School Psychology in a “minor tone”: contemporary challenges for inclusion and university education

Abstract

This experience report discusses contemporary demands for educational inclusion and university education in the field of School Psychology, from the connection between practical experiences and the work of Fernand Deligny. Derived from a partnership between a psychology student and a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) over a school year in a community school setting, the process raised questions that went beyond the localized experience of the pair. Several themes emerged as particularly relevant, such as the uses of school space, inclusion as a collective interest, the construction of an ethics of care, and the shift in rhythms and expectations of mainstream schools. Within a landscape permeated by neoliberal logic, which individualizes demands in education and psychology, the resulting journey revealed a proactive path for inclusion and university training, highlighting lines of convergence that permeate contemporary education and demonstrating the importance of these experiences being presented in a “minor tone”.