What is your job role?

I am a program coordinator, parent/teacher liaison , Montessori tour guide, substitute, cook, plumber, and snow shoveler!

What is your role regarding the inclusive component of the program?

My role is the same as it is for any child. I provide the initial tour of the school find out what the child/teacher/classroom needs, and provide it.

How has your role changed or have you adapted your role as it related to the inclusive program?

My role has not changed as it pertains to the children. My role has changed as it pertains to the increased number of service providers, adults, in the classroom. I have become more tolerant.

Inclusion has helped me become a better administrator. It has opened our doors to many people, adults, children, and professionals, who may not have sought out a Montessori school before and from the inclusion of so many different people (occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists) we have learned a lot. The effect has made us better because we have teachers and many people asking questions that we need to answer.

What were you biggest concerns about participating in an inclusive program?

Only that a bond of trust could be established with the adults as with all parents. I had no concerns about the children.

Can you offer one or more anecdotes that you feel illustrate the benefits of inclusion?

The cook's assistant, Karen Williams, has been working at Raintree for nine years. While I knew she always did a great job, I was not aware of how good until I began cooking with her in place of our regular cook.

Karen came to us through Cottonwood, a sheltered workshop for adults with special needs. Karen is part of the program that finds work for clients beyond the walls of the workshop.

After spending six weeks with Karen, I am amazed at her abilities. She has repaired the dishwasher when I could not, figured out how to bake a birthday cake in our microwave oven when our conventional ovens were in use, and knows the names of all 250 of our students. Is inclusion effective? I know it is.