Navigating dilemmas in inclusive education: An autoethnographic journey of a teacher in Australia

Abstract This critical autoethnography, situated in the Australian educational context, examines the challenges and systemic resistance encountered in fostering inclusive education within Australian schools, reflecting on three pivotal experiences from a decade‐long teaching career. Using Windschitl's constructivist dilemmas framework, the narratives explore conceptual, pedagogical, cultural and political challenges, highlighting tensions between personal values and institutional practices. These dilemmas expose the entrenched barriers to implementing inclusive education, including ableist attitudes, exclusionary policies and pressures to prioritise institutional reputation over equity. Through evocative personal narratives, this study illuminates the lived realities of advocating for inclusivity amidst systemic constraints, offering insights into how schools and educators might address such challenges. This work contributes to the discourse on inclusive education by showcasing the potential of critical autoethnography to highlight and challenge broader systemic issues in inclusive education.