Practical Strategies for Including High School Students

Many schools districts have "reacted" to the new "inclusion federal guidelines" with little short or long term planning. Following a "catch or catch can" approach has invariably led to failure. Dr. Stride speaking from the gut offers "proactive solutions" that clearly articulate the myriad of inclusion challenges facing educators across America. Practical Strategies provides invaluable insight into selecting appropriate inclusion teams (an inclusion marriage contract is provided), guidance for modifying curriculum to match various learning styles, consideration for alternative grading procedures, practical suggestions for averting and dealing with discipline problems and numerous checklists for self-evaluation. Moreover, Dr. Stride sheds insight into the politics of district education while offering pathways for forging win-win alliances. Reflecting across three decades of experience, Dr. Stride introduces each chapter with real life novellas that engage the reader while identifying the needs and fears of students, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and parents alike. Sharing real life experience backed with extensive research, issues of inclusion are framed within the context of federal law without losing sight of the practicality of delivery. As educators, we are also reminded of our human limitations and the need from time to time to step back and laugh at ourselves. Dr. Stride has succeeded in providing an invaluable guidefor special educators, mainstream teachers and administrators alike. Practical Strategies is a complement to all teaching libraries and an essential guide for all districts implementing inclusion. I rate it 5 stars.Richard Wolf

If you REALLY want to know how to handle Special Ed kids in a regular classroom setting, specifically children with behavioral disabilities, Dr. Stride offers more than practical tips and sound advice, she gives actual solutions to real problems. If you want answers -- read this book! It is an invaluable tool, full of indispensable facts and information, and an absolute MUST for anyone that has to deal with behaviorally disabled children.

The reality of wide ranging total competencies between students -even between each one of parental offsprings must be accepted and understood as a regular component of the entire population to effectively include all students to move with desirable outcomes for each and every student. It has an analogy in school athletics where there is a vast difference in total competency, even between each seperate sport. In sport activities students can range from stars to second and third class substitutes so that aspirations for careers often are tied to how coaches successfully identify and assist those with athletic promise. Teachers have a much more responsibility to assist all students to obtain a lifetime career linked to their most promising potentials. By integrating all students in each class the students not only learn from the teachers but from each other in a helpful way. Thus a richer milieu for learning is steadily in place. Collaborative teaching sets a pattern for the collaborative activities of students in both classroom formats as well as out-of-school activities of the democratization of the learning program sets the stage for the enrichment of life in general which spans many years after basic education. Thus when harmony and talented ability are merged effectively the talents of all students can be better recognized and fostered for a lifetime of insight for each student.cc:Terri R Corder Lukonen