Blog Post #3

Questions: How do you define inclusion in education, and how does that definition align (or not align) with your day-to-day practices?

How can a PLN support inclusion? In what ways can connecting with diverse voices and perspectives strengthen your approach to equity and inclusion?

When I think about inclusion in education, I define it as both a belief and a practice. It’s the belief that every learner has the utmost potential, and it’s the practice of designing environments that make that belief visible through structure, intention, and flexibility. Shelley Moore (2021) captured this idea beautifully in her interview with Jesse Miller when she described finding her “professional sweet spot” through mentorship, community, and authenticity. She spoke about how inclusion isn’t just about access; it’s about connection and contribution (Moore, 2021). That resonates with me because the educators who shaped me most, like my high school teacher, Ms. Bueman, were the ones who believed in me long before I believed in myself.

Looking back, the teachers who practiced inclusion never made me prove my worth. They didn’t favour the students who understood concepts faster; they created space for everyone to grow at their own pace. At the time, I didn’t realize had ADHD, so when teachers wrote me off for being slower to grasp material, I internalized it as failure. It wasn’t until much later, now in my final semester of university, that I see how crucial that belief in potential was. Moore reminds us that we cannot have inclusion without diversity, and we cannot have diversity without inclusion (Moore, 2016). Teachers like Ms. Bueman embodied that truth by seeing beyond ability or background and focusing on what each student could bring.

In my day-to-day life, I try to live by that same philosophy. Whether it’s in group projects, discussions, relationships, or professional settings, I practice inclusion through listening. Listening to others, especially to experiences I haven’t lived, is essential for equity work. Listening before speaking, and seeking to understand perspectives across race, gender identity, and ability, helps me unlearn assumptions and biases I may not have even realized I carried. I’ve learned that inclusion isn’t about claiming to “know” diversity; it’s about staying open and humble enough to keep learning every single day.

Personal learning networks (PLNs) help me do this. Like Moore’s virtual book club that transformed her “followers” into colleagues, my PLN is a living community that continually expands my empathy and understanding (Moore, 2021). Through educators, peers, and creators who share lived experiences, I learn directly from the source. The CAST UDL guidelines (2024) reinforce this practice of flexibility and responsiveness, they remind us that inclusion means anticipating and celebrating variability, not trying to standardize it (CAST, 2024).

Every person has the potential to contribute something meaningful. Our role as learners and educators is to create environments, and relationships, where that potential can be realized. For me, that starts with listening, learning, and believing in people, one conversation at a time.

References

CAST. (2024). The UDL Guidelines. CAST. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

MILLER. (2021, May 30). EDCI 338 – 20 Minutes Moore. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeSV0rUl1bA

Moore, Shelley. One Without the Other : Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion, Portage & Main Press, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uvic/detail.action?docID=4832579.