About Dr. Amy Pleet-Odle
I was called to be a Teacher since I was a little girl playing school with my dolls.
Sometimes people I work with wonder why I'm so passionate about Joyful Inclusion after more than 50 years as an educator. It's personal…
I became a First-Year Teacher in 1970. I was newlywed, fresh out of college with a ponytail and spike heels. My plan was to teach junior high English temporarily until I could be a stay-at-home mom.
So when I met Dale, it was a surprise.
Dale was tall for a 7th grader. His shirt-tail hung out in the back and his untamed hair stood up on one side. He had an irresistible grin and an amazing knowledge from TV documentaries, but he wrote like a first grader and couldn’t read more than a few words in our textbook. He was a riddle.
But I pushed back my sleeves, determined to find a way to teach Dale.
Speaking slower and repeating myself didn’t work. I experimented with acting out sentence structures and role playing scenes from Tom Sawyer. Whenever he flashed that grin of satisfaction, it made my day and strengthened my resolve.
I knew if I was a good teacher, most of my students would learn successfully, but Dale needed me to become a better teacher.
And I soon discovered a Dale in every class.
My heart goes out to them all still. They feel like outsiders when other students are reading effortlessly. They get frustrated and angry when teachers tell them to try harder. They develop a set of cover-up behaviors to bluff their way through or make up any excuse to avoid being a failure.
I remember the day in 1975, when I learned that Congress passed the first Special Education Law. I recognized Dale in the description of learning disabilities, and I knew this wasn’t simply a job for me anymore.
It had become a mission.
I needed to learn more, to sharpen my education talents and make the world a better place for students just like Dale.
That’s why my passion has persisted throughout my years as a Special Education Teacher, Transition Coordinator, State Department Specialist, College Professor, author, and now… Inclusion Specialist & Coach.
In each situation, I want to make the world a better place for students like Dale.
Along the way, I discovered that I'm not alone in this mission.
The candidates I interviewed for our Special Education Graduate Program had the same goal. They were committed to making a difference with students who have special needs. My job was to give them all the tools they needed to succeed.
And then, I had a rude awakening when my son was diagnosed with a disability.
As I worked with his team to develop his IEP, I was shocked to personally experience the feelings of isolation and blame I'd read in family survey literature.
I felt my son's pain of lowered expectations and feelings of not belonging.
I have a Dale living in my home as a daily reminder of my mission.
When School Leaders invite me to conduct workshops, I’m thrilled for the opportunity to change things. But it isn't that simple.
Schools are complex systems of intertwined structures.
I found a few schools willing to experiment with massive change. They became my first Joyful Inclusion Schools where teachers are empowered to make the world a better place for students like Dale.
My intention is to provide frameworks and effective tools for Joyful Inclusion Schools where teachers love to teach, parents are thrilled to send their kids, and students are eager to learn.
And the results are very exciting!
School Leaders have more confidence in their expectations. Teachers enjoy the satisfaction of seeing their students succeed. Families are included as partners in the process and best of all… the Dales are flourishing!
What is your school doing to support the Dales in your classrooms?