During the Diversity Symposium at Colorado State University I had the opportunity to attend a session on inclusive pedagogy. This seminar was applicable to all content areas and all ages. The presenters, Jennifer Todd and Tonya Buchan, work at the TILT center at CSU and have been working on creating a framework for all educators to use in order to help their students reach their intended outcomes.
This seminar deconstructed various inclusive teaching strategies, compiling a concise but broad list of 5 key strategies.
- Create a class climate that promotes feelings of belonging in each of your students
- Give students explicit instructions for all of their work
- Create and teach content that recognizes the importance of diversity and acknowledges the barriers that stand in the way of inclusion
- Design courses that are accessible to all students
- Reflect on your beliefs about teaching to maximize self-awareness and commitment to inclusion
The most fundamental step in creating an inclusive environment for our students is to make the classroom a safe space. Safe spaces, however, are not environments where everyone always agrees and there are no opposing views or doubts or confusion. Rather, safe spaces are areas where our students feel respected and heard, but are comfortable enough to be challenged through civil discourse.
We must create safe spaces in which to have uncomfortable discussions.
Bringing students into the conversation on how to create this environment of inclusion can have a monumental impact on the effectiveness of this pedagogy. One way Todd and Buchan have opened this up to students is through a sticky note activity. Each student gets to write what classroom norms they want to see. The anonymity of this activity ensures that all voices are heard equally.
Additionally, it might be beneficial to have students dive deeper into what a “safe space” could be. Ask students what a safe space looks like, sounds like, and feels like for more refined ways of creating an inclusive classroom environment. Lastly, it is important to have students actively practice your new classroom norms that create a safe space. For the first few weeks have a norm of the day that students and yourself have established and encourage students to actively display this trait or action.
The Journey 
Morgan, thanks for sharing your learnings from this symposium! I found the info on the pieces of inclusive pedagogy particularly interesting because they very closely align with the 5 Dimensions that Poudre School District uses to evaluate teachers. Their 5 dimensions include: Purpose, Student Engagement, Curriculum & Pedagogy, Assessment for Student Learning, and Classroom Environment & Culture. It is great that you are already starting to think about how to incorporate these ideas into your future classroom. You shared some great ideas of what you would have kids do to help build up your inclusive classroom. It is so important that they have a voice. What are some specific things you as the teacher might do or say to create an environment of inclusion?
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