Special children in an ordinary kindergarten in Russia: pros and cons

– They are going to transfer a girl with developmental disabilities to our group! – The anger of my friend Katya was heard even on the phone. – Can you imagine, to ordinary children!

“I don’t understand,” I shrug. – Well, the child is not quite ordinary. Does she have a severe deviation?

– It seems not …

– And then what is wrong?

– Yes, everything is not so! And if she is aggressive? If she hits her head against the walls? If…

“If” has accumulated twenty minutes.

– Previously, such children were sent to correctional schools. And now the schools are being closed, and the children are being shoved into ordinary kindergartens, schools, ”Katya raged.

But Katya is not a beast. An ordinary average mother. So is inclusive education really that bad?

Inclusive education is actively promoted all over the world, and in Russia they began to try to create something similar quite recently. What’s the point? It is about giving children with special needs an opportunity to join the usual collective of their peers – after all, it is impossible to socialize in society if you are isolated from it.

And if earlier children with neurological problems were sent to a correctional kindergarten, and from there to a special school, now doctors recommend sending “special” children to the most ordinary educational institutions.

But in our country this idea is so far met, if not with hostility, then with bewilderment. We tried to look at the problem from three sides. Mothers – ordinary children and “special” ones, shared their opinion about the inclusive system with us. And kindergarten teachers are the people who will have to bring the idea to life.

– I’m against. Categorically. If we are talking about some global health and behavior problems, Olga, mother of 6-year-old Taisiya, did not think for a second about the answer. – Let the parents of “special” children forgive me, I treat them all very well, there are some of my friends. But to the general children’s team? No no and one more time no. The eldest son had one such classmate. He ran around the classroom during classes, fought in hysterics, bit other children. They were afraid to go to school. We have been trying to get him transferred to a correctional school for over a year. The directors were bombarded with complaints. Thank God we have achieved it.

Olga’s youngest daughter is now in kindergarten. She has several guys in the group with slight deviations. But they are all adequate, they are taught to socialize.

– But if my child complains that they regularly interfere, offend, disrupt classes, yelling all day, I will be the first to go to the manager. And I will demand that they be sent to the commission for a conclusion – can they study in a general group. Neurologists may write anything in their diagnoses, I defend the rights of my child.

Such children, in my opinion, are generally forbidden to the masses. Their nervous system is fragile, underdeveloped. They need comfort, not, sorry, trash. Don’t their parents understand that their children are suffering? – says Olga.

– I will not voice my son’s diagnosis, it is too complicated and verbose. But outwardly, Mark is the most ordinary child, he went to a regular kindergarten and will go to a regular school in the fall, – says Christina, the mother of 7-year-old Mark.

At first, Christina had to sit for hours in the kindergarten, explaining and showing how her son reacted to different situations. And then everything worked out.

– Before kindergarten, he absolutely did not know how to communicate, play with other guys. The garden gave him a huge boost in development. Yes, the first year was hard. Mark did not know what discipline was, interfered with everyone. Everyone was crying: we and other children. And there were complaints, and hints of transfer to a correctional garden. I had to bring three independent conclusions at once that Mark could go to a regular kindergarten, ”recalls Christina.

Mom is very grateful to the educators – according to her, they were able to discern behind the external problems of a kind, sensitive, affectionate boy. And they helped him adapt to this world.

– I am very afraid of the school. We will adapt there again, and you won’t sit in the locker room … But we can handle it. And I wish other mothers not to be afraid of public opinion. Inclusive education empowers our children not to feel like outcasts. And other parents should instead of cultivating intolerance, on the contrary, teach their children that all of them – regardless of their characteristics – are equal, – Christina is sure.

– Of course, it’s great to socialize children. I agree that the children’s team is useful. We often observe how children, who are somewhat lagging behind their peers, quickly catch up to their level, – says Natalya, educator.

But, according to the teacher, not everything is so smooth. As they say, there are nuances. Firstly, at first there should be a mother next to the “special” child. Secondly, a specialist must work with the group. A person with a diploma of a correctional teacher. Knowing and understanding such children. This is even spelled out in the legislation.

– There are not enough people like that. Few people will hire a separate specialist because of three or four guys. We are also taught, but very superficially. Yes, there are courses, webinars, you can get additional education. But not everyone is ready for this, – says Natalia.

It is difficult to disagree with her: a child with developmental disabilities requires more attention and care. And when there are 25 more children in the group? And does everyone need adaptation?

– And if he injures other guys? If he screams all day? Throw plates at the walls? Should he be aggressive? What if other children attack him because of his “weirdness”? The responsibility is on the educator, – explains Natalya. – I’m not against inclusion as such. But I believe that there should be supplements to this right to equal education. Most importantly, there should be no threat to other children. Their rights must also be remembered.