An Introduction to Chinese Early Childhood Inclusion

Abstract

Jiangmei’s experience at the regular preschool is a beautiful fairy tale. She was not allowed to enroll at the preschool in our neighborhood because of her disability (cerebral palsy). We then tried a special education school for a short period of time. In the special class, Jiangmei was always distracted by other studentswhowereolderthanherwhentheteacherpatientlyreadtoher.Nonstop cries of children at the school were much more unforgettable to her than special education teachers’ loving voices. … Finally we decided to home school her… Fortunately, Jiangmei’s father found out about an inclusion program and now Jiangmei walks into the preschool with a big smile on her face every day. As soon as she sees the front gate of the school, she starts to clap and jump while getting off her father’s bicycle. I feel that this program is so beneficial to her development both physically and emotionally… My daughter is not mistreated or discriminated here like an ugly duckling. Instead she was embraced with friendship, respect, and equality. I see how happy she is every day and how the program has helped her…I sincerely appreciate the civilization of our society becauseany life isrespected and valued and everychild might beable toreceive equal education… Every time the phone rings in our house, the first thing Jiangmei says on the phone is ‘I went to school today’. To her, nothing is more important than that…So thank you from the bottom of my heart! A letter from a mother of child with cerebral palsy to an inclusion pilot preschool in Beijing