Teaching with Different Abilities

I am a teacher with anxiety and ocd, while currently being tested for adhd. I don't like the terms mental illness or disabilities, because neither of those terms are accurate or true. I always say teaching is my passion and purpose in life. I have always loved to learn and loved to teach (I taught my sister her alphabet, letters, and addition before she started Kindergarten), and yet the school system didn't work for me. Okay, I hesitate to say that because I was an honour roll student. I was sitting at mostly A's and B's and tended to be successful. However, this success came at a cost. Being a perfectionist and an incredibly determined human, I would push through, often spending my nights in tears over homework. I struggle to sit still, I struggle to focus on one thing at a time, and I worry about everything. I believe all of this makes me a better teacher. Every kiddo that walks through my door has different strengths and different areas that they feel they are not good at. This is why I have a student-based, choice-based classroom.

I do flexible seating because my favourite place to work all through school? My bed. I do choice-based learning because what are the assignments I was more likely to finish? The ones where I got to choose how to show my learning and where I got to choose how to engage with the content. Why do I refuse to look at student IPP's or report cards before I meet them? Because if someone judged me based on any one of my diagnoses, they would not see who I am or what I am capable of. A diagnosis is not an excuse. It makes me more creative in what I do and how I do it. I want my students to know that a diagnosis allows you the relief to know that what was going on was not your fault. You are different, but that's great! Your brain doesn't always work how you want it to. But that does not define who you are and that does not allow you to begin using it as a crutch. It is to empower, and allow to step past it and succeed at whatever you want to.

Our classroom is full of different abilities. None of our students are going to have the exact same strengths and areas of growth. None of our students have the same personality traits or the same sense of humour. None of them have the same sensitivity level or the same ideas. So why does it matter so darn much that a student may have an IPP? Yes, I know there are students who need extra help in areas, or might need a tool kit to help with coping, but I guarantee there are other students who don't have an IPP who could also benefit from this.

This post makes me incredibly nervous to put out into the world for a variety of reasons. 1) I am completely opening myself up to the world. 2) Although there are amazing articles and research on some of these things, this post is opinion based, however it is built upon life experiences. 3) I just finished my first year of teaching, and feel like I don't have any authority on this subject other than personal experience. With that, I leave you. I hope this made you think a bit about your classroom and how you shape your philosophy around inclusion!