In the lead up to International Day of Education, Special Olympics published its third annual letter on the Global state of inclusion in education. Here is an excerpt from the letter:
During my first days as a practice teacher in New Haven, Connecticut, I remember being overwhelmed by the complexity and quantity of the work: preparing lessons, grading papers, communicating with families, and connecting with students. I had learned to be a teacher, but once I got into the classroom I realized I was almost completely unprepared. I quickly learned what every teacher knows: being a teacher is a huge responsibility that requires tremendous effort and very little support.
Over the past few years, I have seen teachers do more than I ever imagined. I have visited dozens of schools that support Special Olympics’ efforts to make schools more inclusive and have seen teachers work miracles. In places as diverse as rural India and the suburbs of Rhode Island, I have seen teachers lead inclusive classrooms, coach Unified Sports teams, facilitate student leadership programs, organize pep rallies, lead school-wide campaigns for inclusivity and dignity, and do everything possible to cherish every child in their care. The challenges of teaching, and especially of inclusive teaching, remain enormous. The good news is that teachers are increasingly making progress in ways we once thought were beyond the realm of possibility.
The bad news is that teachers still receive little support, and that lack of support is taking its toll, leading to a global shortage of qualified, trained and well-equipped teachers. We should all be alarmed and made aware of a crisis that is building right before our eyes: we face an urgent global teacher shortage and the future of all our children is at stake.
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