Dear Brooke,
I didn’t know if it was happening anywhere… and then I walked into your classroom.
Ceramics 1, Gen Ed Elective.
Fully including a handful of our students with the highest of needs.
I try to keep my own life from taking center stage in my career, but Girlfriend, my heart grew leaps and bounds that day. This little group of students, who many would believe cannot learn at any sort of valuable level… these kids weren’t just sitting in the corner making pinch pots while their typical peers advanced through the art curriculum.
They were critiquing art.
This was the first time I had really seen a teacher at the high school level successful accommodate students with significant learning needs without watering down the content. And with all your preps and coaching responsibilities and outside coursework on top of teaching, you still took the time to really think about how to serve these students in your classroom. These kids were artists and critics and a part of the class like any other.
I think my favorite part of this observation was when we chatted afterwards and I told you how awesome you did with that group. You were totally modest and actually a little perplexed as to why this would be so extraordinary.
Thanks for showing me how possible it is, and for being the first of many awesome teachers that I have had the chance to observe just being inclusive because duh, why wouldn’t we be? I’m so thankful to have you on our team.
Maggie
This is part of the 31 for 21 Blog Challenge – blogging every day for the the 31 days of Down Syndrome Awareness month. To find out more about the challenge, and to see other blogs participating, click here.
This year’s theme has been inspired by the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network’s #deardoctor campaign. To see more #deardoctor letters, visit their Facebook page here.
Yo soy La Lay 
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