Category: Free Inquiry

Wow, the final inquiry post! It is truly hard to believe that I am already done. What an enriching process this has been. I have learned so much not only about inclusive education, but about the inquiry process. It was like I was inquiring about inquiry (how meta is that…)

One thing that I would say did not go so well was my inquiry planning document. Every week I would start out with great intentions: I would find some nice links, make a few notes… And then by the time Thursday rolled around, I would forget about it and my spreadsheet remained mostly empty. Now, this is not to say that I did not do my share of research. Rather, I would find information, make some bullet points on WordPress, and flesh it out from there. Is that necessarily a bad thing? Maybe not, but if I were to do this again, I think I could have gotten more out of it had I been a bit more rigorous with my planning document.

Another thing I noticed throughout the research itself was just how fluffy so many sources of information can be. Most sources I looked at from academics or professionals were full of vague language like “engage in culturally-competent, research-based practice grounded in an individual’s lived experience”, with no indication as to what this would actually look like. I understand that big-picture thinking like that is important… But I would be lying if I said I did not just want them to give actual tips as opposed to platitudes. That is why I tried to keep my blogs concise and practical. I wanted it to be useful, whereas many information sources I found seemed more keen on making the author seem important and intellectual (this is turning into another rant, so I will end it there!)

Now, what I loved about this process was the flexibility. I made a draft schedule for myself about which topics I wanted to cover, but sometimes, inspiration would hit and I would change it. And that was totally fine! I loved being able to deep dive into a particular topic each week without the pressure of it being graded or having to adhere to grading guidelines. I could just read and learn and share — and really, that is what inquiry is all about. Some weeks I went a bit more in depth, and others I scaled down, but I did not feel better or worse about it — they were just different processes.

Below, as one last goodbye to this inquiry blog, I have attached a screencast scrolling through my inquiry posts.

What a journey this has been! I would love it if all of my readers could share their favourite inquiry moments from their own blogs in the comments below. Please also let me know if you are interested in doing my PLN.

And with that, my EDCI 336 blog is complete. Thank you for all the support, and keep an eye on this space in the future!

YIT,

Markus

I am sure that it is a bit Ironic that in an inquiry blog dedicated to “inclusive education” that I am going to talk about Life Skills classrooms, which are more of a traditional Special Education model where students spend more time in isolated classrooms. I think it is important that teachers have an understanding of these spaces, and so I thought I would make a post with some quick tips for an effective Life Skills classroom.

What is a Life Skills classroom?

A Life Skills classroom is a classroom setting outside of “mainstream” classrooms that teaches functional skills such as learning how to do laundry, create a budget, and navigate the community. Life Skills classrooms are generally separate from traditional classrooms and have their own spaces within a school.

Some key tips…

Keep your space clean and organized: Students in Life Skills rooms tend to be especially sensitive to being overwhelmed by visual stimulus and so these classrooms should pay extra attention to being clean and distraction-free.

Make relationships with your EAs: Education assistants will often be placed in Life Skills classrooms and will have important relationships with their students. Teachers should ensure they are using their EAs as a resource and getting their input on programming.

Use your community: Community-based programming can be a great way to teach important life skills. You can teach financial literacy with a trip to the grocery store, teach how to get around the community through walks and bus trips, and social skills by interacting with service workers.

Divide up your space: A Life Skills classroom should have distinct work spaces set aside within it. For instance, you may want to have separate spaces for small group work, one-to-one support, and individual work. You might also want spaces like a “messy space” or a “quiet space” for specific purposes.

Morning Meetings: Here is a video on how Morning Meetings might work in a Life Skills classroom:

This of course just scratches the surface, but I hope these tips can be useful if you end up working in a Life Skills setting. In the comments, let me know if you have any experience with Life Skills classrooms and if you have any thoughts of your own.

YIT,

Markus

Content warning: This post will contain discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation.

According to the McCreary Centre Society, 18% of students aged 12-to-18 considered suicide in 2023. A 2019 report by the BC Coroners Service showed that suicide is the leading injury-related cause of death for youth. As elementary educators, we are going to be working with young people and need to be aware of the risk factors associated with suicide and think about the ways that it impacts young people.

One interesting consideration that I came across in my inquiry was that suicide rates are often underreported for kids under the age of 12. Why is this? Often, it’s because death under age 12 that may have been by suicide are often reported as accidents. Even with this underreporting, it is still thought that approximately 1.3 in every 100,000 Canadian children die by suicide each year, making it fourth highest cause of death among this age group. It’s not just a teenager issue! It is also significant because a suicide attempt in childhood is one of the greatest predictors of a suicide attempt into adolescence.

In terms of specific treatments, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) are seen as the best therapeutic approaches for reducing the risks of suicidal behaviour. To effectively develop a care plan for youth experiencing suicidal thoughts, a family-based approach is also key, as parents of children experiencing these thoughts often feel guilt and shame.

I am curious if anyone has anyone has experience in this particular field, and thank you for reading a heavy post this week.

Markus

One of the most intimidating aspects of any human services work — including teaching — is dealing with intense conflict and emotions. In teaching, we will undoubtedly encounter students with emotional regulation challenges, and this blog is designed to give you some tips on how to handle “big emotions” and conflicts.

Use simple language

When a child is escalated, language should be concise and straightforward. We should avoid figurative and judgemental language. For example, instead of saying, “Stop yelling, you aren’t supposed to be doing that!”, you could say “I understand you are upset, I am going to step back until you want me to come back”. The simpler (and frankly, the fewer words) the better.

Use open body language

When a student is escalated, it is best not to cross your arms or otherwise close off your body language. Of course, if you are in physical danger, it would be a good idea to put yourself in a defensive posture, but in general, facing the child and taking an open posture will help to calm them down. Other good tips are to get down to eye-level and to have your arms by your sides. Relatedly, speaking with a calm voice is always better.

Paraphrasing

When a child expresses what they are angry or upset, it is a good idea to paraphrase back to them what they are saying. Don’t necessarily repeat back exactly what they shared back to them, but put a bit of a twist on it and make sure they agree with the paraphrase. For example, if a child says “No one ever lets me go outside!”, you could responds with, “So you are upset because you want to go outside but someone is saying you can’t. Is that right?” Taking this step will let the student know you hear them and that they are with someone they can trust and confide in.

Here are a few DON’Ts as well:

• Do not raise your voice — this can trigger the child’s nervous system and will likely escalate the situation.
• Do not threaten them. Threatening some sort of punishment in the midst of an escalation will likely make things worse. It is usually better to wait until they are de-escalated and then follow up with a conversation about behaviours and consequences (ideally, consequences will have already been established by a teacher or administrator ahead of time and will not come as a total surprise).
• Do not use “don’t” (i.e. “don’t run over there”). Reframe as something like, “Could you come over here please?”

Now, of course, this post all comes with the caveat that every child is different, and a student with an IEP may already have a specific de-escalation plan that works for them. Fantastic! But these are some good, general principles to follow and are hopefully useful in the classroom for everyone!

Thanks for reading!

Markus

When I worked as an EA and in my undergraduate practicum with a school-based behaviour worker, I often encountered diagnoses for something called “Global Developmental Delay” (GDD). While I understand generally what GDD is, I wanted to hone in on the finer details, given how prevalent it seems to be in the Inclusive/Special Education worlds. So, this week, I have done some research to prevent a bit of an overview of the condition.

What is GDD?

GDD is a diagnosis that occurs when a child (under the age of five) shows significant delays across multiple areas of development. According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, a GDD diagnosis requires delays in at least two of the following domains: Gross/fine motor skills, speech/language, social/personal, cognition, activities of daily living.

Children with GDD may demonstrate some or all for the following challenges:

• Late in learning how to sit up, sitting up, crawl, and/or walk
• Limited reasoning and conceptual abilities
• Motor challenges (fine or gross)
• Poor social skills, frequent ggression, and/or poor communication skills

For the purposes of assessment, “significant delays” refers to being at least two standard deviations below the mean.

What causes GDD?

There is not one definitive cause of GDD, however, some of the most common causes of GDD include:

• Genetics
• Prenatal conditions, such as using teratogens during pregnancy
• Complications during birth, such as being born early
• Child abuse or neglect
• Abnormalities in development of the brain and/or spinal cord

Can GDD be treated?

Whether GDD can be treated or not is an interesting question, since it is not necessarily a “condition” but rather an indication that certain developmental benchmarks are not being met. As such, there is no sort of medication or biomedical intervention that would be effective in treating GDD. However, to support a child with GDD, a team-based approach would be crucial. Some professionals that would be involved would be:

• Speech-Language Pathologists to support speech development
• Occupational Therapists to support motor skill development
• Behaviour Interventionists to support social development such as refraining from aggressive behaviours

Ultimately, the most important part of supporting a child with GDD is to start early. The earlier the intervention, the better!

ASD and GDD

It is a common misconception that children with GDD also have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or that these are the same diagnoses. This is not the case. While it is frequently the case that a child will have GDD and ASD concurrently, they are not the same and can be diagnosed separate from one another. Additionally, children with GDD generally have fewer learning and social challenges than children with ASD.

I would love to hear if any of my readers have ever met or supported a child with GDD, and what their experience was like! Have a great week everyone!

Markus

For this week’s inquiry, I will talking a bit about substance use prevention. and the role that schools. can play in this realm. Growing up, I partook in the D.A.R.E program when I was in grade six, and throughout my middle school years, my teachers would have us do projects about the dangers of substance use. However, it seems that the paradigm has shifted a lot since then. I think a lot of these more traditional programs have proven to not be that effective, and I think it is of grave importance for human services professionals (including teachers) to be aware of best practices considering the toxic drug crisis in B.C.

What DOESN’T work?

• Abstinence-based programs don’t really work. Youth do not see this option as especially realistic, and it does not reflect their realities. Further, for youth already struggle with substance use, abstinence may cause further physical health challenges. In fact, programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous — while obviously effective for some people — have a success rate that is often said to be in the low-to-mid single digits.
• Moralizing programs don’t work. When drugs are framed as “bad” or “evil”, they do not reach the populations that may most need this education. Yes, it will work for some, but many will write them off as being dramatic or unrealistic.
• Police-centred programs, while prominent, are not always the most effective path. Police officers are sometimes not trained in best practices of substance use and may not have the time or resources to deliver the most effective programming by themselves. Instead, schools and teachers should consider a partnership wherein a police officer, if they must be involved, are supported by other professional mental health practitioners.

A better way forward

• Programs should be integrated into “real life” experiences; This means teaching substance use not as a standalone subject, but alongside other social skills curricula. As well, programs should be tailored to the specific community and students that they are being delivered to. Every group has different needs, and substance use programs should consider this idea.
• Practitioners running these programs should consider offering “Booster sessions”; That is, don’t make substance use awareness programs a “one and done” event. Instead, they could be run at different times throughout the year and meet needs as they come up.
• Substance use prevention programs should be family-centred, and education should be provided to parents and guardians as well as youth. Family therapy programs and/or family-based CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) programs have also proven to be highly effective when supporting youth with substance use challenges.

What I found both interesting and kind of concerning through my learning this week was that there is not really a one-size-fits-all approach to substance use programming. Therefore, it is important to focus on some big-picture principles: Cultural competence, understanding your demographics, and understanding the risk factors associated with substance use (familial conflict, racism, poverty, etc.). If I ever design a program like this, or bring one into my classroom, I will ensure that it is community-focused, focused on the youth in their family contexts, and integrated alongside broader social skill development. I will ensure that additional learning is available, as necessary.

I am curious if any of my peers have ever done the D.A.R.E program (or anything similar) and what their thoughts on it were if so.

See you next week!

Markus

I do not consider myself to be a science guy. Whenever I see terminology about biology, or chemistry, or anything associated with these topics, I tend to see that as my time to tap out. I think it’s a combination of finding these topics to be challenging to grasp, and a general disinterest in science during my time in the public school system. However, the one area I have always found interesting is the neuroscience of trauma, and how trauma impacts the body and the brain. So, this week, I wanted to delve a bit further into the topic!

The HPA Axis

The HPA axis — in fancier terms, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis — is the stress-response centre of the body. The hypothalamus detects stressful situations, sends a signal to the pituitary gland, which then sends another message to the pituitary gland, which releases cortisol (a hormone produced to help handle stress). Chronic activation of the HPA axis (and the sympathetic nervous system, which controls blood flow and heart rate) can wear down mental and physical health over time.

This is a great video I watched explaining the HPA axis:

The “Alarm System”

Together, two parts of the brain — the amygdala and the dACC — work together as a sort of “alarm system” for threat detection.

Amygdala — The amygdala helps identify when something is scary or threatening, and triggers the stress responses in the other parts of the body (i.e. the HPA or the prefrontal cortex).

Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (dACC) — The dACC helps control how we respond to the threats detected by the amygdala.

Toxic Stress

Toxic stress occurs when children experienced prolonged stressful situations, often without the support of comforting adult relationships. Toxic stress can lead to the overproduction of adrenaline (through the sympathetic nervous system) and cortisol (through the HPA axis) can lower the threshold for stress response activation. When a child, particularly in their early years, experiences toxic stress, the neural connections that control fear, anxiety, and impulsivity are strengthened (meaning a child will be more anxious and fearful), while those controlling planning, control, and reasoning are weakened.

Excessive cortisol can damage the hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for learning, memory, and stress-regulation. As such, when children and youth experience traumatic events over an extended period of time, they are more likely to have learning and self-regulation challenges.

What Can We Do?

As teachers, we can only do so much to control the toxic stress of our students. Trauma often happens within the home, and so this responsibility lies with both caregivers and higher-level decision makers who help create the conditions that lead to toxic stress (i.e. through poverty or lack of access to mental health services). However, it is nonetheless important for us to recognize the impact that our actions have on our students neurophysiological well-being.

• Teachers have the opportunity to provide comforting, consistent relationships that can, to some extent, help reverse the impacts of chronic stress on the hippocampus.
• Providing ample opportunity for free exploration and social play can serve as a protective factor against the effects of complex trauma and can, to a degree, reverse its impacts.
• Calm teacher-student relationships are proven to be predictive of lower stress hormones in the early years, particularly for those who are temperamentally shy.

Wow, another post where a part two may be in order! There is so much to unpack. I am curious about everyone else’s experience with working with youth with trauma and from my more science-inclined peers, if there any other interesting concepts I should look into!

Markus

As teachers, we will encounter students from all walks of life and who exist in diverse circumstances with unique challenges. As such, for my inquiry, I wanted to hone in on some specific conditions that children may face, and for my second inquiry blog post, I wanted to focus on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD is a complex condition that is amplified by a variety of contextual factors, and teachers need to be aware of its multifaceted nature.

What is FASD?

In simple terms, FASD occurs in children when their birthing parent drank alcohol during pregnancy, resulting in physical and neurological damage to a child’s brain. While they are sometimes (inaccurately) used interchangeably, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) refers to a specific subtype of FASD and is the most common variant, affecting roughly 1% of the Canadian population according to a 2014 report by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Effects of FASD

Early alcohol exposure can cause advanced cell death, causing a fetus to develop abnormally. Further, alcohol can disrupt the development, movement, and function of nerve cells, and also constricts blood vessels, interfering with blood flow the placenta and hindering the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to a fetus. More broadly, FASD can lead to learning disabilities, challenges with executive functioning from prefrontal cortex damage, and disruption to biological functions.

Students with FASD often poor fine motor skills, leading them to have weaker hand strength and struggle with tasks such as grasping a pencil. Students with FASD may also struggle with receptive and expressive language (processing information and delivering information).

While heavier drink correlates to increased risk of FASD, even light drinking during pregnancy can lead to future behaviour and cognitive challenges.

Controversies and Current Issues

FASD is often said to be completely preventable, but this is ultimately an oversimplification of the issue. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy often stems from overlapping societal barriers, such as poverty, racism, and domestic violence. When human services professionals (including teachers) see FASD as the problem of an individual parent, they are less likely to reach out for help, and in fact may even actively avoid any assessment or supports related to FASD out of shame.

To make matters even more complicated, birthing parents are most vulnerable to FASD in the early weeks of pregnancy — meaning they may drink alcohol before they are even aware that they are pregnant. Therefore, to put the blame on the parent for being careless is, in some cases, not even accurate.

The BC Representative for Children and Youth also notes that Indigenous children and youth are more likely to be screened for FASD due to stereotypes around Indigenous people and alcohol. Professionals responsible for diagnosing FASD should thus be careful that they are grounding their assessments in observation rather than biases and racism.

Best Practices in Schools

Students with FASD may not always feel included in traditional school environments due to their challenges in information processing, grasping cause-and-effect, and understanding abstract concepts.

Students with FASD and their families are also often not eligible for the same government supports that people with other disabilities are, and the bureaucratic processes involved in securing non-profit support are often burdensome. Schools thus provide a unique opportunity to provide the supports that these students may not receive elsewhere in the community.

Teachers should be sure to use simple language and avoid abstractions when speaking. Instructions should be straightforward and perhaps delivered across multiple mediums (i.e. orally and written down). As well, teachers should give extra time for students with FASD to complete writing activities, as writing can be a challenging motor process for these students.

Memory can be impacted by FASD, and as such, teachers should be sure to integrate tools such as visual schedules, online calendars, and reminder tools (digitally or physically) to help students remember deadlines.

Relevant Links and Sources

Below, I have included an example of an FASD screening tool. While this is definitely not a perfect assessment tool, in my estimation, I think it is good for teachers to be aware of the type of tools used by service providers in BC.

• Hand, not Hurdles: Helping Children with FASD and their Families (from the BC Representative for Children and Youth)
• POPFASD (Canada-based training programs)

Discussion

I am curious to know if anyone has experience working with kids with FASD, and if so what those experiences are like. There was so much to unpack here that I may need a part two at some point!

Step 1: Starting

I knew from the outset that I wanted to do something related to Inclusive Education. It is where my interests lie in the field, and I completed my undergrad in a related discipline (Child and Youth Care). While I feel I have a strong foundation in my knowledge in Inclusive Education, there are a range of topics that I knew I would want to explore more deeply.

Step 2: Deepening

After I decided on my general area of interest, I brainstormed a list of topics I may be interested in exploring further. I created a Google doc with a list of sub-areas that I was interested in learning more about to try and narrow down my focus.

Step 3: Refining

After I brainstormed some ideas, I got to work refining my topics. I thought that maybe I would focus on a specific intervention or assessment tool, or perhaps a specific demographic (i.e. students with physical disabilities, anxiety, etc); however, after meeting with Andrew, I decided that I would go with a series of “mini inquiries” and go for more breadth within my inquiry.

Step 4: Planning

After having settled on a course of action, I decided on a handful of key themes that I will explore throughout this blog, while also telling myself that I will not be afraid of going down different rabbit holes if I feel inclined t do so.

What Is Inclusive Education?

So, to begin, my inquiry blog, I thought it would be a good idea to explore the idea of what Inclusive Education is, exactly.

Inclusive Education, at its core, is the idea that all students deserve to be included in their schools and classroom — regardless of ability, gender, race, or any other variable. Inclusive education involves providing support for all students, particularly those who have traditionally been marginalized by the education system and by the government and culture more broadly. This group may include Indigenous students, students with intellectual disabilities, students with physical disabilities, students who are not English speakers, or students who have been impacted by trauma. When these students are segregated into separate classrooms or schools, they do not have the opportunity to develop friendships or a sense of belonging in their community.

Inclusive Education in British Columbia

Since the 1950s, B.C. has taken steps towards inclusive classrooms. The 1970s and 1980s saw moves away from segregated schools towards segregated classrooms within “mainstream” schools. Over the past three decades, moves have been made towards an in-classroom inclusion model, wherein services are provided within a student’s classroom and school.

B.C. Ministry of Education policy promotes the idea that students with exceptionalities/special needs should be fully-included members of their class and school communities. This Ministry policy is denoted throughout the BC Ministry of Education Special Education Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines. B.C.’s competency-focused curriculum offers teachers a unique opportunity to adapt their instruction to all learners. Unlike other jurisdictions, which may offer a more prescribed, content-focused curriculum, B.C.’s is uniquely suited to inclusion. As such, it is especially important for B.C. teachers to be knowledgeable of inclusive practices.

What will be covered in this toolkit?

Throughout this inquiry project, I am planning to explore various topics related to inclusion. They may range from specific conditions, to interventions, to classroom procedures. Some ideas I am thinking of writing about include:

• Supporting students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
• Setting up a Life Skills classroom
• Group work in inclusive education

I plan to choose topics that I do not know much about or that I have learned about on a surface level. I hope that this blog can become a resource for my future teaching practice and that others may get some use out of it!