About the Guest(s): Nicole Eredics is an elementary educator with over 15 years of experience in inclusive education. She has worked in British Columbia, Canada, where she taught children with various moderate to severe abilities in fully inclusive classrooms. Nicole is passionate about equal access to education for all children and has used her expertise to support and raise awareness for inclusive education. She is the co-host of the Inclusive Class Radio Show and regularly tweets at @inclusive_class.
Episode Summary: In this episode of the Think Inclusive Podcast, host Tim Villegas interviews Nicole Eredics, an experienced educator in inclusive education. Nicole shares her insights and experiences from working in the fully inclusive educational system in British Columbia, Canada, and compares it to the US educational system. They discuss the differences in approach to inclusion, the challenges faced by teachers, and the importance of parental involvement. Nicole emphasizes the need for proper training and support for teachers in order to create successful inclusive classrooms. The conversation highlights the benefits of inclusive education for all students and the importance of spreading awareness and understanding of inclusive practices.
Read the transcript (auto-generated with help from AI for readability)
Tim Villegas:
Recording from my dining room in beautiful Marietta, Georgia, you are listening to the Think Inclusive Podcast. I’m your host, Tim Villegas. Today I will be speaking with Nicole Eredics, co-host of the Inclusive Class podcast on BlogTalkRadio.
Nicole spent many years as a classroom teacher in British Columbia, Canada, in a fully inclusive educational system before moving to the U.S. a few years ago. Nicole and I discussed the differences between the Canadian and U.S. educational systems and their approaches to inclusion. We also talked about the most important ally for inclusion that a classroom teacher can have. All of this and more on the Think Inclusive Podcast. Thanks for listening.
I would like to welcome Nicole Eredics—I hope I’m pronouncing that right—to the Think Inclusive Podcast. Nicole is an elementary educator who has spent over 15 years working in an inclusive school system in British Columbia, Canada. Together with parents, administrators, co-teachers, and paraprofessionals, Nicole taught children with various moderate to severe abilities in her fully inclusive classrooms.
Since moving to the U.S., Nicole has used her wealth of experience to support and raise awareness for the inclusive education of children with special needs. Nicole believes that all children should have equal access to the curriculum, and that belief drives her desire to share her knowledge with parents and colleagues to improve learning conditions for children with various abilities. She is also the co-host of the Inclusive Class radio show, which is soon to be a podcast, and tweets regularly at @inclusive_class, among other things. Thank you so much for joining me on the Think Inclusive Podcast.
Nicole Eredics:
Thank you for inviting me and having me. It’s an honor. I’m looking forward to our conversation today.
Tim Villegas:
Great! Well, probably whoever’s listening to the podcast has heard of you, because most of the people that follow me also follow you.
Nicole Eredics:
That’s right. Shared audience.
Tim Villegas:
I just want to ask a couple of background questions because beyond what you have on the website, The Inclusive Class, I don’t know a whole lot about your background. How did you get your start in Canada as a special needs teacher—or I’m not exactly sure what the terminology is for what you did in Canada?
Nicole Eredics:
In Canada, I was typically called a classroom teacher. But because it’s an inclusive system, you end up becoming very well-versed in special education. To backtrack and answer your original question, I graduated from university a while ago—I won’t say exactly when—and got my Bachelor of Education and teacher credentialing.
Because of the nature of the system in British Columbia, our classrooms are typically inclusive. The system is based on placing children into the regular education classroom first. From there, their needs are met within the school, and outside professionals are brought in as needed. We don’t really have segregated classrooms where children with special needs go for the entire day.
My first job was in a small community of about 325 people. I worked in a school with just two teachers—I was the primary teacher, and the other was the intermediate teacher. I had grades K through 3, so it was truly inclusive on every level. That’s how I spent my first couple of years teaching, and then I moved to the city and into inner-city schools. Every year, you have a class of typically developing children and also children with more needs. You adapt your curriculum and bring in the professionals available to support you. That’s how it works up there.
Tim Villegas:
That just seems like such a foreign concept—no pun intended.
Nicole Eredics:
“Foreign” being the operative word.
Tim Villegas:
Is there a difference in how the different parts—or provinces—in Canada practice inclusion?
Nicole Eredics:
Yes, it varies. I want to preface this by saying I’m by no means an educational policy expert. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to a lot of professionals over the last year through my show and reading, but I had to learn what’s happening in other areas of Canada too.
In the U.S., the federal government sets a mandate for every state—like FAPE and LRE—and each state adapts that to their individual school needs. In Canada, we don’t have a federal policy. Each province has its own Ministry of Education, which decides how education will work in that province. Most provinces mandate placing the child in the regular classroom first. It varies how often that happens and what it looks like, but Canada is a country with socialized healthcare and a system that meets people’s needs across education, health, and retirement. So the education system looks similar across the board.
In British Columbia, our Ministry of Education is a leader in inclusivity. That’s my understanding based on my experience.
Tim Villegas:
When you moved to the U.S., what was the most glaring difference between how BC approached inclusive education and how California did?
Nicole Eredics:
It took me a while to figure that out because everything was so new. The differences I noticed were in my children’s schools. One was in elementary and the other in middle school. At my daughter’s school, I noticed self-contained classrooms. I had never really seen that before. The children with special needs would gather in the morning in their own group with a couple of aides. They didn’t integrate into the playground before school. They were marched off to their classroom, had their own recess time, and some would take certain classes with other grades but then return to their classroom.
That struck me as very different. Obviously, there’s a reason for it, and I needed to learn why. That’s how my podcast, tweeting, and social media presence got started. I thought, “Maybe there’s some information I have that I can share.”
Tim Villegas:
What have you learned since then? The blog and podcast are relatively new, right?
Nicole Eredics:
Yes, it’s been about a year and a bit. I’ve learned a lot. First, I want to point out that the teachers I’ve seen and talked to here are incredibly well-educated, intelligent, and caring. The strength here lies in the education of the teachers. In Canada, there needs to be more training in certain areas to meet classroom needs. You can bring in professionals, but you don’t have access to them all the time.
Once people understand what inclusion really looks like, they get excited because it makes sense. Some people have never seen it done right. My co-host, Terri Mauro, often points out that inclusion can be done—but it can also be done wrong. That’s why I do all this—to get information out there. When it’s done right, with all the supports in place, it’s the best situation for all children—not just those with special needs.
Tim Villegas:
Absolutely. One question I had: when I talk to colleagues about inclusion, especially for students with learning disabilities or mild intellectual disabilities, there’s hesitation. They worry about catching kids up to grade level and test scores. What’s your feeling about the place of resource or pull-out classrooms in inclusion?
Nicole Eredics:
There is definitely a place for that. In the inclusive schools I worked in, there was a learning assistance room for remediation or extra support. Even gifted and talented kids fall under the special needs umbrella and benefit from that support.
But the drive toward benchmarks and state testing here makes it hard to have an inclusive program. Inclusion requires flexibility, differentiated learning, and the ability to have children with different levels in one class. In BC, we don’t have strict state standards, so teachers have more flexibility. That’s a significant difference.
Tim Villegas:
In Georgia, we applied for a waiver for No Child Left Behind, and now we’re accountable to new federal guidelines for evaluating teachers—some of which are tied to test scores. That doesn’t inspire confidence in teachers to bring in students who may not score well.
Nicole Eredics:
Exactly. If teacher evaluations are tied to test scores, of course there’s going to be reluctance. But we’re professionals. Why are teachers evaluated so strictly when other professions aren’t? That’s definitely a challenge.
Tim Villegas:
It highlights the difference between Canada and the U.S. In Canada, education is already seen as a right, along with healthcare and other social institutions. In the U.S., we’re still debating that. And we’re dealing with a size issue—50 states, each with their own systems.
Nicole Eredics:
Exactly. There are more people in California than all of Canada. Advocating for children to have access to a worthy education and be included is a civil rights issue. It’s a movement, and we need to keep talking about it. But yes, the numbers make it an uphill struggle.
Tim Villegas:
Talking and promoting is good, but people need to see examples of successful inclusion. That’s what I want to do. I know you’re not in the classroom right now.
Nicole Eredics:
No, unfortunately I’m not. We’re here for my husband’s work, and I need to go through the legal process to work. That takes several years. So I’m using my time to tweet, write, and do shows—sharing my knowledge until I can get back into the classroom. I miss it. Once a teacher, always a teacher.
Tim Villegas:
Whoever gets you will be lucky.
Nicole Eredics:
Maybe not—they might think I’m too loud about inclusion! “She’s got a website and a podcast—no thanks!” But I really enjoy what I’m doing and have met so many great people like you.
Tim Villegas:
To wrap up, think about your classroom days. What’s one thing that really worked for you that you could share with teachers trying to get inclusion started?
Nicole Eredics:
Bring the parents on board. Start the school year off by reaching out—don’t wait for back-to-school night. Send a newsletter, invite them in. I held intake conferences where parents talked for 10 minutes about their child—their strengths, weaknesses, and I explained my program. That face-to-face connection made them feel like partners in their child’s education.
Parents have a lot of influence and can support you in so many ways—field trips, creating materials, helping with differentiated lessons. Once they feel appreciated and involved, you have their trust and support for the year. And keep that communication going—it’s not just a one-off.
Tim Villegas:
That’s a wonderful suggestion. Thank you so much. I hope we can have more conversations throughout this podcasting journey. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with us.
Nicole Eredics:
No problem. Thank you for inviting me. I’ll be talking to you later and arranging for you to come on our show. Let’s work together and spread the message. It’s been a pleasure.
Tim Villegas:
That concludes this edition of the Think Inclusive Podcast. Remember, you can always find us on Twitter @think_inclusive or on the web at thinkinclusive.us. Today’s show was produced by myself, talking into USB headphones using a MacBook, GarageBand, and a Skype account. Bumper music by Eric Niemeyer with the song “Sepia No More” featuring Katy B07. From Marietta, Georgia, please join us again on the Think Inclusive Podcast. Thanks for your time and attention.
Key Takeaways:
- The Canadian educational system prioritizes inclusive classrooms, where children with special needs are placed in regular classrooms first, and their needs are met within the school. This differs from the US system, which often has self-contained classrooms for students with special needs.
- Inclusive education requires flexibility, differentiated learning, and the ability to have children with different levels in one class. However, the emphasis on high-stakes testing and strict state standards in the US can make it challenging to implement inclusive practices.
- Parental involvement is crucial in creating successful, inclusive classrooms. Building a partnership with parents from the beginning of the school year and maintaining open communication throughout help to ensure the best outcomes for all students.
- Inclusion is a civil rights issue and benefits not only children with disabilities but also typically developing children. When done right, inclusive education provides the best possible learning environment for all students.
- The US educational system could benefit from more training and support for teachers in inclusive practices. Teachers need the resources and knowledge to effectively meet their students’ diverse needs.
Resources:
Nicole Eredics’ Twitter: @inclusive_class
Inclusive Class Radio Show: BlogTalkRadio
TASH Conference: TASH
Georgia Department of Education: Georgia DOE
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