Its that time of year people time to start sending in photos of you or your child with CP. October is world CP Day . So send in one photo to azchapman1991@gmail.com and tune in October first to see this great montage.
Wanta know what it will look like here are some videos,
2012
2013
Monday, July 28, 2014
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
I am not sorry because I am not broken
Hay guys sorry its been a while things are good here just been busy with summer school at my old jc. I am breaking the silence because something has been on my mind that I want to talk about.
Back when I started my jc one of my first college professors apologized when I told her that I had Cerebral Palsy.
When I introduced myslef to my Psychology teacher this summer and told him I have CP, He did the same thing
Now before I move on I want to say that both
of these people were well intentioned. The first professor and I are now friends on fb and she has helped me out a lot this past year. I also am enjoying my summer class and the professor is very nice and understanding of my recent history.
But to get back to my topic. When people apologize for my disability it does not feel good. Imagine if someone said sorry for a characteristic about you. Having Cerebral Palsy is a part of me. Its been around for long as I can remember. It has been with me and has given me more reasons to celebrate. Because some things come harder then the average person, I get to have more celebration when I achieve them. I do not mourn CP because its a part of me. Does CP make my life hard at times yeah. Are there times I desire normalcy? Yeah but happly the feeling does not last long . I am not broken. I do not think that we need to invest money in trying to prevent others like me. I am amazing. I bring joy and laughter to those around me. I have a unique perspective of the world because of my disabilities and experiences. note the quote below is my own about disabilities particulary CP and NVLD. *****OCD is different as the condition itself causes me unwanted stress. *****
Back when I started my jc one of my first college professors apologized when I told her that I had Cerebral Palsy.
When I introduced myslef to my Psychology teacher this summer and told him I have CP, He did the same thing
Now before I move on I want to say that both
of these people were well intentioned. The first professor and I are now friends on fb and she has helped me out a lot this past year. I also am enjoying my summer class and the professor is very nice and understanding of my recent history.
But to get back to my topic. When people apologize for my disability it does not feel good. Imagine if someone said sorry for a characteristic about you. Having Cerebral Palsy is a part of me. Its been around for long as I can remember. It has been with me and has given me more reasons to celebrate. Because some things come harder then the average person, I get to have more celebration when I achieve them. I do not mourn CP because its a part of me. Does CP make my life hard at times yeah. Are there times I desire normalcy? Yeah but happly the feeling does not last long . I am not broken. I do not think that we need to invest money in trying to prevent others like me. I am amazing. I bring joy and laughter to those around me. I have a unique perspective of the world because of my disabilities and experiences. note the quote below is my own about disabilities particulary CP and NVLD. *****OCD is different as the condition itself causes me unwanted stress. *****
I have hope but am not mourning CP. |
=
The hardest part about being disabled is not the disability itself. It is much harder to live in a world that does not see your life as having value. It is much harder to deal with ableism and discrimination that comes with disabilities. AZ
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
A Gap in my knowledge
There is a show on Fox and National Geographic called Cosmos. I really love this show. The show talks about science.
Ever since I have been watching this show, I can not help but moran for a chance to be in middle school again. In middle school kids in resource only took three core classes. Everyone was required to take English, then referred to as Language Arts, and Mathematics. In terms of history and scince at my middle school you were supposed to chose between the two. All three years of middle school the school and my parents chose history. This really paid off because now I am a self proclaimed history buff and passed my AP test my junior year of high school in American History. But all three years I
missed out on science.
In high school when I finally took science , I struggled in science a lot. In biology I was able to work with the teacher who was able to help me on test. In Chemistry it was really hard because I was lazy probably in part because I had never had science in middle school. In college I did well in Biology , but when it came time to take the Solar System, I was lost because I did not know the order of the planets . I had to work really hard and I passed.
Instead of learning science in middle school I had resource room where I was bullied a lot from other students while the teachers did not do anything.
Lets think about what my day would have looked like if my school practiced best practices My teachers would have came into the class and help me inside my general education classes. Maybe I would get pulled out in a small group once a week for pre-teaching and study skills development in areas that I needed help with. Since it was a small group and it was with a purpose perhaps the other students would have been busy and not teased me. I would have taken Science and History . I wouldn't have gaps in my knowledge Perhaps in high school I would have had an easier time in my science classes. I might have had the foundation I needed to take an AP science course. In short I might have had a educational career similar to my peers who did not have a disability.
All schools should practice best practices All students need to learn in inclusive classes just like they would have if they did not have a disability. We are Worthy!
Ever since I have been watching this show, I can not help but moran for a chance to be in middle school again. In middle school kids in resource only took three core classes. Everyone was required to take English, then referred to as Language Arts, and Mathematics. In terms of history and scince at my middle school you were supposed to chose between the two. All three years of middle school the school and my parents chose history. This really paid off because now I am a self proclaimed history buff and passed my AP test my junior year of high school in American History. But all three years I
missed out on science.
In high school when I finally took science , I struggled in science a lot. In biology I was able to work with the teacher who was able to help me on test. In Chemistry it was really hard because I was lazy probably in part because I had never had science in middle school. In college I did well in Biology , but when it came time to take the Solar System, I was lost because I did not know the order of the planets . I had to work really hard and I passed.
Instead of learning science in middle school I had resource room where I was bullied a lot from other students while the teachers did not do anything.
Lets think about what my day would have looked like if my school practiced best practices My teachers would have came into the class and help me inside my general education classes. Maybe I would get pulled out in a small group once a week for pre-teaching and study skills development in areas that I needed help with. Since it was a small group and it was with a purpose perhaps the other students would have been busy and not teased me. I would have taken Science and History . I wouldn't have gaps in my knowledge Perhaps in high school I would have had an easier time in my science classes. I might have had the foundation I needed to take an AP science course. In short I might have had a educational career similar to my peers who did not have a disability.
All schools should practice best practices All students need to learn in inclusive classes just like they would have if they did not have a disability. We are Worthy!
Monday, May 19, 2014
60 years later
Over the weekend, Brown v Board of ed turned 60 years old. This court case turned over Plessy vs Feguson which said Seprate but equal was not acceptable.
All the news stories that I have heard only talk about race. Race is important I totally agree. It is still an important problem that society has not worked out.
But there is another issue in the fight for equality in the schools
Disabled students
Disabled students everywhere are learning in segregated classrooms. Segregated classrooms. Children are missing out on the opportunity to learn grade level class work and meet the kids in their neighborhood All studies have shown that special education classes produce bad outcomes for kids. The unemployment level for people with disabilities is high.
The next time you talk about diversity remember that there are students who look, move, roll different too. In a country as rich as ours we should find the resources to allow all students to learn together. There are no excuses.
60 years later.
We have a lot of work to do.
All the news stories that I have heard only talk about race. Race is important I totally agree. It is still an important problem that society has not worked out.
But there is another issue in the fight for equality in the schools
Disabled students
Disabled students everywhere are learning in segregated classrooms. Segregated classrooms. Children are missing out on the opportunity to learn grade level class work and meet the kids in their neighborhood All studies have shown that special education classes produce bad outcomes for kids. The unemployment level for people with disabilities is high.
The next time you talk about diversity remember that there are students who look, move, roll different too. In a country as rich as ours we should find the resources to allow all students to learn together. There are no excuses.
60 years later.
We have a lot of work to do.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Blogging against disability day 2014: Don't put words in my mouth
Too many orginzations that serve people with disabilites, the most famous one being Autism Speaks Do not listen to people with developmental disabiltes
Why is this a problem you might ask?
Let me take you back to history class more specifically American History class.
Your in fifth grade and its time to learn about colonazation. In it you learn about the British forced the colonist to pay taxes. The colonist pay taxes on things in which they have no say over stamps papper goods . Then they foce you to only drink tea from the East India tea company. People do not like it and a little thing oh what is the word for it o h yeah the American Revoultion happends. Americans are taught that British were the bad guys because they forced there agenda on the colonost, later the Americans.
Now can you igmane what would happend if instead of money people told you that you are an epidemic. That medince needs to heal you. That you have to wear smelly uniforms. The last straw for American people was when activist had to house soliders, You know what those all called to us Yanks the intolerable acts.
Then fast forward to the mid 20th centruy. We learn that seprate is not equal and everyone deserve a vote. So many fellow men and women of color gave there lives for freedom. People were hosed and had dog attacking.
Why isn't the same liberaty offered to those with disabilities. Why is it that people time and time again disregard us in making descins. Why do you refuse to ignore our wants and desires. Give us a vote. Bring us to the table and show us where the money is going. Ask us what we hope for. Ask us if we want to be in the world or a community. Asks us if we want jobs. Asks us what our dream job is. Then listen to what we have to say. Listen like you would to our able bodied counterpart. Listen to us. We know best. We know what it feels like to be isolated. We know how it feels to be talked down too. WE know whats it like to work hard in theaphy. WE have experinced frustration. WE experinced the laughter and taunts go unoticed . We know the pain of people dreading a birth of someone like us. We know how it feels when people tell us our experinced isn't valid because we are not normal.
Nothing about us without us.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Dear People sitting across the table
Dear People sitting across the table,
You guys are gathered around a table for a school meeting of a student that struggles. Maybe they have a intellectual disability or a behavior issue but you are about to meet with that student and their families to talk about the upcoming school year. I am that bad student. I was the one no one wanted to teach. I was "the hardest student I had ever had to teach". I am now that adult who is hardest to teach. I have been those meetings and boy they are not fun.
Can I ask you guys around the table for a favor. Can you please remember that every person has both a good and bad side to them. Can you please remember that students like me are not future inmates or horrible people headed nowhere. We are more then IQ scores or how inteligble our speech is.
Can I remind you that their is no alternative to inclusive education. It is the law for a reason No research has found that segregation what you guys call " a program" or " special day class" is a better option even for those with serve disabilities. LRE says that students like me should be educated for the most amount of time among peers who do not have disabilities using the rights supports and services and if all the supports fail first then is it ok to remove to a more restrictive environment That is the law. No one should have to prove that they are worthy of an education and everyone learns at a different pace.
Dear people at the other end at a table in an IEP meeting. Before you start , please look into the parents and child eyes. Everyone has a story. The parents probably have experienced a lot of heartache over their disabled child. Most people do not want a disabled family member and it is quite possible that there was a time when the child was small that they cried for their child's future. You may be able to go home and back to your lives , but the child's parents have to see the child that night. Please make it easy for them to see their child that night. If all you do is remind said parents that there child is rude and disruptive. They will have to go home and become the cop to the child. This will undoubtly make the student self esteem suffer immensely which will lead to more bad behavior and their believing that they are bad people.
Instead of calling it bad behavior why not say" Jimmy is confused by the social new-ounces of classroom life. Can we all work together to try to teach him social skills so he can get along in life." It is a lack of skill not bad behavior. Students are not bad if they do not understand an Algebra concept, nor should they be called bad if they do not understand how to behave in class.
One last thing. No one has a crystal ball so try not to predict the future thanks.
Sincerely
A young person that lacks social skills, and
has a strong love of learning.
image urlhttp://www.picgifs.com/clip-art/communication/meeting/clip-art-meeting-532273.jpg
You guys are gathered around a table for a school meeting of a student that struggles. Maybe they have a intellectual disability or a behavior issue but you are about to meet with that student and their families to talk about the upcoming school year. I am that bad student. I was the one no one wanted to teach. I was "the hardest student I had ever had to teach". I am now that adult who is hardest to teach. I have been those meetings and boy they are not fun.
Can I ask you guys around the table for a favor. Can you please remember that every person has both a good and bad side to them. Can you please remember that students like me are not future inmates or horrible people headed nowhere. We are more then IQ scores or how inteligble our speech is.
Can I remind you that their is no alternative to inclusive education. It is the law for a reason No research has found that segregation what you guys call " a program" or " special day class" is a better option even for those with serve disabilities. LRE says that students like me should be educated for the most amount of time among peers who do not have disabilities using the rights supports and services and if all the supports fail first then is it ok to remove to a more restrictive environment That is the law. No one should have to prove that they are worthy of an education and everyone learns at a different pace.
Dear people at the other end at a table in an IEP meeting. Before you start , please look into the parents and child eyes. Everyone has a story. The parents probably have experienced a lot of heartache over their disabled child. Most people do not want a disabled family member and it is quite possible that there was a time when the child was small that they cried for their child's future. You may be able to go home and back to your lives , but the child's parents have to see the child that night. Please make it easy for them to see their child that night. If all you do is remind said parents that there child is rude and disruptive. They will have to go home and become the cop to the child. This will undoubtly make the student self esteem suffer immensely which will lead to more bad behavior and their believing that they are bad people.
Instead of calling it bad behavior why not say" Jimmy is confused by the social new-ounces of classroom life. Can we all work together to try to teach him social skills so he can get along in life." It is a lack of skill not bad behavior. Students are not bad if they do not understand an Algebra concept, nor should they be called bad if they do not understand how to behave in class.
One last thing. No one has a crystal ball so try not to predict the future thanks.
Sincerely
A young person that lacks social skills, and
has a strong love of learning.
image urlhttp://www.picgifs.com/clip-art/communication/meeting/clip-art-meeting-532273.jpg
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
How I celebrated CP day
Hay guys so sorry long time no blog. I have been discouraged about the lack of comments but now i am back. I wanted to share with you what I did for national CP day.
My sister made cookies that I took to my program. ( I am not in school this semester but I may be in school in the Fall we have to see). The program
am was tempory and now i am done with the program.
I went to program in my green clothes and hat. It was cold that day so I wore a long white t shirt under my HOPE t shirt. After program I went to pizza and then took the bus home. I had a fun day.
A fellow Ceep, person with CP made this video. It was so nice to see many people wearing green to support us.
My sister made cookies that I took to my program. ( I am not in school this semester but I may be in school in the Fall we have to see). The program
am was tempory and now i am done with the program.
I went to program in my green clothes and hat. It was cold that day so I wore a long white t shirt under my HOPE t shirt. After program I went to pizza and then took the bus home. I had a fun day.
A fellow Ceep, person with CP made this video. It was so nice to see many people wearing green to support us.
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