ABSTRACT
This chapter is based on research investigating preschool teachers’ knowledge, skills and practices related to inclusive education of young children in Thailand. Inclusive early childhood education and care programs play vital roles in young children’s holistic development, and teacher insider perspectives are crucial in understanding how teachers’ programming and children’s behaviors affect the learning environment in which children are educated (Allen & Cowdery, 2012). The chapter supports professional development based on insider perspectives of the teachers themselves that can help transform teachers’ professional practice and build their capacity to support every child to their fullest potential. This chapter advocates that, although there are no universal models for the implementation of inclusive education (Ashman, 2012), children everywhere have the same fundamental human rights to life and quality education (Berthelsen & Brownlee, 2005; Petriwskyj, 2010). Recognizing this right and putting it at the forefront of inclusive education can encourage teachers to avoid practicing oppressive, discriminatory and unresponsive pedagogy (Freire, 1973, 1998). The following questions guide the discussion in this chapter:
What can teacher educators learn from the insider perspectives of early years teachers working in an inclusive classroom?
How do teacher educator researchers gather insider perspectives of practicing teachers?
How do teacher educators come to understand what teachers need to know for inclusive practice and how teachers come to know, do, appreciate and be through promoting greater appreciation of insider perspectives?
