Having an inclusive environment in the schools has several advantages. These advantages are not only for children but would extend to other people connected with the school for example teachers, administrative staff, domestic staff, parents, and trustees.
An inclusive environment cannot be implemented in the school as a new rule or policy. A well-thought-out plan and strategy are needed so that a long-term and sustainable inclusive environment is created for years to come.
We have gathered four effective strategies that you can follow to make your school inclusive for all.
Promote an Inclusive Culture
There are numerous advantages to promoting an inclusive culture inside the school. For example, you can make strict policies against discrimination against any race, ethnicity, caste, or background. This way, people from all backgrounds would feel welcomed inside the school.
Another way of promoting an inclusive culture is to celebrate festivals of different cultures and religions. The smallest of efforts such as greeting people from different religions at their festivals can greatly contribute to promoting an inclusive culture.
In addition, creating awareness, regular training, and having discussions about different backgrounds and ethnicities can help promote an inclusive culture.
Discussions
A brilliant way of making your school inclusive is to have discussions led by students, teachers, and staff belonging to different backgrounds.
In these discussions, the individual can talk about the positive practices that their religion or culture follows. They may also talk about a historical or influential event from history related to them that motivates them every day.
Talking about positive aspects of different backgrounds fosters respect and inclusiveness in the environment. The individual sharing the positive events or points would feel that not only them but their whole community is welcomed in the school.
Support Services and Facilities
Facilitate staff, students, and teachers as much as possible. This means going out of your way and helping them. Introducing facilities such as common rooms, pick and drop service, quiet rooms, and interactive discussion rooms are some support services that you may offer.
You could also make the entrance of the school more accessible by constructing smoother asphalt driveways and parking lots for disabled persons so that they don’t have any difficulty driving in or out of the school.
Another effective way of giving support is helping students with their work and lessons after they have taken a leave. The teachers themselves can do this or each class could have a committee that facilitates their colleague in case he is absent.
Facilitating Disabled Persons
An important aspect of this strategy is to make the school accessible and mobile for disabled persons. Make sure that there are ramps, lifts, and rails around the school to facilitate them. Moreover, ensuring ADA sign installation around the school is another way to facilitate them.
Through these strategies, disabled persons do not only feel included but feel that they are a part of a family where they are taken care of. Society might make them feel like an outcast now and then, but these efforts by your school will surely bring a smile to their face.