{"id":26301,"date":"2026-04-10T08:32:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T08:32:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coedupia.com\/sonemos-juntos-para-acompanar-la-diversidad\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T08:33:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T08:33:35","slug":"lets-dream-together-to-embrace-diversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coedupia.com\/en\/lets-dream-together-to-embrace-diversity\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s dream together to embrace diversity"},"content":{"rendered":"

A New Perspective: \u201cLet’s Dream Together.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mar\u00eda Estell\u00e9s Mart\u00ednez<\/strong> – Colegio San Jos\u00e9 de Calasanz (Valencia)<\/p>\n

At San Jos\u00e9 de Calasanz School in Valencia, inclusion has evolved from being just an idea into something that is lived out in our daily lives. It is not seen as an add-on to the curriculum, but rather as a way of being in the classroom and interacting with one another. With the support of the Guidance Office, we have gradually built a culture in which diversity is embraced naturally and forms part of who we are as a school.<\/p>\n

In this context, a project was launched focused on providing a more tailored response to students with ASD. Through the initiative \u201cDreaming Together to Support Diversity,\u201d the faculty was invited to pause and rethink teaching practices from a different perspective. The intention was not to do more things, but to do them differently: to move toward an environment that is more accessible, safer, and more attentive to the real needs of each student.<\/p>\n

We soon realized that simply revising documents or implementing isolated measures wasn\u2019t enough; we needed to change our perspective. From that point on, we established three clear lines of action: raising awareness throughout the educational community about the reality of ASD, supporting and advising teachers with practical, actionable strategies, and offering individualized support to help each student gain and enhance their independence, improve their organizational skills, and boost their emotional well-being. At its core, it was a simple concept, though not always easy to implement: accepting that it is the environment that must adapt to the students, and not the other way around.<\/p>\n

The dynamics of change.<\/p>\n

One of the key moments in the development of this initiative was the training sessions with preschool and elementary school teachers. For a teacher to be able to help, they must first understand the \u201cgap\u201d that the student experiences. We analyzed how the child\u2019s \u201cactual state\u201d (their sensory, communicative, and social abilities) often clashes with the \u201cdesired state\u201d of the teachers\/school (calmness, following instructions, silence).<\/p>\n

This dissonance gives rise to what we often mistakenly label as \u201cbehavioral problems.\u201d However, through a simple exercise, the faculty came to understand that these behaviors are, in reality, the student\u2019s desperate attempts to communicate or self-regulate in an environment they find hostile or unpredictable. The conclusion was unanimous: for the student to be able to \u201clove and be loved,\u201d they must first feel safe.<\/p>\n

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A methodology based on understanding: Positive Behavioral Support.<\/p>\n

The foundation of this project is the Positive Behavioral Support program. Rather than focusing solely on observable behavior, such as outbursts or stereotypical behaviors, we seek to understand their triggers: unexpected events, sensory overload, or a lack of understanding of social norms.<\/p>\n

In the early stages, a systematic three-column log (antecedent, behavior, and consequence) was used, through which the teaching team began to decipher the hidden language behind each act. Is it an escape behavior to avoid a difficult task? Is it a search for attention? Or does it stem from sensory hypersensitivity? This functional analysis allowed us to move from reaction to prevention. Currently, all teachers and staff at the school who work with students with ASD have access to a Google form, which facilitates the recording of behaviors and their subsequent analysis, with the aim of designing and implementing a behavioral intervention program.<\/p>\n

Tools for an accessible daily routine.<\/p>\n

To ensure this philosophy doesn\u2019t remain merely words, we have equipped (and continue to equip) the school with tangible tools that are now an integral part of our educational environment:<\/p>\n

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  1. Visual communication systems: The implementation of pictograms throughout the school and the use of individual \u201cpictogram lanyards.\u201d These allow students to anticipate what comes next, drastically reducing the anxiety caused by uncertainty. We currently have a team working on a comprehensive cognitive accessibility project, in which we continue to assess the different areas of the school to adapt them to this need. We are taking our first steps toward cognitive accessibility throughout the entire school.<\/li>\n
  2. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC): We are using communication aids, visual schedules, and social stories as augmentative and alternative communication tools.<\/li>\n
  3. The Calm Corner and Sensory Resources: We use sensory regulation materials (teething rings, wobble boards, elastic bands, mats, rollers, etc.), take students for walks when they become overstimulated, and provide noise-canceling headphones. The latter have been vital for students with auditory hypersensitivity, allowing them to participate in noisy activities (such as entering or leaving the classroom) without pain or distress.<\/li>\n
  4. TEACCH Corner: The TEACCH Corner is a methodology designed to promote independent work among students, allowing them to work in a calmer and more organized manner. In this corner, everything is clear and orderly: materials have their designated places, activities are laid out visually, and students know exactly what to do, how much work there is, and when they are finished.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Case Studies: Behavior Replacement.<\/p>\n

    The true magic of this project is evident in daily practice. Take the example of hypersensitivity to noise: when we noticed a student covering their ears and having a meltdown in response to loud sounds (sensory function), the traditional response was to remove them from the situation. Our current response is the substitution technique: anticipating the noisy situation, offering the use of headphones, and providing them with a communication device so they can ask for a break themselves.<\/p>\n

    Another significant case is that of \u201cattention-seeking\u201d through disruptive behaviors in response to specific visual stimuli (such as a classmate\u2019s long hair). Here, the intervention consists of anticipating the social situation with social stories, establishing safe physical distances, and using \u201cwait\u201d or \u201cnot now\u201d pictograms, positively blocking the behavior and redirecting it toward appropriate interaction.<\/p>\n

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    Building support networks.<\/p>\n

    This work is a shared effort, supported and encouraged by the administration and the academic leadership, led by the guidance office (counselor, speech-language pathologists, and therapeutic educators), and, of course, carried out by all teachers. But we also seek support and learning from external resources, incorporating training from CEFIRE (Centers for Training, Innovation, and Educational Resources of the Regional Ministry of Education) and support from the UEOs (Specialized Guidance Units of the Regional Ministry of Education).<\/p>\n

    Final Reflection: A place to love and be loved.<\/p>\n

    The true value of this initiative does not lie in technical metrics, but in the transformation of our shared experience. The faculty is internalizing that \u201cif you understand, you can help.\u201d We are learning that every \u201cproblem behavior\u201d is a question the student is asking us, and that we, as educators, have the responsibility to respond with understanding, training, and the appropriate tools.<\/p>\n

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