The Teachers College Inclusive Classrooms Project is a professional development organization that specializes in supporting K-12 administrators, teachers, and staff in creating organizational structures and curricular opportunities for all students to grow and thrive in their classrooms.Our philosophy is grounded in a stance of critical inclusivity whereby students labeled as disabled can participate in the general education curriculum when provided with appropriate supports and a universally designed curriculum. We believe that the single-format lesson for all students does not support the full and diverse range of learners in any given classroom, and teachers need to develop the skills and dispositions that address each and every student’s unique strengths and areas of difficulty. In addition to supporting students with identified disabilities, we also support teachers to create engaging curriculum and instruction for students who need more challenging work.
The work of the Teachers College Inclusive Classrooms Project is based on three assumptions:
First, the TCICP team believes that educators are thinking professionals, ready and willing to critically question their practices, try new things, and build their own capacity to problem solve in their classrooms.
Secondly, we embrace the notion of critical inclusivity. Inclusion is not a place or even a service. Critical inclusivity is a way about thinking deeply and thoughtfully about what it means to belong, recognizing the inherent value of all members for who they are, and creating spaces for them to meaningfully participate in and contribute to the community.
Finally, our work is not based on an educational model or formulaic in any way. Instead, our vast experience has confirmed our understanding that professional and intellectual growth is best facilitated through long-term, locally derived, inquiry work. The questions and dilemmas of teachers and administrators are the impetus for sustained, personalized inquiry as we investigate collaboratively how to best support educators in their quest to support and challenge all learners in their schools.