I choose to trouble the norms that often follow the word disability using my own life context. Goodley’s article stated, “people with intellectual disabilities seek to be recognized as human.” This hits close to home for me, as my brother received a diagnosis of ADHD at a very young age. My own views of ableism and disability were put into question because the primary emotion I felt watching him was sympathy. Goodley referenced having an intellectual disability as being seen as the “no-man’s land in-between disability and humanity”. I witnessed many interactions where the same was expected from my brother without any tools being provided to allow his success. Because people couldn’t see it they may think the disability doesn’t exist. My family presented many great scholars such as Bill Gates and Albert Einstein to my brother to help him embrace his disability as a gift. They helped people in his life understand his brain thinks differently and therefore, he requires different tools to experience success. As a result of being raised with parent advocates he learned to embrace his gift, rather than wishing he needed to be fixed. Going into education I feel it is my duty to provide an environment that makes curriculum and learning accessible for all students by focusing on and celebrating the unique abilities every student brings to the room.
Talking about disability may make people feel uncomfortable. This is because it has a negative connotation associated with it. We need to change the dialogue to ability focused. We need to advocate for people to understand that equity and equality are very different, with hope to see a more equitable society. For a while, I was one of these people who looked at someone with a disability as less than. It is not an easy norm to trouble but by better understanding my own beliefs that supported ableism I feel inspired to be the change. In the Stolen Bodies, Reclaimed Bodies: Disability and Queerness article it stated “oppression and social injustice can mark a body, steal a body, feed lies and poison to a body.” This is just one of the many ways those living with a disability are subjected to the feeling of being less than. My brother, Jett and all people deserve a more equitable future.
3 Comments
Julie Bartoshewski
I really enjoyed your post. You covered disability and misconceptions/mistreatment that go along with it really well. I liked how you had personal experiences added in, cause I could see your passion on the topic and how it will influence your teaching.
Cambri Daelick
Thank you Julie!
Emily
I think it’s so important as future educators to recognize that sometimes all a person needs is different tools than others in order to foster their success. As I’ve progressed in my own schooling, I’ve seen fidgets, special chairs, and other aids brought into classrooms. This is great when implemented the correct way. One thing I’d like to touch upon is curriculums. From your own experience with your brother, do you think curriculum requirements are always achievable by those with all learning styles and intellectual disabilities? I feel as though majority of curriculums are usually centered on printed materials that are not able to be altered to suit different learner needs. I think it’s important to not only provide tools such as the fidgets, but it’s important to have a curriculum that is flexible and offers many options for how students demonstrate their skills. This could help students who simply have different learning styles, but could also provide those with sensory or physical disabilities, emotional or behavioural challenges, learning disabilities or reading difficulties, Autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, or even language barriers.
Talking about disability is definitely a topic that makes many people feel uncomfortable. My mother works in a developmental learning center in the schools, with most of her students being in wheelchairs, non-verbal, and some tube fed. While I personally have never felt uncomfortable, a lot of students who come to volunteer in her room often seem extremely uncomfortable and do not know what to say or how to act. All in all, a person is a person, disability or not. When your brother was first diagnosed, did you find yourself treating him or looking at him differently (in a possibly negative way?).