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The Power of General Education United with Special Education at Tracey School

Erin Durkin McNamee, Consultant, SERC

Walking into a fourth grade classroom at Tracey Elementary School, Norwalk Public Schools, it is difficult, and in many cases impossible, to tell those students that are identified as eligible for special education services from those that are not. During independent reading, some students read at tables, others use computers, and others sit, book in hand, in quiet corners of the room. Teacher Laurie Gonzalez and special education teacher Margaret Lopat circulate, stopping to answer questions or offer assistance. If one teacher is busy, students turn to the other for help.

At Tracey School, special education students receive their full instruction alongside their non-disabled peers in the general education classroom. In the successful co-teaching environment that has been cultivated, all students look to both the general education and special education teachers as their classroom teachers. "Both are part of the natural fabric of the school," says Ms. Lopat. To meet the varying abilities and needs of students in a class, instruction is differentiated. In addition, all students expect to work with both teachers at some point. "No one feels the stigma of being in a certain group," says Principal Paul Krasnavage.

Moving Toward Inclusion

Tracey School did not always follow an inclusive model. It began with the vision of Mary Conlin, a special education teacher at Tracey along with Ms. Lopat. Ms. Conlin was approached by (at that time) first-year teacher Ken Wood and his mentor. Frustrated with the fragmentation of pull-out programs, and seeing students' frustration with the interruptions, he hoped that they could try a new approach. Ms. Conlin was extremely enthusiastic about the idea. She began researching and outlining methods of implementing co-teaching as a way to integrate special and general education, and include special needs students in the general education classroom in a way that would ensure their instructional needs were met. Although they went to some professional workshops, Ms. Conlin and Mr. Wood say that, for the most part, they learned as they went along, taking plenty of time for collaborative planning and reflection. Mr. Wood was happy to share the knowledge and resources of an experienced teacher. Ms. Conlin was energized by the new approach and the positive results she began seeing in her students. "It worked beautifully from the start," she says.

After Ms. Conlin began working with Mr. Wood to move away from pull-out services, time was spent integrating the approach into the school grade by grade. "You need one group to buy in at a time," she says. "Other teachers gradually see how it benefits them and they buy in too. It becomes very reciprocal. Special education and regular education teachers see how hard each other work -- they develop mutual respect, unity, and cohesion, and a high degree of trust."

Four years after Ms. Conlin and Mr. Wood began co-teaching, Dr. Krasnavage arrived as the principal of Tracey School with a background in secondary education. "I had the benefit of ignorance -- I had to learn everything about an elementary school and how it functioned. I had no preconceived notion of what it should look like. What they were doing made sense to me. I bought into it." Dr. Krasnavage appreciates that the teachers at Tracey are willing to try new approaches. "I ask what they need so that I can find ways to support them."

According to Dr. Krasnavage, the ultimate goal of all staff at Tracey Elementary School is "to take every child from where they are and move them forward, with the beliefs that when students are in regular education, they do better. When teachers and parents work together as partners, children do better." Administrators, teachers, support services personnel, and parents are all integral partners in realizing this goal. Cheryl Mayer, Tracey's speech-language pathologist, often works with small groups of students in the general education classroom. She admits to some hesitation when she was transferred to Tracey. At her previous school, she had not worked in an inclusive environment. Now, however, she is sold on Tracey's approach. Although it is a challenge to learn the curriculum, Ms. Mayer says, "It is a more nurturing community, for children and for adults, a family-like atmosphere. It is consistent and loving, but structured -- kids can count on it."

Planning is Number One

A great deal of planning is required for inclusive classrooms to be successful. One of the keys, according to Dr. Krasnavage, is grouping. Teachers meet in the spring and give careful consideration to students' class assignments as they build heterogeneous classrooms for the following year. "We look at every child and ask, 'Where will he or she be most successful?' Everyone has their own personalities and strengths -- we want to use that to our advantage and pair students with the teachers they will be best suited with."

After laying the groundwork for success through careful classroom assignments, ongoing planning between co-teachers is crucial to ensuring that all students' needs will be met. Special education teachers have weekly meetings with their co-teachers to plan instruction and schedule their time in the classroom during areas of greatest need for special needs students. Informal planning, however, is ongoing -- this can mean "found" moments in the hallway or, often, giving up individual preparation periods or spending time after school. "Planning is number one -- it is the most crucial aspect that makes this work. A lot of effort is put in up front. We put in our own time as needed," says Ms. Conlin.

As teachers plan for future instruction they constantly engage in reflective practice, with the benefit of being able to turn to their co-teachers for feedback. "When teaching in isolation, it's difficult to find out what's wrong -- an extra set of eyes and ears can help you figure it out and modify the next day's lesson...It makes us all better teachers," says Ms. Lopat.

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Benefits of Inclusion

The benefits of Tracey's inclusive practices are many. According to Ms. Conlin, behaviors are much improved. When students are in a pull-out setting they come to rely on the structure of the small group situation. They then feel the stigma of being "different" when reentering the general classroom. They also tend to worry about what they might have missed. Without these stressors, Ms. Conlin says that students are "more comfortable and confident. Their self-image and behavior are far better." In addition, in the inclusive classroom, students' non-disabled peers can serve as positive speech and behavior role models.

Inclusion does not merely benefit students with special needs, however. Non-disabled students working alongside their peers with disabilities develop a deeper understanding and respect for individual differences.

The inclusive model provides the additional benefit of early intervention for struggling students. Co-teachers are often able to effectively meet the needs of children at risk as soon as issues arise through collaborative planning and accommodations, resulting in a decline in referrals for special education. According to Ms. Lopat, "We have such great communication with the other teachers that we know if a student is struggling. Then, it can sometimes be a matter of just finding those extra fifteen minutes every day to get a student back on track." In addition, since the speech-language pathologist is active in the classroom, she is also able to spot potential problems early on and will provide services to students within the classroom. "Many measures are tried before a student is referred," says Ms. Mayer.

A Parent's Perspective

According to Laurie Agostino, inclusion is not just what the staff at Tracey practice, "Inclusion is what they embody -- that sense of community and friendship."

Ms. Agostino's son, Joey, is in the fourth grade at Tracey Elementary. He has Down syndrome. He has been fully included in general education classrooms since kindergarten. They work with a paraprofessional, Rob Riddell, who has been with him since he began school.

During reading with Ms. Gonzalez and Ms. Lopat, Joey read a story aloud, with occasional cues from Mr. Riddell. After the class regrouped from independent reading, he began working on the next task with a classmate while Mr. Riddell checked on another student. He has gradually begun giving Joey more space. "If he's doing his work without any problems, I'll spread out and help others -- it helps Joey be more independent."

Ms. Agostino credits Mr. Riddell and other staff at Tracey for Joey's success in school: "They have a way of taking the lesson plan and tweaking it so it makes sense to Joe. He's still part of the class and feels included, with some minor modifications. They always seem to find what works without disconnecting him from his peers."

When it was time for Joey to begin kindergarten, Ms. Agostino was relieved that Tracey's practices and beliefs were in line with what the family wanted for him. One of the things that impressed her most was the team's willingness to work with the family. "They are always open for suggestions, willing to sit down and talk if there is an issue."

In addition to the formal Planning and Placement Team (PPT) Meetings, Ms. Agostino meets one to two times a month with Joey's educational team for an informal progress check. Over the years they have developed a true partnership. She acknowledges that "there are always going to be bumps in the road, but it's nice to know that we can talk about things, and that we're always working as a team." Perhaps most important is the trust that has been built. "To be able to say as a parent, with one hundred percent confidence, 'I trust you guys completely,' is an amazing thing," says Ms. Agostino.

The teachers and administrators say that the parents of students both with and without disabilities are overwhelmingly supportive of inclusion at Tracey. According to Ms. Lopat, "Parents see that it doesn't just benefit the special education kids; it benefits their kid; it benefits all kids -- and they buy in."

A Family Atmosphere

The high degree of trust and personal dedication at Tracey, and the mutual respect among staff and family members, is evident in their interactions. When Margaret Lopat wistfully wishes, "If only there were twenty-eight hours in the day," Dr. Krasnavage teases, "You'd ask for twenty-nine." Dr. Shirley Carlos, the social worker at Tracey, is eager to point out instances in which her colleagues put in extra effort, such as sharing breakfast with students and greeting parents: "I see my colleagues meet parents when they drop their children off every morning, making themselves available to them on an informal, daily basis. And parents are comfortable to come in and say, 'My child had a bad morning,' if they need." Ms. Mayer is then quick to describe the time Dr. Carlos spent hours in dispute with an insurance company so that a student could get necessary medical attention. Ms. Lopat stresses the importance of administrative support in fostering such an atmosphere. "People are willing to do extra, to try things and take risks because we know we are supported by administration, at the central office and the building-level."

The respect among parents and staff members also makes clear that parents are vital members of the Tracey School community. Many begin volunteering at Tracey when their children are young and choose to stay on as aides after their children have moved on to the middle school. When a student from Haiti began school at Tracey and neither he nor his mother spoke English, a paraprofessional who spoke Haitian Creole was quickly hired to work with the student and communicate with the student's mother. That student is now making tremendous progress. Examples such as these are why Ms. Agostino says, "It truly is a family."

Continuing Success at Tracey

Tracey's success in meeting a variety of student needs and making all students and families feel welcome demonstrates the power of uniting special education and general education into a cohesive program, as well as the importance of motivated and committed staff. The vision and hard work of dedicated teachers sparked a new approach to education at Tracey; administrative support was key in supporting these efforts and building trust among staff and families.

Ms. Conlin, who was so integral to the move toward an inclusive program, is proud of what Tracey Elementary School has become today. "It was truly a heartfelt, team effort," she says, "that has grown, been exceptionally successful, and I am very proud."

Photos thanks to Norwalk Public Schools. Tracey School staff members can be reached at (203) 899-2960.