Is a classroom that has full inclusion a positive for everyone in the classroom?

After working in a classroom where full inclusion was present, I can say that I do not think it is a positive experience for everyone. The most benifical way to teach would be to have a partially inclusive classroom. Teachers become stressed and students suffer when a classroom is all inclusive. Teachers have to make sure that everyone is learning everything they need, while dealing with the fact that not everyone learns the same. Students who are falling behind have trouble because they feel like they are not as smart as everyone else. The children who learn quickly are bored and have to wait until everyone understands the material. I have seen the stress that everyone has during the lessons, and it isn't really fair for anyone. One girl who was having trouble with math said to me that she hates herself for being so slow and she also said, "my brain is too dumb so now no one likes me." She had to ask a lot of questions and the teacher had to come over to show her one-on-one. This made the lessons take longer and then children seemed annoyed by all the time it was taking. The child who just needed a different method and a slower pace of learning couldn't get the full potential because she was feeling anxious and stupid for something she couldn't control. I understand that inclusive classrooms can have great benifits and children can learn how to work with people who are different from them, but it comes down to the individual. If an indiviual child is having exceeding trouble on a certain topic, he or she deserves to be taught seperately until they understand the material to the degree that other children do. I have also seen the benifits that come from a partially inclusive classroom. The children work together when the subject is generally the same difficulty for all. When a child struggles on a topic consistently, they are taught seperately using alternative methods and at a pace which is best for that child. This way everyone can learn what they need to know with much less stress. I think that after all I have learned from being in these two types of classrooms, I can say I feel very strong on this opinion because I just want what I think would be best for all children. When both methods played out, a fully inclusive classroom seemed to have added stressors and anxiety on everyone.


picture found at: http://specialneedsinclusion.wikispaces.com/Educational+Implications+of+Inclusion