Course 1: Creating a Culture of Inclusion

Module 4: Enhancing an Inclusive School Culture for Students with Complex Needs

A Self-Awareness Model

In Module 1—The History of Disability—we looked at the actions people took who have supported people with disabilities in the past. We can never be certain what thoughts and feelings supported those actions, let alone the beliefs and values behind them. We can however, look inward and examine our own practice and ask why do we do the things we do? What are the thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and values that support the actions we take? Knowing who we are, not only helps us to understand why we are doing what we are doing, but can help us to recognize the barriers that stand in the way of developing and providing a school culture that is inclusive for all.

What this reflection piece tells us is that how we act, what we do, how we feel, and what we think are all interconnected with what matters to us and what we believe to be true. For Inclusion Outreach, the first step in creating inclusive classrooms, school, and communities for students with complex needs, is to know ourselves well. Self-awareness is key to creating and delivering an inclusive practice for all students.

What is a Self-Awareness Model?

In 1989, Dr. Francis Ricks from the University of Victoria developed a model to assist individuals to understand how what we think, feel, and do directly connect to what we believe, value, and the standards we choose to live by. Have you ever stopped to think about why you make the choices you make, or why you behave the way you do? Everyone has found themselves having a different opinion from someone else or valuing something more than others do. Have you ever asked yourself why? Ricks’ Self-Awareness Model helps us address the why.

The circumstances of our lives and the experiences we have along the way shape what we believe and what is and is not important to us. Those beliefs in turn inform the rules and guidelines we choose to live by. Terms like values, beliefs, and ethics are used frequently in education and human services. Ricks’ model helps give us a shared understanding of what these terms mean. There are two sides to the model. The first is the interpersonal side—this is the side that is most readily seen by others. The second side is the personal side—the side that is not easily visible. These sides interact with each other influencing and providing feedback back and forth (Garfat & Ricks, 1995). View the diagram to see the interaction.