Victorian Australia Primary School Case Study

Victorian Australia Primary School Case Study

Assignment 3: Case study

Primary school profile

You have been offered a graduate teacher position in a primary school located in a suburb 25km from Melbourne CBD. The school is located in what has been identified as Melbourne’s lowest socio-economic post code. Over recent years, it has experienced a considerable amount of growth. A retired principal volunteers at the school on a regular basis and has recently set up a school garden. The students spend time in the garden planting, maintaining and harvesting crops. The children also spend time in the kitchen cooking cuisines from countries around the world and this helps embrace the variety of cultures in the school. The children at the school love spending time feeding the chickens

Classroom profile

There are 25 children in your Year 1/2 classroom. As the teacher, you receive the support of a Teacher’s Aide 2 days a week. The school has recently received a grant from a local supermarket and the Principal has given you permission to spend $1000 on any additional resources you may need to support the students in your class.

The profiles of five children who are identified as needing additional attention and support due to their special and unique circumstances are listed as follows:

Amara

Amara came to Australia as a refugee when she was three. She did not have access to medical interventions when she was a baby and, as a result of disease in early childhood, she now has impaired vision. Amara loves music.

Trent

Trent has been diagnosed by a paediatrician as having Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Due to his sensory needs, he often requires movement breaks to assist him to stay on task. He is fascinated about cars and spiders, and is fanatic about his local sports club.

Stephanie

Stephanie is a very popular student. Stephanie has global development delay. Stephanie has an aide who assists her with her work in the classroom. Stephanie is passionate about animals and has a dog called Jeffery, a cat called Samuel, and two goldfish called Ben and Bob.

Nic

Nic has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Nic has been learning the piano for the past two years, and has already completed several music exams with high distinction. Nic has an aide to assist him in the classroom. Nic will always follow the rules, is very sensitive and will hide if he feels that he is in trouble.

Michael

Michael was born with a medical condition which impaired the function of his legs, and he walks with the assistance of a walking aide. Michael is an excellent swimmer and his goal is to swim at the Paralympics in the future.Assignment overview
This assignment task requires you to critically analyse and reflect on a case study of a typical early childhood or Primary School environment.  You are then required to write a report on actions you would take as an educator to provide a learning environment inclusive of all children.

As an early childhood professional you are required to provide inclusive and accessible learning environment for all children.
This requires you to provide individualised support for children with additional needs whilst also ensuring that the learning environment does not single out or isolate any child.  In this assignment you will explore strategies and plans that look at both individual and classroom wide inclusion.
As you have learned throughout this unit, and specifically weeks 9-11, inclusion is not just about catering for individual disabilities one at a time.
Inclusive programs and effective teachers look at the child and not the disability and build learning environments and activities that embrace the strengths and differences of all children.