Wellbeing, inclusion & diversity
Teacher resources & training
Social Inclusion
and diversity
Inclusion
Inclusion as a concept that finds expression in the whole spectrum of social relations, stems from the principle of moral equality...
What is Inclusion
One could say that as a concept, and as a practise inclusion is the exact opposite of exclusion. This is not completely wrong, but as everything else in life things are not black and white. They are rather far more complicated.
Inclusion is also a very complex and multidimensional issue. It has a moral and ideological, a social and an institutional dimension.
Again, I think that inclusion starts from the moral principle of moral equality in the sense that…
…no individual can intrinsically claim higher value for itself and that no group of people can claim superiority for its values and beliefs.
This moral principle provides a good groundwork in the sense that it…
…makes us understand that inclusion is not in cooperation.
Because in cooperation the different other is not accepted as such.
Difference is something to be eliminated before the other becomes a member of the community. Nonetheless, it does not go far enough.
Because let’s say that acceptance and tolerance…
…are not the same as inclusion and this principle basically reaches that level. Inclusion does not only accept or tolerate difference, it embraces it. It sees it as a resource as an opportunity to transform itself by…
…Expanding through the other, its knowledge and its boundaries.
In this sense, inclusion is not a state is not a condition, it is an ongoing process. Also, from this we can understand that it is also has an ideological dimension in the sense…
…that inclusion…
…is internalised in the value and belief system and it also is performed through judgements and acts.
In this sense, we can speak of an inclusive mentality.
It is socially determined the same way as exclusion in the sense that the stakes and the demands are also different every time.
However, inclusion as a process is quite difficult. It also happens at many levels, some think…
…That it’s enough to legislate…
…to achieve it.
That’s not the case. For example, the main principles that we have is the idea of legal equality or an abstract idea of non discrimination.
However, inclusion goes far beyond that. We do not have the necessary tools yet for that. What we can do…
…is allow the law to create norms and set standards that will have an educative character, and that would encourage or motivate people…
…To reflect on the practises and adopt the inclusive mentality.
how to create a safe environment
OK, let’s talk about how to create a safe sharing environment and one of the biggest enemies of feeling secure is our previous experiences and of course our uncertainty. Many of us at one point or another, I believe, experienced the feeling of being hurt…
…Or not appreciated when we spoke.
It is these experiences that really give us feelings of untrust and that it won’t be different the next time. And the biggest enemy, I think, is uncertainty and people are really afraid.
They feel scared when they don’t know what is happening or what is going to happen.
So this is one thing that is very important to remember all the time. When you have face to face meetings with very vulnerable people…
Or groups in workshops, you need to present and to talk about what you are going to cover. What the process will be and the stages and all those things to make people feel safe and secure, so they know what is expected, what they are going to go through that day.
The next step I think is very important actually…
…to involve everyone and for them to create their own rules about the workshops.
OK, how we are going to behave? What is important for us when we are working together or sharing something?
It doesn’t matter if it’s face to face or in a group. If everyone is involved in creating those rules, they feel responsibility.
This gives a feeling of safety as well.
And the third step is very important, everyone should be waiting for something and creating their own stories in their mind.
It’s really important to take away that pressure and tension inside, caused by thoughts. We can use some…
…games that we can play together. Metaphorical cards. We can ask them to share some Google images which represents them – just to share with a group of people. This is how we can reduce the tension inside…
By creating this sense of belonging and togetherness.
Of course, one of the most effective ways to create a safe environment for sharing some vulnerable things, is to share your own story of when you were vulnerable.
One of the most effective ways to create security is to be a role model by sharing your own story and sensitive moments and show vulnerability.
diversity: Women in Science
Some people think that science is…
…not for girls.
That the scientist is a white man, middle-aged or old, and distant from other people.
This is all wrong. History tells us that there have been many women, young or old, who had a highly important contribution.
to scientific research.
And progress, overcoming long established prejudices and stereotypes.
One thing I did in my school…
…in my classroom as a science teacher was to ask my students to find the woman scientist who intrigues them the most on the basis…
…Of her biography.
Students have to imagine and reconstruct the difficulties and the obstacles that she faced due to her gender.
The students choose.
Marie Curie for example. Every student wrote…
…on the blackboard…
…their thoughts about what she might have faced.
And then we concluded that the social status of the person should not be a criterion as to her or his abilities.
Here it should be said that Marie Curie is not the only woman scientist. There have been many, many more women scientists from antiquity to now.
We are reminded about hipatia Amy Nertera the Afro American women mathematicians who had a substantial contribution to NASA’s space programmes, thus proving that science can be for everyone regardless of colour, gender and status.
Further Insight into Social Inclusion
It is always very important to talk about social inclusion.
We really need to understand and to feel inside that everyone, every person, every kid, every adult, every senior has the same opportunities…
…to have really happy and fun life here, and that everyone has really equal opportunities to feel good.
Our goal and our mission is to create that environment and not to exclude anyone.
And what does it mean? It means that the first step, then we really need to develop our empathy skills. Then we really are able already to feel how others feels, just step into the shoes of someone.
And we become an active…
…member of the society. That means that it is not that you don’t care how you feel, I care. I become curious, I ask and really want to…
…give you a hand and to help you to become a part of the community. Just think about any group of people or two, or five people, or our classrooms or our group of friends or whatever.
Every such small group…
…is a community, just the size is small.
And for us to have and to create a happy community and a community which feels safe and good, with each other…
We really need to become an active member of it, and we really need to open not only our hearts but our curiosity as well.
And if we honestly, very curiously, ask questions…
…trying to understand, not from our perspective, but from others’ perspective,
…We, at this point, can just make a very small step to help that person to feel good.
Share your feelings, share your heart and share your abilities…
…with each other.
Thank you.
Creating an Inclusive e-Learning Platform
E-learning platforms are a wonderful way to provide education and development opportunities to address the needs of the ever-growing and diverse groups of people….
