Tale of the Tape: School Inclusion in Germany - Teachers Speak Out
Majority of Educators Back School Inclusion: Poll Finds 62% in Favor - Majority of Educators Support Inclusion in Schools Reaches 62 Percent
While 62% of educators back the idea of inclusion in schools, only 28% find joint teaching practical according to a VBE survey. The union cites a lack of staff, big class sizes, and insufficient individual support as key concerns.
43% of educators see inclusion as generally beneficial yet find special needs schools more useful currently. On the flip side, 34% feel that inclusion isn't generally beneficial and support maintaining special needs schools.
Surprisingly, 41% of teachers are currently toiling away at non-barrier-free schools, with those in Berlin making up half of that number. A barrier-free environment is crucial not only for children with disabilities but also for parents and educators, points out Tomi Neckov, VBE's deputy federal chairman. "This undermines fundamental rights to participation and free choice of profession."
Inclusion can thrive only with the right support, emphasizes Neckov, which often seems to be in short supply. With only minimal improvements since the 2020 survey, it's no wonder nearly half of educators are left less than impressed and more than a third are downright dissatisfied with their state's inclusion policy. "We need more staff, more training, more collaborative time, and finally barrier-free schools," declares Neckov.
VBE polled 2737 educators for their thoughts on inclusion. Similar surveys were conducted in 2015, 2017, and 2020.
- Inclusion
- Germany
- Berlin
- Teachers
A Catch-22 of Inclusion Challenges
- Accessibility and Infrastructure: Many schools lack adequate infrastructure for children with disabilities, impairing their ability to fully participate.
- Teacher Training: Effectively teaching students with diverse abilities often calls for additional training and pedagogical strategies.
- Inclusive Teaching Practices: Without the resources and support, incorporating inclusive teaching methods can be a hurdle.
Keeping the Ball Rolling: Inclusion Efforts
- Inclusive Education Policies: Germany has been pushing for inclusive education policies to integrate students with disabilities into regular school systems.
- Training and Support: Numerous organizations and institutions are offering training to teachers to ensure they have the skills to educate students with disabilities effectively.
- Stakeholder Engagement: A collaborative approach involving parents, teachers, and students is being taken to plan and execute inclusive educational strategies.
- To address ongoing challenges in inclusive education in Germany, it is crucial to enhance community policies that prioritize vocational training for teachers in education-and-self-development, focusing on personal-growth and learning in inclusive teaching practices.
- An effective solution for improving accessibility and infrastructure in schools, as well as equipping teachers with the necessary skills, lies in implementing comprehensive vocational training programs for educators, aiming at the enhancement of learning environments that support personal-growth and the integration of students with disabilities.
