Session 4 - Embedding into Practice

11/05/2015 So on the home straight and on to Week 4 and the journey of Inclusive Practice, and following the theme I have carried through this blog, how is the light shinning now I hear you now shout in unison! 

Last week I discussed my epiphany, and the seeing of my metaphorical beacon of light, so I am now past this, I am on the other side, I have transversed through my tunnel and seen the light, Hallelujah!

Inclusive Practice and embedding into practice, now I know I've just said I've seen the light but this has me stumped, well not so much stumped as confused, no actually not confused but has really got me thinking, but then that's it, isn't it (could be a eureka moment here), it is about thinking and theory, and then putting this into practice.

I see this final session as the coming together of weeks of classroom theory, actual teaching time with learners, and as I eluded to last week, my holy grail of 'sharing best practice'. All roads have been leading us here, as 'Embedding Inclusive Practice' is as I can see it, (especially after reading, 'Passing Assessments for the Certificate in Education and Training','Ann Gravells and Susan Simpson'), is the culmination of all of the units we have studied these past 30 odd weeks or so.

As I reach this culmination it isn't just a conclusion, it's the climax of my story, my final crowning achievement, the end result.

Charles Lindbergh, the first solo pilot to fly nonstop across the Atlantic said;

 “Life is a culmination of the past, an awareness of the present, an indication of a future beyond knowledge, the quality that gives a touch of divinity to matter,”

 So looking at things through Charles Lindbergh's quote and finding a parallel my culmination is the learning journey I have been on, the knowledge and skills I now feel I have are the awareness of the present, and my future beyond this are the plans that I am going to take forward.

These plans of mine then, what are they? First off I shall not call them plans, I shall rename them companions, because as I see things I am still on this journey of learning and will continue to be so, but keeping me company throughout this long and winding road will be the revelation of 'Sharing best practice', the road/mind map that is the teaching/training cycle and the all important statement of access for all.

That statement, that revelation of 'Sharing best practice', that's not specific enough I here you say, it's all too generic! Well in light (do you like my link there) to what I have learnt on this journey I suppose I should try and give it to you SMART, yes SMART, not straight. SMART as you will almost probably be aware is an acronym, and I shall use the definition of Margaret Rouse (http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/SMART-SMART-goals) to help me.

"SMART is a best practice framework for setting goals. A SMART goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.

Often used for performance reviews, the acronym is intended to help a manager 

or other employee who is tasked with setting goals to clarify 

exactly what will be required for achieving success and to be able to 

share that clarification with others"

Margaret Rouse

So here are my SMART targets;

Specific - to enhance the learner(s) experience by using the skills I have learnt in terms of learning styles, methods of teaching and also by differing methods of assessment.

Measurable - this will be checked by the use of an online eportfolio, OneFile which can be used for this as it is totally transparent and has complete track ability so the success of using the specifics above can be measured.

Achievable - these specifics will be achievable and will relate to required successes as they will be built in/used in learning and assessment planning within our qualification/framework.

Realistic - by design these specifics will be realistic as otherwise they would/will not be used in our planning processes, and ultimately used in OneFile.

Time-bound - again by design these specifics would be kept to being timely because their use within OneFile would dictate this as it needs to be transparent, accountable and be able to be tracked.

So in essence according to Margaret my perceived generic term of 'Sharing Best Practice' was quite close to the mark, I just needed some 'flesh' to my 'bones', whereby my wider vision for achieving success can be clarified.  

Right, SMART targets outlined and discussed - done ? - check, clarification - done ? - check, how to bring to a close this amazing journey - done ? - NO!

So how do you bring to a close an amazing journey like this, the answer is you don't, as I've said it shouldn't just be a conclusion it should be my crowning glory, I should be going out to a climactic fanfare of colour and light, and guess what, I am.........

You may have wondered why the background of multi coloured jelly beans, well that's because I'm a man that loves an analogy, and a quote to boot, and as one once president of the USA said;

                                       

"You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans."

Ronald Reagan

So reading my blog and metaphorically seeing how I eat my jelly beans you have also had a glimpse of my character. And I would like to sign off with a 'Jelly Bean Poem', which I feel sums up everything that I have learnt, and will carry forward;

In a bag of jelly beans you have many different jelly beans.

Each jelly bean has something special which makes

it different from the others.

A bag of jelly beans wouldn't be attractive if they were identical.

You don't know exactly what a jelly bean is like unless you taste

it and see.

Jelly beans are just like people—you've got to get to know

them.

Each person brings something special and worthwhile

to the group, but it is not always evident on the outside.

Thanks for being such a wonderful jelly bean!

Author Unknown 

Session 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Referrals

27/04/2015 So on to Week 3 on the journey of Inclusive Practice, and how is the light shinning now I hear you ask, has it got past the stage of being anything more than just a glimmer? Well yes, as I stated last week, it is start to burn just that little bit brighter, but will it ever burn white bright and be that beacon of light that I keep hoping for, no I don't think it will, but why won't it I hear you say, as you must no doubt now have the understanding of what 'Inclusive Practice' is?

Well yes and no, as I don't truly believe you ever have a total understanding of anything as it is always a learning, evolving process, and something that I have learnt, and will carry with me from my 'Certificate in Education & Training' is the importance of 'Sharing best practice' and if there has been a eureka moment, or an epiphany, that manifestation of sudden and striking realization, then that will be it, my moment of seeing the light!

So Roles, Responsibilities and Referrals, what do you actually know about them, what are they. Well looking reflectively at the session I believe I need to start off as I have done with most of the certificate, define what is meant by each of these, so with that in mind, what are the definitions;

Role - The function assumed or part played by a person or thing in a particular situation.
"the assessor will play a vital role in the completion of the apprenticeship"

Synonyms: capacity, position, job, day job, post, office, task, duty, responsibility, mantle, place, situation; function, part, contribution, hand

"his success in his role as President of the European Community"
www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/role

Responsibility - The state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone.

"women bear children and take responsibility for childcare"

Synonyms: authority, control, power, leadership, management, influence; duty

"we train those staff who show an aptitude for managerial responsibility"
www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/responsibility

Referral - An act of referring someone or something for consultation, review, or further action.

The directing of a patient to a medical specialist by a GP., a person whose case has been referred to a specialist doctor or a professional body.
www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/referral

So we now have our definitions but have they brought us any closer to their meanings in the context of the 'Certificate in Education & Training' ?

Your 'Role' can be seen as your job title/specification, and 'things you will do', whereby your 'Responsibility' moves on a step from this, and can perhaps be seen as your job description, things that you have to ensure you do, your set of standards, your obligations. This will then just leave 'Referral', this is where we can look at what points of referral we can call on to make sure that we meet the individual needs of our learners.

The biggest question that I suppose one needs to ask ones self is do I do the 'things' I need to do, do I meet the needs of learners, individual or otherwise? It is a big question but one I feel I can answer with a partial 'Yes', why only partial I hear you ask, and again I will give you the answer that I gave earlier in this blog, and this is that we are ever evolving, ever learning, so I feel we can never give a finite answer to an infinite question..........?

You Decide!     

Session 2 - Legislation and Barriers to Inclusive Practice

20/04/2015 So Week 2 on the journey of Inclusive Practice, and is the light anymore than just a glimmer? Yes I would say, still not that beacon of light that I keep hoping for, but it is burning just a little bit brighter, no doubt down to the understanding of the definition of 'Inclusive Practice';

..is about involving all learners in relevant activities rather than excluding directly or indirectly

Gravells A (2007) Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning  Sector Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd

..is an approach to teaching and learning that endeavors to encourage the fullest participation of all learners

..is a commitment to avoid the opposite, that is to say, it implies the tutor works within an ethical framework that recognises and respects equality and diversity, and the potential for all learners to take part

Tummons J (2007) Becoming a professional Tutor in the Lifelong Learning Sector Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd

But now with the knowledge that inclusive practice involves equality and diversity does this not muddy the waters, where does E & D fall in relation to inclusive practice?

Inclusion / Equality & Diversity Venn Diagram 1.

So then equality and diversity are part of, but not wholly part of inclusive practice? So with E & D where do we stand with inclusive practice, looking as we are at legislation we can perhaps say that it is to take in 'Minority Groups', and reference to your human rights and your 'protected characteristics' which is explained plainly here;

Creating a fairer Britain - Equality & Human Rights Commission

 This is all part of the New Equality Act 2010, which superseded some of the previous singular, and outmoded laws of;

Equal Pay Act 1970, 

Sex Discrimination Act 1975, 

Race Relations Act 1976, 

Disability Discrimination Act 1995, 

Much of the Equality Act 2006, 

Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, 

Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, 

Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006

Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 (all as subsequently amended), plus other ancillary pieces of legislation. 

If we then look at the other side of our equation Inclusion, what will we find here;

Inclusion/Inclusivity/Inclusive

All the same meaning, or something different? This is a question I posed in my first Webician Woes.

So then I would say the 'Inclusion' is that of everyone, all, in that we should realise that everyone is not 'equal', but in embracing this we include 'everyone', be they;

• The gifted and talented  
• Learners with learning difficulties and disabilities  
• Learners who are learning English as an additional language  
• The differing needs of boys and girls 
• Those who are in care  
• Learners with social, emotional and behavioral difficulties

http://www.qcda.gov.uk/13580.aspx

Inclusion / Equality & Diversity / Widening Participation Venn Diagram 2.

There is of course another element to our Venn diagram, and this is the strategy, or governmental policy of 'Widening Participation', where the initiative is to increase the number of learners from under-represented groups to participate in education. This groups can be seen, but are not only;

• Little or no family history of higher education
• From a school or college with a poor record of entry to higher education
• From a low income/low participation area
• Disabled
• Looked-after by a local authority
• Have studied vocational courses

The strap line I would attach to this element, and I feel sums it up perfectly is that......

It's Not About Treating Everyone the Same!

The light is becoming brighter.............., I wonder what next week will bring.............