From Disability to Possibility: The Power of Inclusive Classrooms

My friend Bev gave this book to her daughter, a Special Ed teacher who teaches 6th grade middle school. She is going to use it for her classroom to increase inclusive education opportunities. She has already incorporated some of the strategies and it has been a useful tool in evaluations. My daughter Tracy is an occupational therapist who works with many children including those with autism. She has formed a library in her clinic for parents and many have purchased the book for their own libraries. They both feel this book is invaluable!

Dr. Schwarz has done an outstanding job of outlining the unquestionable benefits that inclusive education provides for not only for students (both with and without special needs), but also for faculty, families and society as a whole. From Disability to Possibility, which is written in an easy to read, conversational manner, goes on to provide detailed information about how to implement inclusive education into our classrooms along with specific tools and practices to accomplish this, often using real life stories that warm the reader. Many of the tools and practices are easily utilized and very helpful at home. This book is sure to be helpful to all educators and parents, particularly those with children with special needs. It was a tremendous help to me and my family! I am so looking forward to Schwarz's next book, Just Give Him the Whale, co-authored with Paula Kluth. Kluth and Schwarz and ground-breakers in special education today!

Patrick Schwarz may have written THE most important book regarding inclusive classrooms. Always questioning our attitudes and assumptions we have regarding individuals with disabilities, From Disability to Possibility, is filled with poignant stories about children and adults of all ages struggling to live their life in an "able" world. Interestingly, this book isn't so much about educating children, although this is accomplished, but more about identifying strengths of individuals no matter what their ability. Gavin, a kindergartener, with pervasive developmental challenges, was pegged a behavior problem when observed by a team who would educate him the following year. During his kindergarten year, he was allowed to run around the room carrying a large Tinkertoy stick and received goldfish cracker reinforcements every few minutes (Schwarz questions what they were trying to reinforce!). The following year, Gavin wasted no time at his new school to fall into old habits. However, Schwarz was a consultant to the school and quickly helped the staff see Gavin in a new light "... Gavin has a brand new home and also a new school. I don't see him as a student with behavior issues. I see him as a scared little boy." Herein lies the beauty of Patrick Schwarz - he takes situations teachers are terrified of and makes them manageable by looking at a child's true strengths and applying them in the classroom successfully. What happened to Gavin during his 1st grade year? Teachers met his sensory needs through rhythmic motion, messenger duties, "brushing" his arms and body pressure which all helped him to organize internally and be successful. This book is filled with stories about Sam, Andrew, Marco, Zach, Jenny, Anthony, Ben and Mick. But, that's not all. Schwarz does a thorough job of breaking down our insecurities and concerns about children with disabilities in our classrooms, analyzing individual child needs and applying it to real situations. Helping teachers to realize that if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Many teachers in this book admitted to not knowing what to do with children who had disabilities as they were included in their classrooms. Sometimes this attitude was due to not being properly educated about specific disabilities and sometimes it was fear that including them would take too much time or take away from the education of the rest of the "regular" education children. Quite the contrary! Teachers realized true acceptance of diversity in their classroom and true partnerships with colleagues as well as parents by embracing children as children into their classrooms. As one parents shared with a teacher, "All I ask is that you believe in him; this will take you far in educating him." Perhaps the most powerful statement Schwarz makes in his book is that "Attitudes are the worst disability." Change yours by reading this book.

I am a new special education teacher struggling with conflict of expectations of my role. My undergraduate work included classes on coteaching, collaboration, and inclusion. But, in the schools I find most of my coworkers (general educators who earned their degree prior to inclusion of students with disabilities) have a different idea of what my role is. I have been told by general educators that I have to pull students out of the classroom for that time to count as IEP time...is that the least-restrictive environment or in the best interest of the student? I have seen general educators group students in their classroom by abilities...the smart table, average table, and dumb table. Bottomline - there is a difference in paradigms. I enjoyed reading Schwarz's book and would recommend it to all (special and general educators). It is a quick and inspiring read...a great book for a book study. My paraprofessional also read the book. We both agree that some teachers in our building need to have a copy put in their mailbox.

This is a small book with a big and very important message. I immediately bought ten copies and passed them to everyone I know who is seeking social change in schools and communities. Dr. Schwarz's book is part story, part philosophy, and part how-to manual. In this very hopeful text, the author challenges us to dream of what might be and to take practical steps to make those dreams into reality. Buy one for your principal, your teachers, your therapists, your advocates and for yourself!