Special Education for School Leaders Podcast Logo

With the support of the Ontario Ministry of Education, the Catholic Principals' Leadership Development | Ontario, Leadership en action and Principal Association Projects, the service partners for Catholic Principals' Council of Ontario (CPCO), L'Association des directions et directions adjointes des écoles franco-ontariennes (ADFO) and Ontario Principals' Council are preparing a series of three podcast episodes for principals and vice-principals titled Supporting Students with Special Education Needs and Students with Disabilities - Leading Authentically.

These podcast episodes are being developed to highlight school leadership with a focus on equity, accessibility, inclusion and full participation for students with special education needs and students with disabilities. 

Through this three-part series, principals and vice-principals will better understand how self-knowledge about their own complex identities can better prepare them to also learn about and understand the students whom they serve, to then intentionally and explicitly build inclusive learning environments. 

Principals and vice-principals can use this as a vehicle to build capacity within their sphere of influence to support students with special education needs and students with disabilities. This podcast series offers opportunities for development as an individual or within a community of educators.

Episode 1 - Leading Authentically - De-Centering Ourselves

 

Episode 1 - Transcript

 

This first episode of the podcast focuses on self-awareness and knowledge. It offers a snapshot of the voices of principals and vice-principals across the province reflecting on their own awareness, knowledge, identities and positionality to highlight school leadership with a focus on equity, accessibility and inclusion. 

 

Through self-reflection on a series of questions, this episode explores the experiences of school administrators defining their own identities. As you listen to the podcast, consider your leadership practices that may be

  • culturally responsive to recognize, address and reduce barriers to student success for students with special education needs and students with disabilities 

  • characterized by anti-oppressive anti-ableist and anti-colonial environments fostering accessibility, inclusion, and full participation and

  • supportive of the implementation of such practices in schools.

 

Reflection Questions From Episode 1

  1. Consider an area of discomfort or uncertainty when supporting students with regards to race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, language, ability and/ or ethnicity?

    • How are you navigating that discomfort or uncertainty in your own identities and leadership in school?

  2. When you consider your own lived experience, how have you come to understand issues related to your own power and privilege?

    • Could you give an example of how your lived experience/ privileges/ positions has enabled you to disrupt and dismantle systems and structures of oppression?

  3. What are some ways you are educating yourself about the history of Turtle Island (the part now known as Canada) and/or the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action to support your understanding of self and your role as leader within schools?

  4. How do you lead in ways that demonstrate your awareness of your own cultural biases and how did you get to that place?

 Consider: Where do we need to go to get to where we need to be?

 

Further Resources for Episode 1
Episode 2 - Leading Authentically - Centering Our Students

Episode 2 Transcript - Available soon!

 

This second episode focuses on school leadership that values student voice by centering the students we serve. Hear the voices of school administrators across the province  as  they consider their attitudes and believes, student belonging, and building relationships to highlight school leadership with a focus on equity, accessibility and inclusion centering on students with special education needs. 

Through self-reflection on a series of questions, this episode explores how centering the voice and experiences of students impacts their daily leadership practice. As you listen to the podcast, consider your leadership practices that: 

  • Center students with special educationneedsin all decisions 

  • Allow you to intentionally get to know your students and their families, so that you can serve them in a way that they feel heard and understood  

  • Are culturally responsive to recognize, address and reduce barriers to student success for students with special education needs and students with disabilities  

  • Are characterized by anti-oppressive anti-ableist and anti-colonial environments fostering accessibility, inclusion, and full participation, and 

  • Are supportive of the implementation of such practices in schools. 

 

Themes and Reflection Questions for Episode 2: 

Attitudes and beliefs matter: 

The presence of attitudinal barriers is a prevalent theme from parents when advocating for the child with special education needs.  Parents share that attitudinal barriers often lead to social isolation and bullying, and limiting their children academically. These barriers are a significant factor in continuing marginalization of students with special education needs in the school system and that systemic efforts are needed to address this issue. 

  • Through your leadership, how are you addressing your own attitudinal barriers and those of your staff and community? 

  • How does data influence our perception about students’ ability and pathways?  

  • As leaders in special education, we support students beyond their disability or area of need. Share an example of how you honour a student’s intersecting identitieswhile supporting their disability?(asset lense) 

Access matters: 

Often students with special education needs are excluded physically, academically and socially.  Parents have shared that exclusion and lack of access creates barriers to learning and relationship building. 

  • Could you share an example of how you are working to provide more access to students by eliminating barriers to learning and relationship building? 

Relationships matter: 

Forming relationships with parents and caregivers of students with special education needs is essential for a meaningful and robust educational and social experience for students. 

  • Share an experience that you have had leading through a difficult relationship to a productive partnership with a parent/caregiver.  What did you learn through the process that you have now made part of your leadership practice? 

  • How are you able to use your relationships with students and families, communities for students to drive better outcomes for their achievement? 

  • How are you explicit around building relationships with students? 

Belonging matters: 

Research has shown the benefits of inclusive educational settings.  Students with special education needs are more likely to be included in extracurricular and unstructured school activities in inclusive settings.  These experiences provide a greater opportunity for belonging. Principals and vice principals care deeply about student belonging. 

  • How do we know when students have a sense of belonging? 

  • How do adult attitudes and beliefs impact student sense of belonging? 

  • How do we intentionally address the sense of belonging for students with special needs? 

Source for themes above: 

Further Research to support inclusive education or centering those we serve: 
Episode 3 - Leading Authentically - Re-centering Learning Environments for Student Success
 Anticipated 2024-2025.