“One Size Does Not Fit All” Inclusion Begins with Mindset

“One size does not fit all.”

Six simple words, yet they carry a depth that can change a mindset and, more importantly, change a student’s life. When truly understood and practiced, this belief has the power to influence a learner’s confidence, academic journey, and even their future career.

Inclusion is often discussed in terms of policies, frameworks, and evidence. However, its true essence goes far beyond documentation. Inclusion is first and foremost a mindset , one that every educator should carry in their heart before carrying it into their lesson plans.

I may not have formally studied Special Educational Needs, but I strongly believe that inclusive thinking is not a qualification; it is a responsibility.

Seeing the Learner Before the Label

I once taught a student who struggled significantly in mathematics. Her academic performance was declining, and she rarely engaged in class discussions. However, one thing stood out immediately she was an artist. Her notebooks were filled with drawings, shapes, and visual expressions. While numbers confused her, creativity was her natural language.

Providing her with extra worksheets that explained the same concept in the same way was not inclusion. Informing parents without fully understanding the learner’s needs was not inclusion either. Even documenting every attempted intervention simply to prove that “everything was tried” is not the purpose of education.

Teaching should never be about collecting evidence to justify failure.
Teaching is about preventing failure by understanding the learner.

Teaching from the Heart, Not Only from the Book

While preparing for my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, one concept deeply resonated with me: root cause analysis. The most effective solutions are not always the fastest or the most obvious , they are the ones that address the core of the problem, not just its symptoms.

Education is no different.

Instead of asking why the student was not improving, I asked a different question:
What is preventing her from understanding in the first place?

The answer was clear abstract symbols did not connect with her way of thinking.

Turning Variables into Shapes

I decided to try something different. I took a mathematical question she could not solve and transformed the variables into shapes. On the surface, the question appeared even more complex, yet visually it made sense to her.

She solved it.

I was genuinely shocked.

What surprised me even more was realizing that she herself may not have known that learning mathematics this way could be easier for her. This experience reinforced a powerful truth: students should not be expected to tell us how to teach them. That responsibility lies with us as educators.

We must try, explore, experiment, and balance different approaches until learning becomes accessible.

Inclusion Is a Shared Responsibility

I firmly believe that one hand cannot clap. Inclusion is not an individual effort , it is a collective one. When educators inspire one another to try new strategies, students benefit in ways that go far beyond grades.

Even when a challenge does not exist in our own classroom, it still matters.

When I learned that some teachers struggled to explain mathematical concepts to visually impaired students, I began researching ways to support them. This led to the idea of the Braille Cube , a tactile tool designed to help visually impaired learners sense mathematical representations rather than merely imagine them.

Students can hear numbers, but how can they visualize graphs, shapes, or spatial relationships? A tactile approach allows them to feel mathematics, supporting long term understanding and confidence far more effectively than temporary methods such as drawing on a student’s hand.

Innovation, Technology, and Thoughtful Balance

Today, technology and AI offer powerful opportunities to enhance inclusion , if used wisely. AI tools can help educators design differentiated activities, address diverse learning preferences, and even integrate Early Years strategies into secondary classrooms.

However, technology should never replace pedagogy. It should support it.

When combined thoughtfully with creativity, observation, and empathy, technology becomes a bridge , not a shortcut.

A Call to Educators

We are here for a reason. Together, we can make a difference.

Imagine how many students feel lost because their needs were never truly understood. Imagine how many learners with special needs are still waiting for an innovative approach that speaks their language.

Inclusion is not about having a specific type of student in your classroom.
It is about being the type of teacher every student deserves.

When we move away from “one size fits all” and toward teaching that honors individuality, we do more than improve learning outcomes , we shape confident, capable future leaders.

By Dana Kamal Moh’d Abdel Jabbar