The Importance of Promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Schools

Written Assessment #2 in Unit 204 (2. 3, 2. 4, 2. 5, 3. 1) The follow assessment will have a brief description of the importance of inclusion and inclusive practices in work with children and young people. And it also contains an exploration of how our own attitudes, values and behaviour may lead to that inclusive practice, how to challenge discrimination and how to promote some important anti-discriminatory and inclusive practices. First of all is important to define what is meant by inclusion and inclusive practice.

Inclusive practice is a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers that compromise the children participation in their educational process, in their feeling of belonging and in their wellbeing in the school. Inclusion is about ensuring that all children, with or without disability and no matter their background, are able to participate in all education aspects in school. As teaching assistants, we have the duty to ensure that, at all the time, we promote inclusion in all school settings.

Therefore, we should encourage good practices that will help to achieve this main principle of inclusion. Our own attitudes, values and behaviour could be fundamental to achieve this goal. The policies and procedures are in schools to be taken and we should show them, not only on some notice boards, displays and posters or in casual activities such cultural annual events, but also, through the every day contact with groups of children and young people.

Our day basis conduct is important to show and teach the children how to promote equality and inclusion, how to avoid prejudice, racist behaviour and discrimination and, how to be better person, respectful and tolerant with others. As role models we are, at all time, an example for them, so we should keep up a good conduct and a positive practice, demonstrating with our own attitudes, values and behaviour that we prize kindness, justice, equality and mutual respect.

If we show the children a disrespectful example towards the others that are considered different or if we don’t have convenient practices, they will assimilate that, and that is not what is expected in a school and in a human being, in the first steps of their growing up stage and construction of personality. So is important that we, critically, self-assess our attitudes and values, to find out what is necessary to improve or to change, towards a better understanding of the school diversity, a better awareness of possible barriers and how to face them, in a way to promote inclusion on school environment.

Not making suppositions about children and young people and have a wider knowledge about their backgrounds, interests, abilities, individual needs and positive attributes, will help us to provide more efficient, suitable and personalised support for them. Is also important, to take in to account, at all the time, the importance of that diversity and the ways to avoid discrimination. Schools (in their policies) and we, as component part of the school, have the duty to guarantee that, anti-discriminatory practice (and not discrimination), is promoted.

We can promote anti-discriminatory practice by: being a good role model in everything we do; promoting children diversity and individuality; given equal opportunities to all; promoting children participation in the learning process; being aware that “every child matters” as an individual; having good expectations (and not prejudice or discrimination) of all children; supporting a positive ethos within the school; giving pupils the confidence and skills to challenge discrimination and, finally, evaluating the very same anti-discriminatory practices, so we keep up-dating the good practices.

One of the good practices is to identify and challenge discrimination. Our duty is to support and protect children from discrimination. We should be aware when it happens and not ignore or excuse it. We should protect their rights. And by rights, we mean the right to be supported, comprehended and educated, towards what is expected, towards a good and fair conduct and towards a solid confidence, self-esteem and sense of mutual belonging. We should avoid situations where the child feels that is not supported, that is putted aside, that their needs are being ignored, that is inferior to others or is disappointed with our attitude.

To be able to challenge discrimination we need to know well the school policy, procedures and practice. So, if we are confident about what is good practice, we’ll be able to deal better with discriminatory situations. Discrimination can be intentional or due to lack of understanding and knowledge. Therefore, we should challenge discrimination by, addressing a person, explaining what has been said that is discriminatory and that this is not an acceptable behaviour, explaining what the causes of it are, and suggesting some ways to ensure anti-discriminatory practice, keeping, as far as possible, an assertiveness approach.

In most cases, we should report to the authorities, such: a manager, supervisor or college tutor or even to the Local Authority (LA), when racist incidents occur. In conclusion, is important that we build up and practice good attitudes, values and behaviour in the school, because this will impact in the work with children and in the achievement of the school aims, values and policies. By promoting anti-discriminatory practice and doing an inclusive practice, we are promoting that every child: is not excluded, is valued, has a sense of belonging and have access to participation in the full educational program within a good school environment.

As TA’s, is our responsibility to challenge discrimination and to avoid it. The school is the place where all students must have the same opportunities, but with different learning strategies, and by this we mean inclusive approach. An inclusive education encourages the children to be more tolerant, respectful (for our differences and equalities), more skilled, joyful and more independent, in school as pupils and in the society as citizens.

I used the information in the follow PDF: http://www. google. co. uk/url? sa=t&rct=j&q=pdf%20how%20to%20challenge%20discrimination%20&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEYQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. pearsonschoolsandfecolleges. co. uk%2FFEAndVocational%2FChildcare%2FNVQSVQ%2FNVQSVQSupportingTeachingandLearning%2FSamples%2FLevel2STaLISsamplematerial%2FLevel2SupportingTeachingandLearninginSchoolsUnitTDA24sampl ematerial. pdf&ei=tUoFT9HPEomc8gP4yfCzAQ&usg=AFQjCNH7vnb_IgU2o_CZKzu5Ut2QubpREA