Curious about building or deepening mindsets in teachers and school leaders that invest them in welcoming all learners and building inclusive classrooms and schools? This session details how the Learner Variability and Special Education Initiative at Teach For America develops mindsets for incoming teachers as well as staff members and the promising results stemming from this approach. The session explores the history of ableism and its intersection with racism and other forms of oppression, ramifications on students today, different models of disability, and how we consider our own identity when it comes to ability. The session concludes with an exploration of how the Initiative then connects Universal Design for Learning as a pedagogical framework for welcoming learner variability and incorporating inclusive practices in all classrooms and schools.

Session Video Recording
Slide Deck
Handout
Interactive Notes Document