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About the Authors
Dr. Julie Causton
Magical Circle Maker
keynote story teller
prolific author
An inspiring author, speaker, and inclusion advocate, Dr. Julie Causton spent 14 years in Higher Education at Syracuse University before leaving to become the CEO of Inclusive Schooling. She has spent the past 20 years studying best practices for inclusive education. Her dynamic presentations focus on engaging ways to educate learners, regardless of age, ability, and/or location.
Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak
Revolutionary thought leader
Educator’s educator
Fierce play advocate
An accomplished author, sought-after speaker, and educator’s educator, Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak spent 16 years as a tenured professor in Higher Education at Kent State University before leaving to lead a {r}evolution in early childhood education. She has spent over 50,000 hours teaching adults best practices in early childhood care and education in locations from Cincinnati to Singapore. She’s also been teaching adult learners on-line since 1997.
The Circle Makers
Our outdated school systems of drawing sharp lines, labeling and segregating students has never made sense. The first in a series, this book takes a playful look at what is possible when we think differently about human difference. Intended to inspire everyone to widen our school communities to finally and actually include all.
Because of Oliver
Meet Oliver and learn about the magic that happens inside the circle! The second in a series, this book takes a playful look at what is possible when we think differently about human difference. Intended to inspire teachers everywhere to widen our school communities to include Oliver.
I Think There’s Been a Mistake
Meet Derek and learn about what happens when he is finally included. The third in a series, this book takes a playful look at what is possible when we think differently about human difference. Intended to inspire teachers and administrators everywhere to measure what matters.
The Way to Inclusion: How Leaders Create Schools Where Every Student Belongs
The research is clear: Including students with disabilities in general education classrooms is the most effective way for all students to learn.
If you are working toward greater inclusivity in your school or system, this book from educators and inclusion experts Julie Causton, Kate MacLeod, Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, Jenna Mancini Rufo, and Paul Gordon is an invaluable guide for you and your leadership team.
Chock-full of research, resources, and seasoned advice, The Way to Inclusion walks you step-by-step through the inclusivity change process, from envisioning your path to reimagining the roles of existing staff and everything in between. The book outlines seven clearly defined milestones tied to an Action Plan that will help you stay the course with so vital an initiative. In addition to milestones and leadership questions, you’ll find
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Instructions for conducting an equity review of your system with a focus on special education.
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Guidance for creating and analyzing service-delivery maps, including before-and-after examples from systems that have successfully shifted to greater inclusivity.
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Classroom observation and staff survey tools.
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First-person accounts from educators who have undergone the change process.
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Best practices for developing an inclusivity-focused vision statement.
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Downloadable forms and templates to help you move forward with implementation.
There is no excuse for segregating our students with disabilities from the rest of the student body. This indispensable guide will help you make certain that all students in your system not only learn but also thrive in the least restrictive environment possible.
The Not Enough Dragon
Everyone knows that Ollie loves dragons. He reads dragon books, wears dragon slippers, decorates his room with dragon things, and last year he even had dragons on his birthday cake. When his big sister, Eunice, discovers that their town is putting on a play about dragons, everyone knows Ollie should be a part of the play. But when he shows up to try out for the play, he doesn’t quite fit. He doesn’t quite fit in his bright red costume with the sharp-looking claws and fire-breathing nostrils and he doesn’t quite fit in with the other dragons on stage with him.
The other dragons roar their loudest roars, stomp their stompiest stomps, and seem to enjoy making their scariest dragon faces at each other. Ollie doesn’t enjoy any of these dragon things! He can’t roar enough, stomp enough, scary-up his face enough. And he doesn’t even like being on stage! Is he not enough dragon to be in the play?! Is he not enough dragon at all?
Or is he just a different kind of dragon?
With the help of his sister Eunice, Ollie discovers that he can be whatever dragon he wants to be. He doesn’t need to be like everyone else and doesn’t have to be centerstage to help with the dragon play. He can draw his own dragon!
In this heartwarming story brought to life with whimsical illustrations, Ollie and Eunice remind readers that you are just right when you are just yourself. Together, they invite readers of all ages to draw their own dragon and embrace their just right selves.
Reimagining Special Education
A visionary call to action from inclusion experts Jenna Mancini Rufo and Julie Causton, Reimagining Special Education guides readers in creating more equitable schools and services, through practical strategies teachers can use right away and thought-provoking, big-picture questions for administrators to tackle. Readers will explore how inclusive educational practices can address each student’s unique needs as schools reopen and bridge learning gaps for students who struggle.
The Paraprofessional’s Handbook for Effective Support in Inclusive Classrooms, Second Edition
What does a great paraprofessional need to know and do? You’ll find real-world answers from two experts in the second edition of this bestselling guidebook. Passionate inclusion advocates Julie Causton and Kate MacLeod bring you a supremely practical guide to surviving and thriving as an integral part of your school’s inclusive team. You’ll get immediately applicable strategies for mastering every facet of your complex role: collaborating with other team members, selecting accommodations and modifications, facilitating peer connections, fading your support, and much more. And you’ll find a treasure trove of tools—including activities, learning checks, reproducible templates, FAQs, and short to-do lists—to help you reflect on your practice and strengthen your daily work.
An essential hands-on guide for new and seasoned paraprofessionals—and a must-have for the educators and other professionals who support them—this empowering book takes the guesswork out of this critical classroom role so you can help students with disabilities reach their full potential.
WHAT’S NEW:
- New chapter on Respectful Support for Developing Student Independence
- More on key topics such as collaboration, presuming competence, and supporting social and academic success for students with diverse abilities
- New and updated research, practices, digital tools, resources, examples, quiz questions, and reflection activities throughout the book
- Package of online materials, including printable activities, forms, and worksheets
Assessing Young Children in Inclusive Settings
The Educator’s Handbook for Inclusive School Practices
As more K-12 schools move toward inclusion, how can general and special educators work together to create warm, welcoming classrooms where all students learn and belong? Discover practical answers in this friendly, down-to-earth teacher’s guide. Filled with ready-to-use teaching tips, insights from inclusive educators, and examples that relate directly to everyday classroom experiences, this book will help general and special educators collaborate effectively and build a great “toolbox” of strategies to support all learners within inclusive classrooms. With this highly motivating guidebook close at hand, new and seasoned educators will create engaging, exciting, and joyful inclusive classrooms that support social and academic success for all.
Practical Material: Planning tools and checklists to help you identify student strengths, develop IEPs, plan lessons, strengthen co-teaching, choose modifications and accommodations, and more.
The Principal’s Handbook for Leading Inclusive Schools
Behind every successful inclusive school is a great principal with passion, vision, and a practical plan. This essential guide covers everything from the basics of special education to the everyday nuts and bolts of creating an inclusive school where every student learns and belongs.
Practical Material: Concrete, real-world tips and strategies from two renowned inclusion experts; first-person stories from school leaders; answers to commonly asked questions in every chapter; helpful checklists and forms on co-teaching, behavior support, school reform planning, and more.
From Behaving to Belonging: The Inclusive Art of Supporting Students Who Challenge Us
Challenging behavior is one of the most significant issues educators face. Though it may seem radical to use words like love, compassion, and heart when we talk about behavior and discipline, the compassionate and heartfelt words, actions, and strategies teachers employ in the classroom directly shape who students are—and who they will become. But how can teaching from the heart translate into effective supports and practices for students who exhibit challenging behavior?
In From Behaving to Belonging, Julie Causton and Kate MacLeod detail how teachers can shift from a “behavior management” mindset (that punishes students for “bad” behavior or rewards students for “good” or “compliant” behavior) to an approach that supports all students—even the most challenging ones—with kindness, creativity, acceptance, and love.
The Too Much Unicorn
Eunice is always being told that she is TOO MUCH! She uses too much whip cream on her waffles. She talks too much during movies or on the school bus. She dances too much in the hallway at school. But to Eunice, being too much is just right.
In fact, it is what makes Eunice a unicorn!
30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom
In 30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom, authors Paula Kluth and Julie Causton will teach you all you need to know about collaboration in 30 days.
Yes, you read that right! In just 30 days, they will introduce you to the information, competencies and habits you will need to become a great co-teaching partner. The authors will help you get to know your co-teacher, understand each of your roles, improve your planning and co-planning skills, expand the structures you use to teach and support students and even celebrate your accomplishments.
The Speech-Language Pathologist?s Handbook for Inclusive School Practices
Every inclusive school team needs a great SLP who supports communication skills where they?re needed most?in the general education classroom, as students with disabilities learn and participate alongside their peers. Packed with immediately useful strategies, relatable examples, and invaluable insights from experienced SLPs, this guidebook provides SLPs with clear guidance on succeeding in an inclusive classroom and helping all students reach their full potential.
Practical Material: Tools and checklists to help plan and communicate an inclusive speech-language therapy plan, choose student supports, clarify team roles and responsibilities, presume competence, and more.
The Occupational Therapist’s Handbook for Inclusive School Practices
A great occupational therapist is a key success factor in your inclusive school? OTs make critical decisions daily that help students access the curriculum and fully participate. This is the friendly, down-to-earth survival guide OTs need to deliver their important services effectively as part of an inclusive school team. Packed with practical guidance and tips, examples that relate directly to an OT?s daily practice, and first-person insights from seasoned OTs, this guidebook is invaluable for ensuring that supports are delivered in the least restrictive environment.
Practical Material: Tools and checklists to help organize team meeting notes, choose student supports, define team roles and responsibilities, support participation of nonverbal students, presume competence, and more.