Read over the criteria for Assignment 1. Take a look at the possible scholars and/or concepts/topics. Then, choose either a scholar or a topic/concept and begin to explore them/it. You might find a quote or an article that piques your interest. In your blog post, practice creating a short summary of what you have found. Then, finish up your blog post by outlining some next steps and possible directions for your first assignment. For reference: You should spend about two paragraphs summarizing what you’ve discovered, and one short paragraph outlining your next steps.
I chose the topic of “disability” within the curriculum as my critical summary topic. The most intriguing article I’ve read so far, was “I Didn’t Know People With Disabilities Could Grow Up to Be Adults”: Disability History, Curriculum, and Identity in Special Education by Carlyn Mueller. This article places a great emphasis on people with disabilities based on their early school experiences through adulthood. The article states that there is “a lack of disability representation in curriculum, lack of connections to disability community, and lack of teachers and school community members…” (Mueller, 2021). The article highlights the fact that individuals with disabilities are viewed at as outsiders and are treated differently than their “able-bodied” peers.
The reason that this issue has continually existed within our education system is because “individuals with disabilities are viewed [sic] as a subject under intervention, rather than meaning-makers, capable of creating community, negotiating stigma, and articulating the changes that need to be made to make their communities more inclusive” (Mueller, 2021). As long as the needs and respect for individuals with disabilities are ignored, these individuals will continue to feel like a disadvantaged outcast and they will continue to distance themselves from their teachers and peers.
Now that I have looked into the topic of disability; I will perform further research for my critical summary with the focus of finding possible solutions that future teachers and school boards can incorporate in their curriculum and pedagogy with the goal of treating individuals with disabilities as an equal within the school systems. I will also look into a few more articles to find specific examples and experiences of individuals with disabilities within different school systems and studies to seek a possible solution.
Mueller, C. O. (2021). “I Didn’t Know People With Disabilities Could Grow Up to Be Adults”: Disability History, Curriculum, and Identity in Special Education. Teacher Education and Special Education, 44(3), 189–205. https://doi.org/10.1177/0888406421996069