On The Power to Exclude and The Power to Include

My son was not accepted to the school's orchestra. He had been explicitly warned by his teacher that this might happen but he had decided to give it a try and had seriously practiced for the audition. He was motivated, committed and optimistic, but he was not accepted on account of his performance in the audition. "We think he is not ready yet for the challenge" told me the headmaster, "and his teacher, who knows him well, is doubtful about his ability to keep up with the others". The verdict for my son was an exclusion from an opportunity. An opportunity to work with fellow musicians. 

This incident made me think about the way we, teachers, use power to include and to exclude. About the way these two differ in the role that they assign to the teacher and to the peer group. When we exclude, we decide who is going to be cast out, why and when. We make these decisions alone, expect students to accept our verdicts and to learn the lesson: Which behavior would be followed by exclusion and which would save them from it.

When a measure of exclusion is taken in class, most of the class is reduced to the role of the by-stander. Issues of disruptive behavior and under-achievement become the problem of specific individuals who are expected to deal with it alone.

Dealing with these issues by using the power of inclusion changes the whole picture! The teacher's role in this case is to remind the kids over and over again that belonging in our class is never questioned. That all kids equally belong and always belong. That it is in their hands,  to make our class a community that supports, encourages and tolerates each of its members.  

In this light, problems of disruptive behavior or poor achievements are a challenge for the whole community. And if we compare a community of peers to a single teacher it seems to me that the community is better equipped to deal with these problems. Let me single out just a few of its advantages: The mere process of communication and discussion may bring the group to a better understanding of the needs / expectations / wishes of its members. The variety within the group, may open venues to a wide range of possibilities / resources to help/ support/ encourage each of the community members. This collaborative effort is likely to give each member in the community a sense of worth and significance.  

The mission of the teachers who choose to use inclusive power is to make a community out of their class, to engage their students in a collaborative creation, to encourage them to participate in this unique creation, to nurture it and to enjoy it. 

The route to inclusion is literally a constructive one. One of building mutual respect, and understanding, one of building each member's confidence in herself and her classmates. Rather than "protecting" the class from "others" (kids who misbehave, underachievers), community building is about listening to, communicating with and depending on each other. 

When, we teachers, take a measure of exclusion we invariably leave at least one child lonely and insecure. We then expect the child to pull herself together and make her way back into the community all by herself. Wouldn't she be more likely to meet the challenge (behavioral or academic) with the company and support of her class mates?