Benefits for all

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Mrs. McNaul, the middle school and high school art teacher, like many other teachers at Bellwood, has classes mixed with general education students and students who receive learning support services. Since she is a specials teacher, she has been able to include Life Skills students, as well.

Over the years, she says, the experiences she has had with students through B-A’s policy of inclusion has brought happiness into her life. This led her to start the Inclusion club, a group that welcomes all students into the student body for the sole purpose of appreciating differences.

“I have only had life skill students in my room for I believe 6 or 7 years now,” McNaul said. “Although those students have a modified project from their peers, they are exposed to the greater student body and the student body is exposed to them and together all students learn patience, inclusion and love. Over the years they have brought much joy to my life and I am sad to see my first students graduating this year.”

Unlike Mrs. McNaul, who opted to use her love for all students in an inclusive manner, Life Skills teacher Mrs. Shannon Elder came to the philosophy of inclusion through her family. Mrs. Elder has an uncle who has an intellectual disability, and as a young person she was intrigued by his view of the world. That motivated her towards her career choice.

“During my senior year of high school, I volunteered with a life skills music class. I got to know students with a variety of abilities: autism, down syndrome, deaf/ blindness,” Mrs. Elder said. “I saw how much those kids, my peers, loved social interaction but were often excluded from other kids our age. I loved spending time with those students. I wanted others to see how amazing they were.”