VRIJEDNOSNO-KREATIVNE MOGUĆNOSTI OBRAZOVNE INKLUZIJE / VALUES AND CREATIVITY OPPORTUNITIES OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Abstract

Inclusion should be an important value of every society. Education institutions are the place for developing universal values that should enable every individual to express their needs in a unique and different way, which will prompt an inclusive environment that values diversity. Forming an inclusive environment fosters opportunity for developing creativity. Although inclusive education and creativity are rarely perceived as related, this paper aims to present the values and creativity opportunities of inclusive education. A chorus of criticism directed at the education system shows that creativity is not recognized enough, especially when it comes to students with disabilities whose creativity is often not seen as one of their abilities, even when it is developed. That happens as a result of perceiving the students through the prism of their disability. The emphasis should be on developing the values during the preschool period, which is the most significant period of a child’s development as that is the time when the foundations of the personality development are set. The subject of this research is focused on identifying the values and creativity opportunities of inclusive education, while the intention is to recognize the possible ways of developing creativity in an inclusive environment. The aim of the research was to examine the educators’ opinions on values and creativity opportunities of inclusion. As of recently, preschool institutions have been now facing an increasing number of children with disabilities enrolling in. Therefore, new challenges are posed on the preschool education when it comes to providing the children with the conditions for a development that meets their needs and abilities. The purpose of the paper is to offer strategies that will ensure the development of core values while respecting the creative potential of each child in an inclusive environment.