, gender identity, ethnicity, religion, cultural heritage, language, poverty and disability. Students will often reflect upon their own personal experiences and this can be extended through the exploration of case studies to maintain a personalised approach. In Early Years we are looking to promote positive attitudes in children about
themselves and others. Children arrive in EYFS settings from diverse backgrounds and with different life experiences. Young children are not born discriminatory. They learn inclusive/exclusive attitudes from adults and the environment around them and so we need to be aware of our own unconscious bias and our possible lack of knowledge or awareness in different areas. We, teachers and practitioners, are the most influential resource in
classrooms: our attitudes, language and daily interactions during children’s play and learning can challenge stereotypes and discrimination. Our actions can strengthen children’s positive self-image and encourage appreciation of others. We can build on what children already know to help them understand a wider world. In our schools, children also need to see themselves reflected in their environment. Inclusive and excluding messages are given to children each day through displays, resources, story books, vocabulary used, expectations held, and interactions made. Understanding and appreciating difference is another important aspect of
developing inclusive practice. Young children are visually curious and will comment upon differences they observe between themselves and others. This is an issue that needs to be addressed truthfully rather than sidestepped. Adults should answer questions sensitively and use this as an opportunity for learning and to promote differences as a positive factor within a class. Schools and settings can also look at their curriculum content and ensure
there is opportunity to explicitly celebrate diversity through topics such as All about me and Families, through using storybooks that celebrate individuality and teaching materials such as Stonewall’s best practice guides. As Early Years staff, we need to be aware that every aspect of what we say and do gives messages to children and these can positively or negatively shape their attitudes for the future.
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www.education-today.co.uk Failing – to succeed!
In her regular column this month, STEMtastic! founder KIRSTY BERTENSHAW looks at the value of failure as a tool for learning.
After a strange year with different teaching formats, exam season around the corner in a different guise to usual and students feeling more pressure each year to succeed, it is worth remembering the value of failure, and teaching it to our students too!
The benefit of failure Failure is inevitable - it can either be feared, limiting the learning opportunities and preventing emotional and academic growth, or employed as growth mindset tool. Facing failure allows students to develop problem solving skills, create coping mechanisms, grow emotionally and build a resilience to difficult situations.
Recognising failure If you see students about to make a mistake, it is usually the reaction of the teacher to prevent the mistake from happening, when we should allow it to happen. It is important to recognise failure. Telling students they will do better next time belittles the disappointment and other feelings they have. Instead, recognise the negative feelings students have and communicate that you understand those feelings.
Using failure to succeed After a failure, students can reflect and suggest how to avoid the same mistakes next time. Reflection may need to be guided until students become familiar and confident with the process. Determining steps to improve their chances of success can empower the students and motivate them to continue the learning journey.
Examples of famous failures succeeding. As well as modelling resilience as both teachers and adults, we can share examples of famous people who also experienced failure but eventually succeeded. It might surprise students to discover that KFC’s Colonel Sanders
was 62 years old when he first franchised the recipe for his chicken, before his restaurant failed, and 65 by the time he successfully got restaurants to use his recipe. Before that he had a varied career with many jobs he didn’t enjoy. Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was around four years old. He
thrived in physics and maths education but struggled in general study areas, failing a school entrance exam when he was 16 years old. Instead, he studied elsewhere and eventually became a lecturer at approximately 29 years old, going onto write his famous theories still in use today. Any fan of Harry Potter will know the name JK Rowling, but they
may not know that the first Harry Potter novel was rejected 12 times. She was told by publishers that she wouldn’t earn enough from her writing and she should get a day job to earn money, but now she is a household name. James Dyson realised that vacuums were inefficient at their
function and wanted to create one that didn’t need bags, so could keep working well all the time. He created over five thousand prototypes before succeeding in his invention, but no one would manufacture it, so he made his own company instead. There are many examples which can be found online, and role
models suitable for the interests of your students work best. Try discussing how they must have felt at the times they failed, and how they persevered. As a class, suggest ways they might have coped with those feelings and how we can learn from those experiences ourselves.
Kirsty is the founder of STEMtastic, an education consultancy with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
www.stemtastic.co.uk
April 2021
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