Anti-Ableist and Inclusive Teaching Practices - EDC-X749Q

Course Description

Credit Validation for USD Johnson Education Fellows Program Participants Only

Johnson Family Fellows Program Goals

1. To positively influence the attitudes teachers have about teaching students with disabilities.
2. To provide teachers with tools for talking about disability, for creating inclusive environments, and for supporting students in their schools.
3. To empower teachers to share their attitudes and knowledge with colleagues in order to promote inclusion throughout their schools.
4. To enable cross-collaboration with teachers/professionals at other school sites to strengthen support systems and enrich practice.

This program will introduce you to anti- ableist teaching practices, the tenets of Disability Studies in Education, help deepen your understanding of asset- based teaching practices for supporting students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms, and support you to become a leader in your own school communities. You will reflect on your teaching practices, assess your school’s practice, learn how cultural and social contexts influence students’ achievement and behavior, and create support networks for colleagues. You will learn to distinguish between medical and social models of disability, to use cultural reciprocity and Universal Design for Learning, to plan a “Beyond Awareness” event, and create a plan for sharing your knowledge with colleagues.

Learner Outcomes

• Use the social model to define disability and place disability in the context of valued diversity
• Engage in discussion about disability, ableism, and the use of inclusive practice at their school
• Learn about cultural reciprocity, identifying and resisting ableism in curriculum, celebrating disability history and culture, and plan to lead professional development with colleagues
• Participate in a critique and response session with peers
• Create materials/plans for teaching colleagues and present their progress and plans

Course Details

Number of Units: 3.0 graduate level extension credit(s) in semester hours

Who Should Attend: This course provides continuing education to K-12 educators who want to be leaders of inclusion efforts at their schools. Participants can gain or practice their leadership skills in providing professional development and support to other teachers. Participants also have an opportunity to build a network of colleagues within the county.