Through The Same Doors:  Workshop for Inclusive Education

Presented by the Down Syndrome Association of the Lowcountry

As a young boy, Micah Fialka-Feldman dreamed of entering school through the same doors and going to the same classes as all the other students, rather than heading to the special education classroom.  Now Micah is living his dream as a college student at Oakland University.   DSAL wants to foster inclusive educational opportunities for students throughout the Lowcountry by providing teacher training and support, so that all students can proceed through the same doors.

On October 14th and 16th, DSAL will host Nancy Brown, an expert on inclusion and differentiated instruction.  She will present with her daughter, Bridget.  The workshop is designed to achieve the following goals:

    * Educators will receive hands-on experience with curriculum differentiation
    * Educators will bring their own lesson plans, and will learn how to modify those plans so that they are accessible for diverse learners
    * Educators will learn several different techniques for teaching students with diverse learning styles
    * Educators will become more effective at facilitating inclusion of students with special needs in general education classes

Sessions will be held on October 14th and 16th at Seacoast Church in Mount Pleasant.  Educators should register for one of the four sessions offered:

October 14th: 8:00 am – 11:30 (elementary); 1:00 pm – 4:30 (elementary)

October 15, 7:00 pm – 8:30 Parent Workshop

October 16th: 8:00 am – 11:30 (middle school); 1:00 pm – 4:30 (high school)

Nancy Brown is an inclusion consultant for the Illinois State Board of Education (Project CHOICES) and a private consultant with PATHFINDERS consulting services. She has worked with many school districts to help facilitate district wide systems change.  Nancy and the LRE Project CHOICES team work with administrators, teachers, special education directors, and school principals to design a strategic plan that supports an inclusive educational model where all students can learn successfully.   Nancy has worked in the disability field for over 30 years in many different arenas.  She co-presents with her daughter Bridget, who was the first person with a disability to be included in her school district. Nancy specializes in inclusive education, person centered planning, adaptations and accommodations, inclusive models of supports in schools, transition, access and equity for all students. Nancy has been trained in: Cognitive Coaching, the Green Circle Program, Character Counts, and the National Coalition Building Institute.

Bridget Brown, a young woman with Down syndrome, was the first person with a disability included in her school district in Illinois. She is a strong advocate of inclusion and helping people with disabilities find their own voice. She works for a grant through the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities and works with young adults with disabilities in two high schools. Bridget has been trained as a PATH/MAP facilitator with Managing the Art of Living and she is a graduate of the STARS advocacy program through the ARC of Illinois.  Bridget is a National Public speaker.

ALL SESSIONS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO ALL EDUCATORS.

Parents, please register by sending the following information to mayc@cofc.edu:

(1) Your name, (2) Your school district, (3) Your school, (4) Grade level of child with Ds