Full Inclusion Education at Flint Academy

At Flint Academy, we want to follow the biblical principal of inclusiveness. (“Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them.” Matthew 19:14). In a school setting, this means that children who can possibly benefit from an academic educational environment will be included fully in our classes. Students are taught together, within the same classrooms. This means that students who are advanced academically, on grade level, or below grade level in their achievement are taught in the same classroom. Students for whom learning comes easily and those with attention difficulties or learning differences are taught within the same classroom. This is made possible by differentiated instruction and materials.

The full inclusion school environment more closely resembles society as a whole. When students enter the adult world, they will encounter a wide range of citizens, at work, at church, and in the community. It will be to their benefit and to the benefit of those around them if they are familiar and comfortable with all types of people.

Our school assures that full inclusion is successful by having small classes, specific environmental, academic, and social skill interventions, and support staff of teaching aides, dyslexia remediation teachers, and behavioral counselor. Students work for mastery before moving on. There is whole class instruction, small group instruction, one-on-one instruction, and individual work. Students are in small groups for reading and math instruction at their needed skills level. Inclusion in a small group is fluid as the student progresses. A wide range and variety of instructional materials at all levels are available for the teachers to use in each classroom. Students are generally kept together in classrooms with their age-mates or within 2-3 grade levels of each other. This is for student comfort in making friends and interacting socially. 

Inclusion has not been found to be detrimental to any achievement level and, in fact, is found to be enriching for all students involved (KidsTogether.org). And, as was said, we at Flint Academy find it to be biblically sound.

Dr. Paula J. Flint, Ph.D.