Children have a lot to teach about inclusion

As a first-year teacher, the religion textbook I used in my Grade Five classroom was entitled May We Be One from the CCCB's Born of the Spirit series. 

I made a bulletin board around the Bible quote “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” – John 17:21, and decorated it with one of the book’s suggested activities: a class mosaic, every tile representing how each unique student played a valuable and important role in completing our class community. 

Twenty-five years later, the mosaic image resonates with me still. I've taught students from different backgrounds, with different academic abilities, and also those with special needs. Now, more than ever, the “tiles” on our schools’ mosaics have become more varied – and more beautiful - as we endeavour to include all children in our mainstream classrooms.

One fact that has always impressed upon me is the reality that most children seem to have an innate ability to overlook differences. I remember one student describing a peer, from a different ethnic background than her own, as simply “[having] a pink coat.” In the child’s eyes, that coat was the most obvious identifying feature. The beauty in her vision touched me deeply. 

In my current position, as a resource teacher at Immaculate Conception Elementary in Delta, we aim to keep that “pink coat” spirit alive in our students by integrating children of all academic, physical, and behavioural levels in the same classrooms, as much as possible. We are not perfect, but we strive to provide what each child needs, and one of our proudest stories revolves around this year’s Grade 5 boys volleyball team.

Mathias Brear, a Grade 5 student, suffered a stroke when he was a year old. Due to the brain injury he incurred, Mathias now lives with symptoms similar to cerebral palsy. While he can walk with assistance, he is safer – and faster! – navigating the school campus in his wheelchair.

The teachers in our school have accommodated his needs by trading classrooms, as Mathias has reached their grade levels, so that his classroom is always on the ground floor. The children assist him through the hallways and carry his books so that he can wheel his chair alone whenever possible.

Mathias has friends who will help him if he drops something and he has friends who seek him out to play floor hockey and other sports with him, every single recess. Since he loves sports Mathias decided to join our volleyball team.

The Grade 5 volleyball team was special this year. Having a single boy in a wheelchair on the court with able-bodied athletes is not something seen at every school. Having a team of Grade 5 boys qualify for the CISVA championship tournament doesn’t happen at every school either. This year, our boys did both.

With Mathias as a full member of the team, sharing in practices, serving the ball, and playing on the court, the team not only showed inclusion, they did well! The boys earned a fourth place ribbon out of all CISVA schools in the Lower Mainland.

The team’s coaches, Lisa Brear and Chris Prime, noted a wonderful comradery among the boys. They also proudly reported that other coaches commended them on the fact that the boys cheered whole-heartedly for their teammates, as well as for other teams throughout the season’s tournaments.

They may have enjoyed a successful year of volleyball, but I believe that these children will be successful in life. They have continually demonstrated a sense of patience beyond their years, and they are blinded to physical differences in ways that cannot be taught. Mathias is “one of the guys” in everyone’s eyes, most importantly his own.

Equality shouldn’t mean that everyone needs to be treated exactly the same; ideally, it should mean that everyone should be treated fairly and recognized for the gifts they have to offer. Inclusion should be the same. 

We need to be blind to the barriers of difference and receptive to the unique gifts God has given each of us. We must celebrate the beautiful and essential pieces in God’s mosaic, each and every day.

As adults, we often feel that we are called to teach inclusion to the children; however, maybe we need to step back. To learn how to truly “be one,” we often need look no further than our children, doing what comes naturally.