School inclusion from the perspective of temporary teachers in an autobiographical workshop to achieve personal and professional growth

Abstract

For schools, the culture of inclusion is the ground on which to cultivate a different way of thinking about disability and human diversity. But to what extent do the education system, schools and teachers succeed in implementing inclusive processes that effectively address the educational needs of all students? This is what the forty-one temporary teachers attending the 5 CFU-training course of the Special Education and Inclusion Didactics Master's programme were asked to talk about during an autobiographical workshop. The temporary teachers, who have the opportunity to come into contact with various school environments, provided valuable insights into the dynamics of inclusion sharing their personal experiences with colleagues, students, managers and parents. They redefined and reinterpreted their personal and professional selves providing a detailed picture of inclusion in the Italian school system. Barriers to inclusion were identified as: stereotypes and prejudices, unprepared or insensitive teachers and managers, overcrowded classes, lack of didactic continuity, inflexible timetables and unsuitable spaces for group cooperation, and little communication between teachers of the same class.