But at the End of it All...

First I'd just like to note that we just had an entire week between class #2 and class #3 in Inclusive Education. My goodness, how time flies.
Most of the time was spent listening to Nellis talk about the shift from IPPs to IEPTs, which primarily represents a shift from codes and labels to what I perceive to be a much more student-centred approach. I don't feel like I know enough (yet) to blog in depth about this, but what I do find very interesting is a noticeable pattern which seems to have developed in the class itself. Maybe it's more of a trend than a pattern.
A lot of people in the class seem to be pretty freaked out by inclusive education! After hearing so much about IPPs and their successors, IEPTs, the greatest learning for me occurred when Ian sounded off about how these IEPTs will be used and who is responsible for using them. It's a valid concern from him, but it was Jason's response that I'd like to recognize: that this is a process and we are only chewing on one piece of the pie here.
Everything we talk about in the classroom is theoretical at the time being. It is when we get into our practicums and eventually our jobs that we will really learn the ins and outs of IE - we're not going to have it all figured out on our way out the door in November.
I also think that we as students are frightened by IE because we tend to forget that IE has components other than physically and mentally disabled students; everyone else in the class, for example.
We will learn a lot about IE from you this term, Nellis. More than we may ever realize. But we'll never truly know about IE until we get out into the field and experience it, and even then it will be an ever-changing field in which we will be constantly changing our methods to adapt to. We will be teachers to an ever-changing flow of students, and I'm certain there will always be new approaches and strategies surfacing to help each individual reach their full potential.
So to my fellow students I plead you do not fret! Inclusive Education is changing but it isn't new. Do your readings, reflect on what you've learned, and then go out there and live it just as hundreds of thousands of teachers before you have done.