The Weeklyish

Tim Villegas shares his experiences with inclusive education and the obstacles he faced while attempting to implement it in non-inclusive school systems. He shares the story of Damian, a student with multiple disabilities who was included with the assistance of a paraprofessional. However, Tim realizes that this approach was not true inclusion and failed to address the systemic issues that resulted in segregation in the first place. Tim has a conversation with a former colleague about the impact one teacher can have on changing a system from within. He also discusses the progress and challenges faced by Sevi, Harper, and Natalia, three students with disabilities whose families have been advocating for inclusive education. Finally, Tim concludes with some hopeful discussions with future educators and the real question everyone should be asking themselves.This is part five of a five-part series about families and school districts fully committed to inclusive practices for all learners.Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/JM-lQu_nfi6qoaJ3BAQkvvoH2rcThank you to our sponsors!Communication First: https://communicationfirst.org/Roots of Inclusion: https://www.rootsofinclusion.org/Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates: https://www.copaa.org/Thompson Policy Institute on Disability: https://www.chapman.edu/education/centers-and-partnerships/thompson-policy-institute/index.aspxiSecurePrivacyThe White FamilyThe Teague FamilySupport by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Club 21 in Pasadena, CA.MusicTheme & End Credits: The Light by Greg Drews and The TruthMCIE: Donate: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/maryland-coalition-for-inclusive-education-incWebsite: https://www.mcie.org/Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-ListFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkInclusive/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/think_inclusiveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThinkinclusiveUsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Villegas visits Ruby Bridges Elementary School in Woodinville, Washington. He speaks with educators, administrators, and leaders at the school and the state to understand how inclusive practices are being implemented and the impact they have on students with disabilities. The episode starts off with conversations with self-advocates and families at the Tools for the Journey Conference in Pasadena, California.This is part four of a five-part series about families and school districts fully committed to inclusive practices for all learners.Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/ohoThBbF7ua9R536WjXTRcws_xMResources: Tools for the Journey Conference (Club 21): https://clubtwentyone.org/programs/tftj/about.htmlRuby Bridges Elementary School: https://rubybridges.nsd.org/Inclusionary Practices Project Demosites: https://ippdemosites.org/Thank you to our sponsors!Communication First: https://communicationfirst.org/Roots of Inclusion: https://www.rootsofinclusion.org/Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates: https://www.copaa.org/Thompson Policy Institute on Disability: https://www.chapman.edu/education/centers-and-partnerships/thompson-policy-institute/index.aspxiSecurePrivacyThe White FamilyThe Teague FamilySupport by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Club 21 in Pasadena, CA.MusicTheme: The Light by Greg Drews and The TruthEnd Credits: All I Ever Wanted by Nicky CostabileMCIE: Website: https://www.mcie.org/Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-ListFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkInclusive/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/think_inclusiveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThinkinclusiveUsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Villegas visits schools in Washington state that are fully committed to inclusive education. He starts his journey at McMicken Elementary School, where he observes the inclusive practices in action. He then visits Sehome High School, where he witnesses the inclusive culture and co-teaching practices. The schools prioritize the needs of all learners and provide support and accommodations to ensure their success. The goal is to create an inclusive environment where every student feels valued and included.This is part three of a five-part series about families and school districts fully committed to inclusive practices for all learners.Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/Eh_hzeoGMUE0pwsPJopRNd3i68gResources:Beyond Access Model: https://bit.ly/UNH-beyond-accessDoes Self-Contained Special Education Deliver on Its Promises? https://bit.ly/causton-self-containedMcMicken: https://mcmicken.highlineschools.org/Sehome: https://sehome.bellinghamschools.org/Thank you to our sponsors!Communication First: https://communicationfirst.org/Roots of Inclusion: https://www.rootsofinclusion.org/Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates: https://www.copaa.org/Thompson Policy Institute on Disability: https://www.chapman.edu/education/centers-and-partnerships/thompson-policy-institute/index.aspxiSecurePrivacyThe White FamilyThe Teague FamilySupport by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Club 21 in Pasadena, CA.MusicTheme: The Light by Greg Drews and The TruthEnd Credits: End Song by The CafFiendsMCIE: Website: https://www.mcie.org/Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-ListFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkInclusive/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/think_inclusiveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThinkinclusiveUsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina and Justin share their journey of advocating for inclusive education for their daughter Harper in general education and their frustrations with their school district's initial placement recommendations. Christina expresses concerns about an upcoming IEP meeting and the possibility of the district pushing for a separate placement for Harper. The episode also features insights from Bre Gastaldi, who visited West Linn-Wilsonville near Portland, Oregon, an inclusive school district. Bre discusses the importance of having school leaders who are supportive and knowledgeable about inclusive practices and highlights the need for strong leadership at the district level to drive systemic change.This is part two of a five-part series about families and school districts fully committed to inclusive practices for all learners.Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/xYLaeCCq3gYFL8Nr-2R3lOBAe38Resources:West Linn-Wilsonville School District: https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/Thank you to our sponsors!Communication First: https://communicationfirst.org/Roots of Inclusion: https://www.rootsofinclusion.org/Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates: https://www.copaa.org/Thompson Policy Institute on Disability: https://www.chapman.edu/education/centers-and-partnerships/thompson-policy-institute/index.aspxiSecurePrivacyThe White FamilyThe Teague FamilySupport was provided by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Club 21 in Pasadena, California.MusicTheme: The Light by Greg Drews and The TruthEnd Credits: Passenger by Jose GalvezMCIE: Website: https://www.mcie.org/Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-ListFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkInclusive/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/think_inclusiveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThinkinclusiveUsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carolina and Jaiker share their journey of advocating for inclusive education for their daughter Natalia, who has Down syndrome. They discuss the challenges they faced in navigating the special education system and their decision to remove Natalia from special education services. They highlight the importance of inclusive education and the positive impact it has had on Natalia's development and happiness. The episode also features insights from Cecil County Public Schools in Maryland, where inclusive practices are the norm.This is part one of a five-part series about families and school districts fully committed to inclusive practices for all learners.Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/I61Kqa0ABSDbl7RMgbVGFOfwMHAResources:The Segregation of Students with Disabilities (National Council on Disability): https://ncd.gov/sites/default/files/NCD_Segregation-SWD_508.pdfCecil County Public Schools: https://www.ccps.org/Thank you to our sponsors!Communication First: https://communicationfirst.org/Roots of Inclusion: https://www.rootsofinclusion.org/Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates: https://www.copaa.org/Thompson Policy Institute on Disability: https://www.chapman.edu/education/centers-and-partnerships/thompson-policy-institute/index.aspxiSecurePrivacyThe White FamilyThe Teague FamilySupport was provided by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Club 21 in Pasadena, California. MusicTheme: The Light by Greg Drews and The TruthEnd Credits: Stella's Rhumba by Marcus GerakosMCIE: Website: https://www.mcie.org/Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-ListFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkInclusive/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/think_inclusiveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThinkinclusiveUsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if there were truly inclusive schools out there where families didn't have to fight for their children with extensive support needs to be included?The good news is that there are. But the not-so-great news is that in order to access them, it depends on where you liveThis Fall, get ready for the stories of families and school districts fully committed to inclusive schools for each and every learner.Produced by MCIE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this edition of The Weeklyish, I share the highlights from this year's TASH conference and why I think 2022 was a darn good year for inclusive education.Transcript + Show Notes: https://weeklyish.substack.com/p/2022-darn-good-year-inclusive-education This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weeklyish.substack.com

For this edition of The Weeklyish, I share an interview with California State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, sponsor of SB 1113 which would promote the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Transcript + Show Notes: https://weeklyish.substack.com/p/future-inclusive-education-california This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weeklyish.substack.com

For this edition of The Weeklyish, I share my early experiences with using the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) with my nonspeaking students and my discussion with occupational therapist, Dr. Dana Johnson, about how Spelling to Communicate fits under the umbrella of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).Transcript + Show Notes: https://weeklyish.substack.com/p/spelling-to-communicate This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weeklyish.substack.com

Happy International Podcast Day Everyone! That's right. There is a day for everything. Even podcasts. And so, today, I'm going to stray just a bit from our regular inclusion programming to give you some podcast recommendations.  I almost said favorite podcasts, but that is not what I really mean because saying you have a favorite podcast is kinda like saying you have a favorite song and the current number of songs I have on my “liked” songs list on Spotify is close to 1,100.  Y'all...it's been quite a month. I had my second root canal in just over a year, and it threw me for a loop. But September has not been all bad.  Here is the good stuff... mostly podcast-related. I started to record interviews for Think Inclusive episodes that will be published in early 2023. Yep. I'm that far ahead of schedule. I've got some great guests lined up so stay tuned for who is dropping by the TI studio very soon. Also, I took my first trip out of state to do field recording for our new podcast series, tentatively called Inclusion Stories. This new series tells the stories of families and school districts who are committed to full and authentic inclusive education. And as long as it is International Podcast Day, here is a 3-minute trailer: MCIE's Audio Documentary Podcast Series Excited? Me too. If you are interested in sponsoring this new podcast series, email me at tvillegas@mcie.org. Speaking of trailers. Arielle Nissenblatt and I are collaborating on a new podcast called The Trailer Park where we share podcast trailers that were never made into full-fledged projects, ones that are looking for funding, and complete podcasts that you need to add to your feed right now. This podcast is in production, and we will have our own trailer for Trailer Park very soon. And now for my podcast picks for this special International Podcast Day edition of The Weeklyish. These will be in alphabetical order... so they are totally not ranked. First up is American Hysteria by Chelsey Weber-Smith. This podcast explores how fantastical thinking has shaped our culture – moral panics, urban legends, hoaxes, crazes, fringe beliefs, and national misunderstandings. One of my favorite episodes is about the Satanic Panic published a few years ago now... but scroll through the episode titles to see what intrigues you. Next is Creative Pep Talk by illustrator Andy J. Pizza. Each week, Andy delivers a piping hot solo cast chocked to the brim with fresh stories, creative tips, tricks, and a side of secret dipping sauce of pep to boot! I'm a sucker for a great podcast theme song, and this one is fantastic. I've always thought that educators are among the most creative people. So, pick an episode and see how you feel afterward. I can't say enough about Everything is Alive, an “unscripted” interview show in which all the subjects are inanimate objects. In each episode, a different thing tells us its life story—and everything it says is true.

Hi, Y'all! First a big shoutout to all my kids for leveling up this year. I'm now the proud father of a 16, 13, and 10-year-old. The single-digit days are over. Thanks for being great kids. I love being your dad. Oh, and by the way. Welcome to our new subscribers and listeners. Remarkably, we went from 209 downloads for our August 5 edition of the Weeklyish to 700 downloads for our latest episode on August 19. I sincerely appreciate it. If you are wondering who this Tim Villegas guy is, please check out “The Misunderstood Inclusionist,” for a little background info on me and why I'm extremely fortunate to do what I do. So, one of the perks of the job is that I get to read and think about inclusion. When I was a special education classroom teacher, I still did this. But I didn't give myself dedicated time to digest the information.  For this edition of the Weeklyish, I wanted to share two journal articles that I think you'll find interesting and possibly give you hope for a unified educational system. There is another one that I don't think deserves any of your time, so I'm not going to mention it. But some themes are not uncommon in any critique of an “all means all” philosophy, and I have a few things to say about that. First up is an article (from 2020) by Michael Giangreco. It's called “How Can a Student with Severe Disabilities Be in a Fifth Grade Class When He Can't Do Fifth-Grade Level Work?” Misapplying the Least Restrictive Environment. Isn't that a great title? It is from the journal Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities. Here is the big idea: the concept of Least Restrictive Environment or LRE should facilitate inclusive placement for students with extensive support needs. Instead, LRE often is used as justification for a segregated placement in a special education classroom. Shout out to Charmaine Thaner and her interview with Cheryl Jorgensen about this on her Facebook Live show. How many times have you heard, “well...this student's LRE is an autism classroom.” I would argue that the Least Restrictive Environment is meant as the general education classroom. All other placements are just plain restrictive. Here is an excerpt from the article. It's Giangreco's concluding statement.  The fact that so many students with severe disabilities are being successfully included in general education placements is evidence that it can be done, and begs the question of why it is happening in some schools and not in others. Even in those situations where students with severe disabilities are placed in general education classes, there is undoubtedly much work that remains to be done because placement in general education classes is necessary but not sufficient to be truly included. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” The US history of general education class placement of students with severe disabilities has followed this long slow arc toward inclusion and justice. Granted, we still have a long way to go! Whatever steps we can take to continue and speed up the process are important so that more students can benefit from inclusive schooling sooner, rather than later, if at all. I want to reiterate what Giangreco says here: general education placement is necessary but insufficient. Ok. I'll get back to that in a minute. Take a deep breath. Ready for the next one? This article is “An Interview on District and School Transformation: Practical Approaches to Facilitating Sustainable Systemic Change.” And it's from a journal called Inclusive Practices from 2021. If you've been following me for any length of time, you've probably heard me talk about school districts that are right now changing their practices to become more inclusive. Well in Illinois, there is a special education cooperative that is reimagining what education services look like for all learners.  A regional cooperative has a number of districts that they serve in various ways, but historically through special education classrooms and indirect services like professional development. And so, when Dr. Kurt Schneider came to True North, the focus of the cooperative changed to assist with providing instructional supports and services within general education curriculum and classrooms, so learners could be meaningfully included in their home schools and communities. Here is an excerpt from the interview: By the end of the first year with Dr. Schneider, Board members all understood IDEA, the history of legislation, the impact it had on school systems, the ways in which funding had fallen short, and had a deeper understanding of the concept of LRE and its intent. The people at our table began to understand why inclusive education was important, that every student was a general education student and deserves an enviable life, and that community connection was critically important. At MCIE, one thing we talk about a lot is creating a shared understanding of inclusion. And that's exactly what True North has attempted to do. Understanding the What, Why, and How of inclusion is so important. And that is something we (as in MCIE) love to do. Let us know if you are looking for a partner in creating a shared understanding of inclusive education. Ok. Finally. The article that shall not be mentioned. There is a common theme with any criticism of the inclusive education movement. Which you are a part of BTW. So, welcome to the club. Inclusionists get painted as though we want to completely eliminate special education, disability labels, and related services. That's simply not true.  We don't want to get rid of specialized instruction or services. But just because we provide special services doesn't mean it needs to be in a separate or special place! Granted, sometimes labels are useful but not for using language like, “how many autism kids you have in your classroom,” or identifying learners and teacher by their acronyms. And yes, teachers need to be expected to teach all learners, but that doesn't mean we get rid of specialists. General and special education teachers need to collaborate. That means one unified system, not simply eliminating special education teachers or services. As Lee Ann Jung et al. say in their book Your Students, My Students, Our Students: “[Learners] who have disabilities do not have "special needs"; they only have special rights. And any [learner] who has a need, with or without disabilities, may benefit from the expertise of a specialist.” Inclusionists also get criticized for using the phrase “all means all,” which people interpret as meaning we want all learners in general education classrooms one hundred percent of the time no matter what. As I've said before, and most recently a few paragraphs ago, placement is the beginning, but it doesn't mean that a learner is meaningfully included.  For more on that you can read my piece called, What Does Inclusive Education Really Mean? And something that our critics often leave out is that in a unified system, instructional practices will have to change. We can't go on with business as usual and expect that learners with and without disabilities can coexist in the same location without changes to the entire system. But I guess it is easier to paint us with broad strokes than admit that we may have a nuanced view of how inclusive education works in the real world. “All means all” may be a simple mantra but we've actually seen it work. When I say, “all means all,” I'm saying that all learners deserve to be meaningfully included in their neighborhood schools alongside their same-age peers. I think that's one concept everyone can get behind. That's all the reading and thinking we have time for today.  If you have questions or comments email me at tvillegas@mcie.org or go to mcie.org to learn more about how we can partner with you and your school or district. Thanks for your time, everyone. I'll be back in a couple of weeks with another edition of The Weeklyish.  Have a great week! ICYMI Why is inclusion important? Here is what you said. Dr. Ross Greene | Using Collaborative and Proactive Solutions to Support All Learners What Does Truly Meaningful Inclusion Mean to You? Dr. Mona Delahooke | Beyond Behavior Charts and Positive Reinforcement Around the Web Netflix Looks To Increase Disability Representation In Kids' Shows Inside Six Flags' Efforts To Make Its Parks More Inclusive 10 Focus Areas to Evaluate the Effectiveness of UDL in the Classroom All Teachers, All Classrooms, All Hands-on Deck What I'm Reading What I'm Watching The Resort | Official Trailer | Peacock Original Pod Recs Ontario to disabled teen: lose funding or independence (The Matters)  How School Privatization Has Undermined Democracy in New Orleans (Have You Heard)  Womb Wars pt.1 (American Hysteria)  504- Bleep! (99% Invisible)  Im Aufzug mit Prof. Dr. Maren Urner, Neurowissenschaftlerin (Im Aufzug)  Introducing: The Loudest Girl in the World What I'm Listening To The Shins - The Great Divide What's in my Timeline “Someone recently shared a comment from a frustrated person who said “Jordyn makes typing look so easy.” I've been processing this for a few days and here's the problem with statements like these:” via @jordynbzim From the Wayback Machine 3 Things About Teaching and Learning for Students With Disabilities Just Because The Secrets of Nickelodeon's Hidden Temple  ... The Weeklyish is written, edited, and sound designed by Tim Villegas and is a production of MCIE. Our intro stinger is by Miles Kredich. And our outro is by REDProductions. For information about inclusive education visit mcie.org and check out our flagship podcast, Think Inclusive, on your favorite podcast app. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weeklyish.substack.com

Hi, Y'all! This week, I celebrated my two-year anniversary at MCIE.  That's right. I left my job at a public school district in the Atlanta Metro area to work in the nonprofit sector, and it's been a huge learning curve.  You see, I used to be a special education teacher. That was my role for 16 years. 13 of those were in the classroom, and 3 were in a district support specialist role. And the whole time I was in the special education department of the districts I worked for, there was something that bothered me. Segregated special education classrooms. You probably already know about this, but just in case you don't know, here is a simplified explanation. Public education is split into two systems. General education and special education. They are supposed to work together to meet the needs of all learners but to be honest it rarely happens. Real talk...it is hard to change a system that is set up to separate learners in the first place. There was a law passed in 1975, which had a funny name (PL 94-142) and then after a few years it was called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. That law made it so that learners with disabilities had a legally protected right to be educated in public schools. Before that law, they were often educated in separate schools or institutions, or if they did go to a regular school, they were not treated that great. But then as learners started attending their neighborhood schools, school leaders didn't necessarily want them there because they thought it would be a distraction or that they were too disabled to learn with everyone else. So, they were put in separate classrooms. And a lot of people thought this was a good idea. But not everyone. As time passed, organizations like MCIE started helping school districts make changes in how they taught all learners. Specifically, how they supported learners with significant disabilities in general education classrooms. And when I mean significant disabilities, I mean learners on the autism spectrum, those with presumed intellectual disabilities, and challenging behavior among others who have been historically excluded. Researchers, school administrators, and teachers all were learning that when school met the needs of all learners in a systematic way rather than by segregating students by disability everyone benefitted. When I entered the field of special education in 2004, the inclusive education movement had already gone through its biggest push in the 1990s. But in my teacher education program, they taught me all about how learners should be together, how general and special education teachers could collaborate to plan for every child in the classroom, and by distributing students with high support needs across a grade level it kept certain classrooms from having more learners with disabilities than other ones. But then when I entered the school system, I realized this is not how schools are run. Cal State Fullerton ruined me! Not really... I love all of you. But they did ruin me in the best way. Because I spent essentially my whole career as an educator trying to change the system from within.  Why are you telling us this Tim? Well, we have some new people who have subscribed to The Weeklyish, and since I'm reflecting on the last two years, I wanted to share my story again. And give you my why. Why is this important to me? You know I've been asked this question a number of times, and the best answer I can give is that I saw a need and something compelled me to devote myself to it. I suppose some people say it is a calling, and I can't disagree. But for whatever reason, the fact that the vast majority of school districts segregate students by disability is to me a grand injustice. And I want to work toward righting that wrong because I do believe it is wrong. And it is not just a belief; we have evidence that it is not the best for kids. And you know what I keep hearing out of the mouths of school leaders that segregate kids? “We do what's best for kids.” Here is what I say. No. You are not doing what is best for kids. You are doing what is the most convenient to sustain an inequitable system. So, it is in that spirit that I wanted to share with you my favorite Weeklyish articles since I started writing this newsletter in January of 2020.  This first one is from February 2020, called On Separate Spaces, and Why They Are and Are Not Needed. Here is the key takeaway. The goal is always 100% inclusive placement with support. But there are very rare instances where a learner may need something else, and though inclusionists don't like to talk about it, it is a reality that I think hurts our credibility when we want to stick our head in the sand and pretend this scenario doesn't exist.  Recently, I had a short Facebook exchange with a former colleague that addressed this.  Generally, if a learner truly needs to be removed, it should only be temporary. There should always be a plan to bring a learner back into the community where they belong. The problem with special education classrooms, as most districts have set them up, is these separate and segregated environments are the settings where they say students with extensive support needs belong. So, on the rare occasion that families (or educators) push for an inclusive placement, the minute things do not go perfectly, skeptics will point to that as an example of inclusion not working. But it can't just be one learner (or even a handful) for it to work. There has to be a commitment by the district to operate differently and have the expectations that all learners belong in a general education classroom. And then...and only then...if a learner needs an alternate setting, it is for a specific reason and only temporary because the classroom where they belong is waiting for them to return. The next one, from January 2021, is called Let's Stop Pretending That We Can't Do Better Than Segregated Special Education Classrooms. Here is an excerpt: Educational research that has been around for decades has shown that inclusive education benefits students with and without disabilities. So why aren't we doing it? It was easy to try to rationalize why things were not changing fast enough when I worked in a system that wasn't inclusive. But now that I am out, and working and talking with educators in school districts that are implementing inclusion the way that it was intended, there is simply no excuse for me not to state the obvious. Let's stop pretending that segregated special education classrooms are the best we can do. I get that some may not be able to wrap their head around what this looks like. But fortunately, there are some excellent examples. All it takes is for a state or district administrator to investigate it for themselves. And finally, from June 2021, my piece called, How to Include Students with Disabilities in General Education in 4 Easy Steps. What you probably don't know is that when I was first getting my blog and podcast Think Inclusive off the ground, I wrote a blog post called, Quit Using the R-Word in 3 Easy Steps (now only available on the Wayback Machine). So, the title is a bit of a throwback.  I like this one because it lays out the steps of moving toward a fully inclusive system. There is more to it of course, and it certainly isn't easy, but it is a start and if there is anything that I want you to do after finishing this edition of The Weeklyish is start. Start anyway you can! I know I'm not the only educator that sees the inherent problem with special education classrooms. This is your sign to do something about it. The first thing you can do is share this message with a friend, colleague, or family member. That's your homework assignment. I still love to give homework.  That's all the recommendations for past articles I have today.  As always, if you ever have questions or comments email me at tvillegas@mcie.org or go to mcie.org to learn more about how we can partner with you and your school or district. Thanks for your time, everyone. I'll be back in a couple of weeks with another edition of The Weeklyish.  Have a great week! ICYMI What Does Truly Meaningful Inclusion Mean to You? Dr. Mona Delahooke | Beyond Behavior Charts and Positive Reinforcement 5 Ways to Get Inclusion Started at Your School Mazey Eddings | Neurodiverse Representation in Books Around the Web How my school gets students to “behave” Rethinking The 3 D's... Rethinking Guardianship: Emma's Story Airlines May Be Required To Accommodate Travelers In Their Wheelchairs Schools Nationwide Expect Special Ed Teacher Shortages This Fall What I'm Reading Underestimated by J. B. Handley and Jamison HandleyWhat I'm Watching Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu) Trailer HD - Taika Waititi comedy series What's in my Pod Feed467: Plot Twists (The Popcast With Knox and Jamie)  Evan Phillips: Founder Of Pod Peak Studios | From Mountain Climber to Podcast Producer (Clipped)  Podcasts about Work and Work Culture (Feedback with EarBuds)  All Means ALL – A Welcome from Sarolyn (All Means ALL Inclusive Education)  What I'm Listening To Death Cab for Cutie - Here To Forever (Official Music Video) What's in my Timeline Cultures don't change because they're ready. Cultures change because brave people make them ready.  Natalie Vardabasso (@natabasso)  From the Wayback Machine 9 Resources for Creating an Inclusive Classroom This School Year Just Because If my girlfriend actually turned into a worm J.R. Youngblut (@JRYoungblut)  ... The Weeklyish is written, edited, and sound designed by Tim Villegas and is a production of MCIE. Our intro stinger is by Miles Kredich. And our outro is by REDProductions. For information about inclusive education visit mcie.org and check out our flagship podcast, Think Inclusive, on your favorite podcast app. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weeklyish.substack.com

Hi, Y'all! As I've written about before, school board elections are important. And while we cannot endorse candidates for any public office because we are a nonpartisan organization, there is a candidate running for election in Minnesota that you'll want to know about. Sonya Emerick My name is Sonya Emrick. I am a parent of two disabled kids and I am a disability justice activist, And I'm running for Minneapolis public school board. Tim Villegas So, what inspired you to run for school board?  Sonya Emerick Well, my now six-year-old child has been receiving early childhood special education since he was two through my district in Minneapolis. And we had a really great birth to three educator. When we were doing evaluations for his first IEP one of the tools used was to measure like social, emotional resilience.  I went to give it back to her and I said, you take this, and you can use it but it's not going to give you any information about my kid, my kid is autistic. And this just tells you how far away he from a neurotypical kid And that sparked a conversation where, you know, as an autistic person, raising autistic kids I see developmental trajectories differently. I think that we need disabled people at the table to inform our perspectives and help us develop our solutions to some really big problems. And I think it's needed in my district. And I'm hoping I get the opportunity to provide that service here.  Tim Villegas So as an autistic person and a parent of an autistic child, how do you think that experience would help inform you being on the school board and representing or supporting all students? Sonya Emerick As I have gotten, deeper and deeper into disability justice work and being introduced to the work of people like Talila Lewis and the Sins Invalid collective and Imani Barbarin and Lydia X. Z. Brown, people who are doing such important work at the intersection of race and disability. I have learned so much about how connected racism ableism are. I'm in Minneapolis. And my city, it may not be on the news anymore, but my city is still. Very much reeling and hurting and trying to heal from George Floyd's murder. And it has impacted our entire school district. Our kids are quite traumatized. And when we think about the kids in my district, which is about two-thirds kids of color, about 20% receiving special education services,  I think inclusion touches all of that, right? Like I've said before, inclusion is not, can the wheelchair fit to the door? Inclusion is, are we meaningfully creating places of belonging for every student? Are we making sure the onus to belong in a learning community is never on the student but that we're responsible for creating those places? Tim Villegas So what would be some of your goals if you were elected on the school board? Sonya Emerick I think that every piece of my platform really iterates back to making those spaces for belonging and the specific strategies are very, because I think it takes a lot of different strategies. So, for instance, in my district, we have. Approximately five white students to every one white educator and 55 black students to one black educator. So, part of my platform is, recruiting and retaining educators of color.  Literacy is a big part of my framework. My district did just complete a three year roll out of comprehensive literacy instruction, which is really exciting for me because that's a framework that works so well for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who historically have not been provided rigorous evidence-based literacy instruction, I believe very much that we need to expand our restorative justice practices that we use to help keep kids who are struggling in their learning communities supported as opposed to using exclusionary discipline. What would it be like if we taught our kids that every single person in their classroom had to be there in order for us to be us and to learn together in the unique way that we've cultivated. Tim Villegas So, what do you think is the biggest barrier to inclusion in your school district?  Sonya Emerick Focus on behavioral compliance.  Tim Villegas Tell me more about that.  Sonya Emerick Yeah. I think that we have behavior norms that are Eurocentric or informed by whiteness and that are ableist. I think that there is no way that every child can be included if they have to be held to the expectation that they will perform behavior in a way that's not culturally responsive or culturally sustaining I think it's really traumatic and damaging. Tim Villegas In your view, what would be the solution or ease that barrier? Sonya Emerick Why do we say that we enforce behavior compliance? Because for classroom management, because we need safety first and foremost, for all students and all educational staff, and we need spaces that are conducive to learning happening. I think that there's a lot of ways we can accomplish those goals without needing to rely heavily on behavioral compliance. Better instruction, when I talk about literacy and more evidence-based literacy instruction based in the science of reading, creating agreements with students in their classrooms about what they want their classroom culture to look like is a wonderful tool, right? Using those restorative practices towards liberation, understanding that students are going to look a lot of different ways. And it's not a bad thing.  I don't think that students who are engaged and who feel confident about their ability to learn the material and who really feel accepted and a sense of belonging generally have a lot of behavioral issues. I don't think you need to use a lot of compliance strategies under those circumstances.  Tim Villegas What if someone would say, well, you know, there needs to be consequences for behavior. If there's a small group of students being disruptive or refusing to do work there needs to be consequences.  How would you respond to that?  Sonya Emerick Honestly, I would say. Tell me more about why you think that. And I would want to sort of dig in with some curiosity to hear, you know, what, where that is coming from in that, in that adult. Right. And then if I felt like I could be effective at, at helping a frame shift with that person, I would wanna move the conversation towards what do you think those kids might be needing that they're not getting.  I think it's a practice though, right? We can't do an hour of professional development with educators and help them make that shift. Right. That's something that requires practice over a long term and requires support so I think that like one thing that we're talking about in some of the work that, that I'm doing to try to reduce discipline disparities is do teachers need more in person support available throughout their school days for co-regulation with other. What would that look like? What would it look like if you're a teacher and you can feel yourself getting stressed, to be able to have a five-minute check in with adult who's there to help you co provide support for you. And then could you bring that back to your kids? Right?Tim Villegas Sonya, this is the first time I've ever heard that. That's a great idea. I think that. It can naturally happen, but to be purposeful about it. I think that's a great idea.  Anything else before I let you go, that you wanted to share? Sonya Emerick I think that kids learn when they feel safe. And I think that the kids in my district aren't feeling safe right now. If inclusion is happening, then felt safety is happening, right. If there's not a sense of felt safety, is it really inclusion? Are we really getting everyone what they need? For information about the other candidates running for the Minneapolis school board, here is a link to a Minneapolis Public Schools School Board Voter Guide. The primary election takes place on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. As always, if you ever have questions or comments email me at tvillegas@mcie.org or go to mcie.org to learn more about how we can partner with you and your school or district. Thanks for your time, everyone. I'll be back in a couple of weeks with another edition of The Weeklyish.  Have a great week! ICYMI 5 Ways to Get Inclusion Started at Your School Mazey Eddings | Neurodiverse Representation in Books Why I Created My Podcast, Exceeding Expectations Liz Weintraub & Kenneth Kelty | Using Content Creation for Disability Advocacy Around the Web Sexuality and Parenting Supports for People with IDD Massachusetts First in the Nation to Open Colleges to Students with IDD and Autism Mother shares journey advocating for inclusive education Why Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned her blue suit at a disability rights meeting What I'm Reading Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon | Malcolm Gladwell | Official Trailer Via Pushkin.fm. What I'm Watching Severance — Official Trailer | Apple TV+ What's in my Pod Feed Margy's dad was a hoarder (What Was That Like)  “I Was A Stranger and You Welcomed Me” (Revisionist History)  “We are a technology-based school” (Inclusive Schools Spotlight Series)  “This Isn't Just About Abortion”: What the End of Roe Means to You (Death, Sex & Money)   What I'm Listening To The Pointer Sisters - Neutron Dance What's in my Timeline From Crip Theory Bot   From the Wayback Machine Remote Work Brings More Than Silver Linings Just Because Vin Scully was the voice of baseball. Hear some of his greatest calls.  ... The Weeklyish is written, edited, and sound designed by Tim Villegas and is a production of MCIE. Our intro stinger is by Miles Kredich. And our outro is by REDProductions. For information about inclusive education visit mcie.org and check out our flagship podcast, Think Inclusive, on your favorite podcast app. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weeklyish.substack.com

Hi, Y'all! I love how things come full circle sometimes. For example, in March, my buddy Zeke texted me a link to a Radiolab episode called The Right Stuff. The Right Stuff (ASL Translation) | Radiolab Podcast When I looked up what the episode was about, I was so excited.  Essentially it asks the question: “Who gets to be an astronaut?” And follows a crew of disabled people (called Ambassadors) on a mission to prove that they have what it takes to go to space.  So, in this episode of Radiolab, reporter Andrew Leland joins crew members from Mission AstroAccess to Long Beach, California, where they get on an airplane to take a flight that simulates zero-gravity. It is the kind of flight that NASA uses to train astronauts. And here is a twist, Andrew, Radiolab's reporter, is legally blind himself. Which I thought was brilliant because who better to report this story than someone with a disability? It's a great episode, and I encourage you to listen to it. Here is the full circle part. Sometimes when I don't know what to write about, I'll scroll through my podcast feed. You don't want to know how many podcasts I subscribe to. Way too many to listen to. But this past week, I was feeling a little lost. On the top of my feed was a podcast called How Sound. It's a joint project of Public Radio International (PRX) and Transom - on radio storytelling. Yeah, yeah. Super nerdy. But I love it and always learn something. For this episode of How Sound, host Rob Rosenthal interviewed a reporter from Radiolab. Yep! The same reporter from The Right Stuff episode.  Andrew explained the challenge of recording in zero gravity and how they had to get creative. Not only did Andrew use some fantastic recording techniques, like taping a microphone to his head, but he also talked about the difficulty of figuring out his identity on the flight. Was he a reporter or a member of the flight crew? This concept of identity is something that I think about a lot, especially when it comes to how to represent disability in my writing and our work promoting inclusive schools. Here is one of my favorite quotes from the episode. Andrew is talking about his observations in the lead-up to the flight about how nondisabled people related to disabled people. “You know, it's in that moment...in the very beginning, when the former astronaut says to me, like, oh, so you're obviously one of the Ambassadors and there was a lot more of it, that didn't make it into the story of just like tons of these interactions between the nondisabled people who are there to help and the disabled people. And it's something around how to negotiate unnecessary help and low expectations from people who look at a disabled person and think like, oh, that person is definitely going to need help. And is definitely not here, just like in the normal capacity that everybody else is here.” So how does this relate to inclusive education? I think there is some truth to be uncovered here in Andrew's reflections about this flight. Disabled people aren't “supposed” to be training to fly to space. And I'm sure some nondisabled people, have no idea what disabled people can or can't do. So, when the astronaut looks at Andrew, with all the outward signs of being Blind, they automatically assume he is one of the Ambassadors.  Isn't this exactly what we do in schools? When we see a student with autism or Down syndrome or a learner with multiple disabilities? Someone will inevitably say, “What are they doing here?” “What are they going to get out of it?” And so, the ableist attitudes continue for the Ambassadors, “what are they going to get out of training to go to space?” As much as we can, as educators, we need to fight against low expectations. And listening to Andrew's reflections just confirms it for me. When I heard the episode of How Sound I texted my buddy, Zeke. Isn't it great when things come full circle?  Make sure to check out Radiolab and How Sound in your favorite podcast player. As always, if you ever have questions or comments email at tvillegas@mcie.org or go to mcie.org to learn more about how we can partner with you and your school or district. Thanks for your time, everyone. I'll be back in a couple of weeks with another edition of The Weeklyish.  Have a great week! ICYMI Why I Created My Podcast, Exceeding Expectations Liz Weintraub & Kenneth Kelty | Using Content Creation for Disability Advocacy Inclusive Language is Not Enough 10 Ways to Flex Your Social Media Advocacy Skills Around the Web The unexpected star of NASA's Webb images — the alt text descriptions OPINION: If you really want more equitable schools, you must first ask some questions “All Are Welcome Here” Our Journey Toward Inclusion at Rockwell Elementary New Guidance Helps Schools Support Students with Disabilities and Avoid Discriminatory Use of Discipline What I'm Reading From the Institute on Community Integration on Facebook. Impact is the Institute on Community Integration's flagship publication. Published three times per year, the magazine contains strategies, research, and success stories in specific focus areas related to persons with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities. Impact provides useful information to various professionals, including educators, community service providers, policymakers, and advocates, as well as people with disabilities and their families. The online version and your first print copy is free. Subscribe now. What I'm Watching Only Murders in the Building Season 2 | Trailer | Hulu What's in my Pod Feed When Will Met Grace (Revisionist History)  Teaching Truth to Power (Intersectionality Matters!)  EduTip 15: Set aside time to set norms. (Cult of Pedagogy)  Eugenics w. Eric Michael Garcia (You're Wrong About)  What I'm Listening To AWOLNATION - Passion (Official Video) What's in my Timeline From Early Choices From the Wayback Machine Pause and Consider: Ableism and Autism Just Because The Godmother Of Drumming Plays “Down With The Sickness” …The Weeklyish is written, edited, and sound designed by Tim Villegas and is a production of MCIE. Our intro stinger is by Miles Kredich. And our outro is by REDProductions. For information about inclusive education visit mcie.org and check out our flagship podcast, Think Inclusive, on your favorite podcast app. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weeklyish.substack.com

Hi, Y'all! I'm back from vacation this week.  I spent two weeks with family and friends. It was glorious and we made a ton of fantastic memories. Time at the beach, relaxing by the pool, going for long runs, catching a ball game, and celebrating the Fourth of July with food and fireworks.  It was a blast (no pun intended). And now back to reality. As an educator, summer has always been a time for me to reflect on the previous school year and think about what worked and didn't work. And also, to dream about what is possible for the next school year. Even though I'm no longer in the classroom, reflection is still part of my summer routine and I had a lot of time to think over the last two weeks and examine the last 12 months.  I'm coming up on my two-year anniversary as the Director of Communications for MCIE, and I've thought deeply about how I want to improve and how MCIE can support more districts transform their practices to be more inclusive for each and every learner. Schools have been through the wringer and the need for schools to restructure how they deliver services has never been as important. Not only how they support learners, but also how they support their teachers.  Educators are stressed out and morale is at the lowest point I've ever seen. According to the largest teacher's union in Florida, there are over 9000 teacher + school staff vacancies for the upcoming school year.  The situation seems bleak. And I'm not here to sugarcoat anything or tell you that all you need is self-care.  But it is not all doom and gloom. I came across a great video from Edutopia called 4 Steps to Help Teachers Reset This Summer. Check it out when you get the chance. Here is the gist and it goes back to what I started with.  Reflection is a key component of professional growth for educators. It was what I was taught in my earliest teacher education courses. And if you were trained as a teacher, how many times were you required to write a reflection to the article that you read or the video that you watched.  Reflection as a way to recharge your batteries is the equivalent of deep breathing for reducing anxiety. It seems like such an obvious idea that it is often overlooked or downplayed.  Seriously. Research has shown that deep breathing can have immediate effects by altering the pH of the blood, or changing blood pressure. And can be used as a way to train the body's reaction to stressful situations. (NPR) And while it seems cliché, Edutopia is right when they suggest that carving out time to reflect on the previous school year can set you up for success when it's time to head back into the classroom or district office. Here are some specific strategies adapted from the Edutopia video that could be helpful. Try visualizing what your classroom or workspace could look like. Reflect on the projects that you would love to work on with learners when you start the school year. And think about how can you make your classroom and school more inclusive. Trying writing things down in a journal or on sticky notes in response to questions like “How have I grown as an educator or a person this year?” Or “How can I foster inclusive practices in my school next year?”  Do you have a colleague that you can share your reflections with? Maybe spend some time with one or two people from your school to dream about what next year could be like. What if you found colleagues in your district who wanted to meet regularly about moving your school or district toward a more inclusive model? And finally, think about the high points of the school year. Do you have anything that would go in your “Smile File”? Document them somewhere so you can refer to your notes during your preplanning for the school year. These are simple ideas, but if you try them, they will be effective. I hope you take some time to reflect this summer. And if you do, I'd love to hear about it. You can always email me at tvillegas@mcie.org or go to mcie.org to learn more about how we can partner with you and your school or district. Thanks for your time, everyone. I'll be back in a couple of weeks with another edition of The Weeklyish.  Have a great weekend! TimICYMI Inclusive Language is Not Enough 10 Ways to Flex Your Social Media Advocacy Skills 10 Podcasts You Can Use for Professional Development What does it mean to fully fund IDEA? Around the Web Maryland curbs seclusion of students in public schools Best Books To Read for Disability Pride Month Carry The Torch For Inclusion: Honoring the Legacy of Tom Hehir Disabled Lives Aren't A Tragedy What I'm Reading What I'm Watching What's in my Pod Feed What I'm Listening To What's in my Timeline From the Wayback Machine ‘I Make My Own Decisions,' Says 21-Year Old With Down Syndrome: Marina's Speech Just Because This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit weeklyish.substack.com