How can special education teachers foster a positive and inclusive classroom culture and climate?

Special Education Teachers can easily promote a positive classroom culture and climate that is inclusive when they know their students. The indepth understanding and knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the students in the class will make it easy to know the set of instructional materials, learning resources, and self-regulation strategies that can accurately function well with each student or group of students in the class. It will also help structure the appropriate timing for various activities that can help manage the class.

There are a multitude of ways to promote success with children and adults, these are research based as well as practical in use: -Unconditional positive regard for everyone I work with. -A clear and practical plan for success for each learner. -Keep clearly in mind, at least 3 positive attributes of each learner. -Treat each day as having new possibilities and new outcomes! -Believe, Believe, Believe in yourself and your learners!

These are excellent ways to manage effective outcomes. Work forward to build your own individual and child-focused interventions. I still think that a very old, but no less-powerful model is of Maslow's Needs Hierarchy translated into our teaching/learning setting.

When it comes to most students with special needs, especially those with ADHD, you will find interest level plays a large role in learning. ADHD brains are driven by interest, not importance which is how neurotypical brains work. Knowing your students' interests allows you to use this information to motivate students in their learning.

Be careful with those charts! Public charts can be motivating for some students, usually the ones who are experiencing success. Students who are not, however, can find these charts to be the opposite of motivating. You might say, "I don't put the students' names on the charts, they have a number that no one knows but them, so it's ok." Wrong. Most kids can easily figure out who's who if they care, but what's more important is the students themselves knowing. They can now look at their score in comparison to everyone else's and they know their score is one of the lowest every time. This can cause, frustration, negative feelings toward self, self talk and a feeling of complete defeat. Think twice before using this form of chart.

Identify 3 conditions for motivation: 1. What motivates learner to succeed? 2. What outcomes for the learner? 3. What outcomes for the facilitator/teacher? Clarification of these before we act will promote significant and lasting effects on behavior.

When using collaboration in an inclusive setting, the following are things to keep in mind: 1. Students should have assigned roles that are appropriate to their ability. A free-for-all grouping usually will result in one or two students carrying the load and the student with a disability quietly not contributing. 2. Don't overuse your advanced students in helping your SE students. Be strategic about the groups you choose. 3. Choose groups for your students. Too often groupings chosen for themselves put all the advanced students together and oftentimes leave your SE student out in the cold to be chosen for a group. Who wants to always be the kid the teacher is adding to groups after they've formed because they nobody invited them?

It is essential that we embrace diversity in our classrooms, allowing students from various backgrounds to thrive in inclusive environments. Utilize diverse materials and activities to celebrate each student's unique identity. Together, we can build a community where all voices are heard and valued, fostering a culture of respect and acceptance.

As a director of higher ed, we empowered students. We encouraged students to embrace challenges with a growth mindset. Many young adults will doubt their abilities, we must help each one discover their potential through support and encouragement. A diverse community will thrive when we celebrate each student's journey towards lifelong learning and success.

Addressing neurodiverse needs in a classroom can sometimes feel like playing “whack-a-mole” at the arcade. However, educationalists who embrace Neurodiverse & Inclusive Learning Environments do not react to challenges in this way. They instead create opportunities for students in their classroom to thrive before they even set foot in the school. Think of this book as the “set up”; that is, all the actions you take prior to students setting foot in your environment. You cannot control students. You can only control the environment you create for them.