We are a group of educational professionals united in our mission to support and honor diverse learners and families, including English learners and those served by special education. We accomplish this by:
- Developing teachers who can effectively teach children who are diverse linguistically, culturally, and in their abilities.
- Collaborating with other departments to expand their candidates’ abilities to offer effective instruction to all children.
- Sharing expertise, individually and collectively, in effective inclusion of ALL students. Advocating the development of inclusive practices across all levels - BCOE, schools, Georgia, US and internationally.
- Establishing global/local connections and relationships around issues of inclusion, language development, social justice, and diversity.
- Advocating for children and families.
- Utilizing an asset-based, critical pedagogical framework that emphasizes inclusive practices.
In holding others accountable for achieving these goals, we are also accountable to each other.
In our pursuit to provide leadership in building the capacity of all schools and to promote the educational success of every learner, the Inclusive Education Department is committed to the collaborative development of expertise in teaching, learning and leadership through student-centered learning that is integrative and intentional. In cooperation with families, school systems, and community agencies, the department prepares teacher leaders who demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to facilitate high levels of learning through inclusive practices. Through an integrated research-based approach, courses are systematically created and implemented to transform candidates’ worldviews, enabling them to become teacher leaders who are life-long learners. These teacher leaders shall become educational experts prepared for the complexities of a global society.