Teacher Opinions Regarding Inclusion Implementation in Schools
Unhappy with Inclusion in Hanover - Teachers Cry for Help:
Teachers in Hanover, Lower Saxony, aren't against inclusion, but they're facing challenges with its practical application. A survey by Forsa, commissioned by the Association of Education and Education (VBE), reveals this surprising situation. The survey included responses from 2,737 teachers across Germany, including 253 from Lower Saxony.
The survey shows that a majority (62%) of teachers, both in Lower Saxony and nationwide, support the idea of joint instruction for children with and without disabilities. However, an alarming finding is that around two-thirds of supporters (65% in Lower Saxony) believe that children with disabilities should still be taught in special schools.
VBE Insists on More Staff for Inclusive Schools
According to the critics, the major worries are inadequate staffing (43%), insufficient resources (24%), and a lack of training for teachers to handle inclusion (15%). Franz-Josef Meyer, the VBE state chairman, calls this a "stinging rebuke" to Lower Saxony's inclusion policy. He urges the Ministry of Culture to rethink and invest in more staff for inclusive education.
It's worth noting that inclusive education is a growing focus in Germany, with students from various learning backgrounds being taught together in general schools, offering parents the choice between mainstream and special schools[5]. However, recent labor disputes, like bus drivers in Lower Saxony going on strike over salary equality, hint at the broader issues facing the education sector[2].
Striving for a solution, the education sector might consider strategies like providing teachers with specialized training and resources, promoting parental involvement, and developing clear policies for inclusive education[3]. But without specific demands from the teachers in Lower Saxony, a precise path forward remains unclear.
- The survey reveals that while a majority of teachers in Lower Saxony and nationwide support joint instruction for children with and without disabilities, they express concerns about inadequate staffing, insufficient resources, and lack of teacher training – essential aspects of education-and-self-development and learning.
- To address these concerns, the Association of Education and Self-Development (VBE) insists on more staff for inclusive schools, suggesting that this could be a pivotal step towards improving education-and-self-development and learning experiences for all students in Hanover.
