On our second day of our inclusive pod I found myself sitting on the floor between two third grade students. I was scribing their ideas for writing our own version of The Lit
tle Red Hen. Both of them took the project seriously, analyzing what type of characters we should have, where the play should take place, and what Little Red should cook. I looked across the room to watch the speech pathologist work with Joey and another first grader to use Bitmojis. Joey used his device to describe what should go into the Bitmoji for his friend.
It was only the second day and I was a bit surprised at everyone’s body language. Everyone – each student and us teachers – were leaning in, with big eyes sticking out over our masks. As a special education teacher I suppose one of my skills is scanning a room for unengaged students so I can proactively re-direct or engage them before there is a problem. As I took a moment to step away from the third grade group I couldn’t believe just how engaged everyone was.
Our Inclusive AAC Learning Group officially began September 14, 2020. After what somehow felt both like months of planning and yet still not enough time to be ready, we opened our group to a small but eager group of first through third grade students on Monday afternoon. We are looking forward to welcoming more students, but are taking advantage of the small group to find our sea legs and develop our rhythm.
There are times when dire circumstances lead to the best ingenuity and creativity. After all, isn’t necessity the mother of invention? This fall, Joey’s Foundation is introducing a new inclusive learning opportunity to support Joey and children like him in maintaining their use of AAC despite virtual instruction. 
As a result of the COVID school closures, Joey’s school district sent home summer learning packets for every student. Every kindergartener in the whole district received the same packet of kindergarten practice work to keep their skills fresh over the summer. While I watched my own daughter do this packet one morning I realized that it would not be hard for Joey to work on this same packet – as long as someone was there to physically adapt it for him. 
In my virtual Friday read aloud group that Joey participates in I read the book “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson. It’s a beautiful book – in both the poetry of the words as well as the pictures. As an adult, I’d read it to myself when it arrived from Amazon and thought “This is perfect.” Of course, reading it silently to your adult self in your head is very different than reading it aloud to a group of energetic kindergarten and first graders on a hot June afternoon. Sometimes beauty gets lost in those moments. 
