ALL-ROUND TUTORSHIP APPROROACH: THE WAY THEY LEARN BEST

All round tutorship means that all students attend and are welcomed by their neighborhoods schools in age-appropriate, regular classes and are supported to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of the life of the school. In today’s schools, teachers are working in challenging circumstances (large classes, inadequate infrastructure, lack of basic teaching and learning materials, high absenteeism, inflexible policies and curricula, low salaries, etc.), with more diverse communities of learners than ever before, they are working hard to accommodate all learners in their schools to provide quality inclusive education. All learners have needs that are common to all and needs that are unique to them as individuals. Instead of assuming there is a special tutorship for children with disabilities, teachers should use the child centered pedagogy to respond to the needs of all the learners. Inclusive pedagogy is concerned with redressing the limitations on learning that are often inadvertently placed on children when they are judged ‘less able’. It does not deny differences between learners but seeks to accommodate them by extending what is ordinarily available to all, taking account the fact that there will be individual differences between them is a subtle but profound difference in approaching teaching and learning for all that is the hallmark of inclusive pedagogy. We need to take time to really observe; learn about how they learn, and engage in a continual dialogue of reflection so we can teach so they can learn. If that means changing our entire style of teaching, then so be it! It’s their learning after all.