Educational Philosophy and Vision

"Inclusion is not a strategy to help people fit into the systems and structures which exist in our societies; it is about transforming those systems and structures to make it better for everyone. Inclusion is about creating a better world for everyone." -Diane Richler

My overall vision for students with disabilities is that they should receive consistent standards-based instruction regardless of their developmental level and that this instruction should increasingly take place in the general education setting.  Throughout my 20 year professional career as both a school psychologist and special education administrator I was never shy with colleagues about this vision.  In my new role as an educational consultant and advocate my vision is to continue to collaborate with students, families, and school teams to build capacity to support more inclusive practices for students with disabilities.  This vision is far from being popular, as it does place additional responsibilities and time demands on district staff for collaboration and training but I think it is an uphill battle worth fighting for, and one I am committed to seeing through in my current role.  

As the quote and cartoon above illustrates, I have always believed that it is not the students we need to change but rather it is the traditional one-size fits all public education system that needs to change.  I am here to challenge traditional status quo practices to ensure an equitable, quality standards-based education for students with disabilities, which in turn will benefit ALL students and educators.