The F.A.T City documentary is a classic video on inclusion; in my educational journey, I have watched this video a few times. I remember it being impactful when I took my Special Education Teaching Assistance course. Interestingly enough, I don’t remember the language being as derogatory, maybe because of my age or because I was naĂŻve. Still, I know Richard Lavoie’s intentions were good, but hearing “retard” or “Indian” or referring to the child as a learning-disabled child was cringeworthy and offensive. The child always comes first when explaining any exceptionalities; although he expressed that, the language would make you think otherwise. We should always He also used phrases like this child’s processing deficit or clumping children with statements like “learning disabled people do not like surprises,” or “learning disabled kids have a difficult time processing in the classroom.” Looking past the outdated language, the passion and message behind the video are outstanding; he examines the need and desire for inclusive education for all children.
The underlining message throughout the documentary is that inclusive education is essential for the success of our students. Some of Lavoie’s ideas are still relevant and essential for success with students. Knowing each individual holistically should be a priority; this is critical for success in the classroom. Each student is unique, with different needs, anxieties, strengths, preferences and interests; we must understand that to effectively teach. Lavoie explains that instruction needs to be explicit, another critical factor in what fosters success in students. Instruction also needs to be presented in different forms; Lavoie explained how students require instruction in different ways, such as visuals, audio, or one-on-one instruction. A phrase that resonated with me was about motivating students, students can show what they are capable of, but motivation has little to do with motivating what students have yet to learn. Motivation will not change a student’s ability, and that reminded me that we always need to access where our students are and build on those skills.
During the presentation, Lavoie had different participants join in a simulation. The simulation allowed the participants to understand what it was like in a classroom with a learning disability. The participants looked frustrated, uncomfortable, and embarrassed, and many of them shut down and found they could not work under the pressures of the “teacher.” Lavoie quickly proved that students cannot work in an anxiety-inducing space but showed how different exceptionalities (disabilities) through various challenging activities could be overwhelming, causing the participants to shut down. What a beautiful example of putting ourselves (as much as possible) in our students’ shoes. It is a reminder that our students face struggles that we can’t always relate to; that is why we must understand our students as much as we can. As a student who struggles with processing skills, ADHD and complex trauma, I felt lost in my education and focused on the social aspect of school. I know the teachers I came across were doing their best, but looking back, I feel like I was unnoticed in those ways. I did not know how to advocate for myself because I was unaware of those barriers; I hope because of this, I will be a better teacher and notice the struggles my students face.
During one of the last exercises the participants participated in, Lavoie talked about the letters p,d,q and b.  These letters have the same structure and can become each other when moved differently. My children and I recently went to Kitimat pool, and on the way home, they were each writing their own chores list. My son, who is eight, was trying to spell the word dishwasher; he stopped and asked me, “Mom, which way does d face.” I had watched the documentary already, and it made me think of this specific activity. Our students’ struggles with reading, writing and comprehension can feel overwhelming. Reading and writing are complicated; understanding Scarborough’s rope with decoding, comprehension, word recognition and the other strands makes sense that students struggle to read, let alone comprehend what they are reading. When a teacher reads the content to students, it makes sense that it would be much easier to listen and understand what is being said. That is why educators must focus on the steps for reading and writing.Â
