About the Guest(s):

Jackie Mader is a seasoned journalist with The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit education news outlet. With rich experience in special education, Jackie draws from her background as a teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina, combined with years of in-depth research into the challenges and advancements within teacher preparation for inclusive education settings.

Christina Samuels serves as an Associate Editor at Education Week, having covered special education since 2004. With a background in education reporting from her work with the Washington Post, Christina blends her extensive experience and insights into special education and early childhood education, seeking solutions to systemic challenges within educational systems.

Episode Summary: The Think Inclusive Podcast, hosted by Tim Villegas, dives into the pressing challenges faced by educators when teaching in inclusive classrooms. In this episode, education journalists Jackie Mader and Christina Samuels offer their unique perspectives on the preparedness of general education teachers to support students with disabilities. Through recounting field studies and personal experiences, Jackie Mader highlights how some teacher preparation programs strive for better inclusivity and the ongoing obstacles they confront.

This episode sheds light on the ongoing national shortfall of special education teachers, as discussed by Christina Samuels. She explores the reasons behind the persistent shortage and potential solutions, including the role of co-teaching and more inclusive training for general educators. Their discussions highlight educators’ struggles, legal obligations, pedagogical challenges, and a crucial need to elevate expectations and practices in inclusive education.

Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/lO0YTzbCOPv

Key Takeaways:

• Many general education teachers feel unprepared to teach students with disabilities due to insufficient inclusive education training in their preparation programs.
• Inclusion benefits all students; however, there are systemic and mindset barriers that need to be addressed for successful integration into general education classrooms.
• Strategies like co-teaching require quality planning and training to be effective, addressing various student needs, and must involve both special and general educators equally.
• National trends toward inclusion are often overshadowed by the persistent shortage of special education teachers, emphasizing the need for systemic changes in teacher recruitment and training.
• Students with disabilities highlight the importance of self-advocacy and being heard, illustrating a need for educators and systems to genuinely listen and respond to student needs.

Resources:

The Hechinger Report: hechingerreport.org

Education Week: edweek.org

MCIE: https://mcie.org/

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