Comments on: Chisel a Teaching Masterpiece

By: Elizabeth Stein

Elizabeth Stein — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:48:16 +0000

Readers who would like to learn more about CASEL should also check out, “Teachers Endorse Social-Emotional Lessons; But the Subject Lacks Priority,” by Nirvi Shah at Education Week …

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rulesforengagement/2013/05/teachers_endorse_social_emotional_lessons_but_subject_lacks_priority.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-TW

By: Elizabeth Stein

Elizabeth Stein — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:08:43 +0000

Jennifer, I am very familiar with your work! Thank you for sharing your voice here. It’s interesting because each day I am so aware of the importance of SEL in the learning environment. And I notice how it gets lost in the shuffle from inclusion class to inclusion class–depending on the teaching philosophy of each co-teacher. So, I am so happy that you added your voice here.

The curriculum gets so intense that many teachers focus on the “what” students have to learn–and far too many do not spend enough time planning for the “how” are students going to learn. Through my personal experience as a co-teacher, I know so many teachers feel the time crunch–as if there isn’t time to weave in SEL. Clearly an important balance needs to be identified, established, and maintained.

And that’s what makes UDL and your 3 block model so exciting–the tools are right there for us! Co-teachers have the added responsibility to make sure that each teacher is willing to step out of his comfort zone to create a learning environment–together–that embodies all of the principles of UDL and SEL. I am including a link so readers may copy/paste to link to more information about your work.

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/specedu/conference/2-2.pdf

Thank you for your comments and for pushing our thinking along. I am looking forward to continuing this discussion!

By: Jennifer Katz

Jennifer Katz — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:54:18 +0000

As a professor of Education whose work focuses on inclusive education, I couldn’t agree with you more. However, there is one key piece missing to the CAST model – the social and emotional aspect of creating inclusive classrooms. Social and academic inclusion go hand in hand, because all the differentiation in the world won’t make a difference if the classroom is not a safe place in which to engage in challenging curricula through multiple modalities. Check out my website, and that of CASEL, not in place of, but in compliment to, what CAST is suggesting :)