As teachers we come into contact with a huge range of students from multiple diverse backgrounds and it is vital that we ensure all students feel included and part of lessons and school life at all times rather than alienated or excluded.
We must exercise our teacher professionalism and put aside any personal beliefs we may have. Our priority is to make our students feel safe and secure in their learning and promote progress and development.
When students feel included, they feel motivated and enthusiastic in their learning thus promoting improved attendance progress and development.
Carl Lander, Head of Karachi Grammar School in Pakistan and some of his colleagues, have expressed some whole school methods that they use to promote and encourage inclusion across the school – namely through rewards and incentive.
The school incorporates a House system where they hold regular “inter-school” activities having different classes compete against each other through a range of activities. This allows students to build relationships and have more opportunity to mixing in positive environments as well as gain rewards for their positive behaviour. The school focuses very much on rewarding the positive rather than the negative.
This in addition keeps students “super-busy,” which is a positive behaviour strategy to ensure students’ minds don’t wander and fall into negative behaviour.
Students are rewarded for getting it right!
Other activities that encourage students to mix and feel included, which Mr Lander’s school participate in, are for example on the last Friday of every month having classes compete against each other in mini-competitions such as who can throw the paper aeroplane the furthest. All classes in Year 7 learn to make paper aeroplanes and are supported by older students. The focus is very much on fun rather than competition and the activities change throughout the year.
Providing opportunities such as challenges and multiple activities to keep students entertained, busy and focused as well as working together in teams, embeds the deeper objective of encouraging the mixing of diverse students who then extend their networks beyond immediate friendships and experiences thus promoting a more inclusive school atmosphere.
Thank you Mr Lander for some exciting whole school initiatives that promote inclusion and reward!
