31 for 21 Day 19 : Virtural Field Trip

  Hi  guys  so  today I  want to introduce you to another great blog written by  an adult with Cerebral Palsy.  She  is a good writer who also  blogs about disability   issues.  This  is a post in which she writes about  the photo  that  should not have gone viral. The  link can be found   here 


Read it and comment on this page.  Do you agree or disagree.

31 for 21 Day 18 Lorreta Clairborn

 I  really hope I can meet her one day.  She is amazing

31 for 21 day 17 :Great Ted talk

  This  is a great Ted talk done by a women with CP.   I have   chatted with her via Facebook She is nice women who speaks her mind about things that she is passionate about.   Remind you of anyone?

31 for 21 Day 16 : Memories from first grade

     In First grade I remember.

    Learning about the contents and  dinosaurs.


  Falling and hitting my head  three times in the same sport.

           I fell and hit my  head  playing with my siblings  in the play room.  I  remember  going to  the downstairs  bathroom  being all bloody. It was not a present site.

        I fell at school.

      I also fell  when book girl pushed a toy  shopping cart with me riding on top.  That was not a good  idea.

        Today  I have a scar on my forehead from where that happen.



   My class got chicken pox. I got the shot but the next day  I went into school  and my teacher  told me to go to the office because I actually had  the Chicken Pox.



      I  remember  getting  tested for NLD. I did not understand that I  had it until ninth  grade.


             I was  very close to my first grade teacher.  My  mother always  reminds me of this  by saying that first grade was the year I sat on my  teacher's lap.      I do have memories of  not sitting on her lap but   I think it happened more times then not.     I also  remember
  being sat down and  told I had CP, so  maybe that was part of it I am not sure.    I had behavior problems and was labeled  the bad kid.     This was the last year   that I  attended  that school.    From then on I attended  public school.  Academically that was the right choice  socially well you  will have to  see   in my  next post.





    Past posts  about first grade

          NLD 

31 for 21 Day 15 : First grade Opereta

   Tomorrow  I will  be sharing  more about  first grade.  Lets  just say that   First  grade was a tough year but I was still  cute.


 Here is proof.

31 for 21 Day 14 A major misconception about NLD.

       I have  Non  Verbal  Learning disorder, NLD for short.  When  people  first hear that they  think that I  am non Verbal .   The  answer  to this is false.  I  talk  and use speech for all of  my communication  needs.    My  speech is  unclear  but that  has to do with Cerebral Palsy not  NLD.

  Too learn more about  NLD  please  watch this  somewhat short video,

31 for 21 Day 13 Sending your kids with disabilities to college an Q and A

  

Today’s post will be from Stephanie,  Stephanie has two kids    the oldest  is Ryan, who has been on my Special  Olympics Track Team  for the past four years,  Ryan  has  Autism  but that does not stop him from   going to  college.  He goes   to  the Wayfinders program at Fresno State.   I talked  to Stephanie  about her family’s decision to send  her son to college.




 AZ :How did you find out about the program?
  Stephanie:  I heard about the program when I googled colleges for kids with disabilities. I did a lot of research on Fresno State Taft College and UCLA.
The process to apply for Fresno State took about six months. We visited had interviews and there was extensive application process. In the end Ryan liked Fresno State

 AZ Why did   you  guys  chose the Wayfinders  program?

 Stephanie: I  didn't take him to UCLA because I thought LA is too big and too far. When I did research about Taft College it was also too far and it is a very small school. Fresno seemed perfect because it was a perfect mix of not really a big city but a nice college campus
Their program is very extensive. Not only does it include independent living skills and budgeting finance paying bills on your own it's also a work program.
Ryan starts his job in the library and bookstore this week.It's a great school for not only social interaction academics but also the independent living component and they have a lot of life coaches and other coaches to help them along the way
It's challenging because they really work you hard and they make sure that you stick to a budget and that's not always fun. But the whole goal is to get you to a place where you can live and work independently and have a social life. And really isn't that what everybody wants?

AZ  How is  Ryan  doing?

 Ryan and his brother  Will 

 Stephanie :It's taking some time adjusting to all of the new experiences having three roommates sharing living spaces sharing refrigerators going out to parties and events going to classes and all the while keeping track of your own money. Ryan is finally starting to enjoy it a lot more I think at first it was very very difficult because he's never had to do anything like this
 AZ What would   you   want to say to other parents about  sending their  student   with  disabilities  to college ?

 Stephanie: I would say be prepared for a lot of ups and downs. First of all it has to be what your child wants not what you want. Like with Ryan him being 3 1/2 hours away it's very hard. He gets homesick he didn't know anyone when he got there and for some kids with disabilities it's very hard for them to use language skills and social skills and get out there and meet people.
You have to be prepared for a lot of phone calls and a lot of support.
And you also have to realize that it's OK to fail if it's not the right situation for your child or your child is it happy then it's OK to say come home


   Thank you  Stephanie for giving us some insight.  I  can not wait to hang out with  Ryan over winter break.  Have a question for Stephanie  leave a comment below .

 

31 for 21 Day 12 Meet the girl that stared in Switched at Birth

 Meet  Sofia  Sanchez.  She is  a first grade student who is  also  making quite a name for  herself as a modal  in the Change the Face  of Beauty and has recently made a guest appearance  on Switched at Birth.

     In the  show   Toby, who is  the older brother  of Bay who was  Switched at Birth  with  Daphene,  breaks the news to his  family that he is expecting a baby with  Down Syndrome.   In an effort to educate themselves about the condition the two of them  go to a school for kids with  developmental disabilities.  There they  meet   Sofia who shows Toby that Down Syndrome is not the  end of the world.  Sofia stole the show and was supper cute.  I have been  Facebook  friends with Sofia mother  Jennifer  for a while  now She was kind enough  to let me interview her.

 AZ:

 I know Sofia was adopted can you tell me anything about where she came from

 Sofia and her  brothers.  Mateo,  Joaquin and Diego

 Jennifer:

She was adopted from an orphanage in Ukraine. She was abandoned at birth.

Her bio parents were married and she was their first child. We believe they were fearful of raising a child with a disability or maybe felt like they were equipped. Culture in Eastern Europe is about 40 years behind us in the U.S. in terms of people with disabilities.

AZ

How long have you been watching switched at birth ?

Jennifer 

 Just Season four ! 

AZ 

Was it hard to catch up on all the drama?

I have been watching since the   first episode  back in 2011

Jennifer 

It was pretty simple to get up to date. I did go back and watch the first few episodes of season 1

I am missing a few key players like Angelo but I do plan on going back and watching from the start.


AZ
How did Sofia wind up on the Show?

 Sofia  high five Lucas Grabeel -  who plays  Toby - for a job well done.
Grabeel also played Ryan in High School Musical     

                                             

Jennifer:

She auditioned for the part and was chosen by SAB

We got the audition from her agent Gail Williamson  at KMR Diversity

AZ
  How was it on set?

Jennifer
The set was impressive. Soooooooo many people behind the scenes to make it all happen. It was amazing to witness

AZ
What has the reaction been to Sofia's stardom?

 Jennifer
Her peers (other 1st graders) LOVED seeing her on TV and are so excited to say hi to her. Her teachers and family are so proud of her. Sofia loved it all. She loved the work, the people, watching herself on TV. She loved it all. 

   AZ: Any future projects?
 Jennifer: She has a modeling job next month for Freckles & Kitty and Zulily and she auditioned recently for a movie role that we are still waiting to hear about!

 Sofia on her first day of  First Grade 

School is her top priority! She's learning to read and write and working on her speech. This way she has a bright future ahead of her! But her love is modeling, acting, performing and making people smile!!!

AZ

 What does Sofia like to do for fun?

 Jennifer 

Sofia likes to dance, sing, read, swim and play barbies.

AZ

If there was one thing you want other people to know about Down Syndrome what would you want people to know?

Jennifer 

 That people with Down syndrome are PEOPLE with their own sets of dreams and hopes and wants.

  Thank you  Jennifer and  Sofia

  Have any other questions for  Jennifer ?    Leave a comment below. 

31 for 21 Day 11: Learning disabilities video

           This is a   great video I watched this last spring in my intro to special education   class.   I  hope you enjoy it.


                                                               

 

31 for 21 : Day Ten more about Unified Sports

   Earlier  this  week I  posted about Unified  Sports.  Here is more  information about the program from Special  Olympics   Northern California.

31 for 21 Day nine : Reflections from Kindergarten

     

   I remember

    Me in  Kindergarten.    I  was  so cute. 

      Sound books  esp  the letter /k/. The  teacher told me I was different.

               Jump rope  Every day at recess my  teacher  would  try to  teach me how to jump rope.  I was able to jump  rope by the end of the year.

                 Read Write and Type  Click here to read more about it.

                  Learning about community jobs  highlight   was   having my mom come in her scrubs to teach us about being a doctor.

                Learning different coin  values

                   Butterflies  We watched them in our classroom go from  caterpillars  to butterflies. It was very fun.

 Thanksgiving  play. I was the cat on the Mayflower.





 Not bad considering I was only  six.


   Eight Months  I will be   graduating with a  BA.




  Other posts

       In  Kindergarten


  Learning to read 

31 for 21 Day Eight: My inclusion Story

  Hi  guys for those of you that are new  here, or want to   watch my story again . Here is my inclusion story.  As   I  Countdown to College  graduation I will be   talking about my memories in more detail in  the weeks and months ahead but here is a quick overview of my story.

31 for 21 Day Seven: World Cerebral Palsy Day 2015

           Thank you everyone for sending  or agreeing to  let me use  your picture.     I hope you have an awesome day today.  Be sure to wear  Green today.  Here is the montage  It  is the longest it has ever been.    

   A member of a group that I am in made this for me.  I think it turned out  well.






   Wearing Green Today?  Let me know in the comments  or  share a pic on my  Facebook page or email me if you want. 

31 for 21 Day Six : Who’s the Slow Learner? A Chronicle of Inclusion and Exclusion

 AZ with  Sandra and Sean  March 2014 

Today is    Sean McElwee's  twenty second birthday.  I  have met Sean and his Mom  Sandra  at CA  TASH in 2014  .  

 Sandra  wrote a book about her son's educational experience  called  Who is the Slow Learner.  I  decided to  let her talk about  her book and  if you like  it then you can  enter for a giveaway  at the end of the blog 

 AZ: Why did you write the book?

 Sean in kindergarten 

Sandra: The real purpose was to educate and inspire while entertaining in the hopes that parents could learn, and educators could see that they hold the key to success…or hell.  Who’s the Slow Learner? A Chronicle of Inclusion and Exclusion was an accidental book.  Sean had a text-book perfect elementary school inclusion experience, but secondary school was a stark contrast. I started documenting the bad behavior of the administrators and educators and five years when Sean graduated from high school I looked back and thought, “I couldn’t make this stuff  up!” That’s when the idea of turning Sean’s story into a book, but it couldn’t just be the secondary school experience. Parent’s needed to know what to watch out for, but it would have been too depressing. So I broke out the elementary school communication notebooks, IEPs and started recreating each grade chronologically. 

I searched and searched and I couldn’t find one book that chronicled a student with special educational needs from preschool through high school graduation. We have plenty of the ‘baby born, parents mourn’ stories but none that provide practical realities of the school-age years.

I wrote the book as a memoir, simply because I enjoy reading real-life memoirs.  My hopes were that parents could learn first how inclusion was supposed to be supported and accommodated as it was in Sean’s elementary school…and what legal tools they have to use when it isn’t provided appropriately from the secondary school experiences.

 AZ Chapman : What has been the feedback for the book?

 A lot of people like  Sandra's story that shows that when you
 include   everyone benefits 

 Sandra: I am thrilled to have 31 Five-Star Ratings on Amazon.com.  Parents have told me they purchased the book for their teachers and administrators and have had them comment they never looked at Inclusion from a parent’s perspective before.  This has led to positive changes in their schools, and THAT is the feedback that makes my day. Some of the headlines from the ratings on Amazon ‘Highly recommended,’ A must read for teachers and parents,’ Invaluable resource,’ and my favorites comment that they couldn’t put the book down.

 Sean in forth grade 

AZ Chapman: What advice do you have for future special education teachers?

 Sandra: My advice for special educators and general educators alike is to always have high expectations for their students. To learn to collaborate as a team and to spend the time they are in school learning to differentiate instruction so they can teach one subject to learners of different abilities and learning styles.

 Sean  with the baseball team.  He was  an assistant to the team
during his  high school years 

 AZ Chapman: What is Sean up too now?

 Sandra : Sean is about to turn 22, and is attending community college focusing on acting classes. He is an assistant coach for a Challenger Flag Football team, volunteers in a SundaySchool class and goes dancing every chance he has.   He was just hired to work at Home Depot!  He has a full social life and enjoys doing presentations and signing books.  In his spare time, Sean loves to make music videos using an app on his Iphone.  He’s currently single, but has a girl that he is trying to woo.

    

 Thank you Sandra

  Enter for a chance to win a copy of this book  by leaving a comment on this post. The giveaway will close on  the 31st.   Winners will be   announced on   November forth. 

 Click here for  the book's  website 

 Click here  for  the book's Facebook  page 

31 for 21 Day Five : Laying the foundation

  I have been playing golf   since  2007.   I  first learned about the sport   through  Special  Olympics.  My first year I  started  playing I  was in  skills and I could not hit the ball over  100  ft.

First   golf event with Special Olympics 2007

 After  two months  I  decided that I wanted  to play for my high school  team.  My  dad thought it was foolish  but he  drove me  to the course  anyway. The  coach was a former  special education teacher and  felt that he could  handle  a teenager  with disabilities and   let me on the team.  By saying  yes to me  he allowed me to become a part of the golf team  he also  laid  the foundation for  something  magical  to happen    a  Monday  night   in  August.  

 Good  chip 

     Now  I am  pretty good at golf,  I can  hit the ball  over  one  hundred  feet and   hit  really  good chip shots .    I  now no longer play skills,  I now  play  unified  golf.   Unified Golf is where   a person with a disability  plays alongside a person without disabilities  and  mentors  them  as  they  develop their skills   to play  individually.   I  really thought that my  partner would  be the same one as  last year but   she had work commitments. I asked   a girl on my  high school  golf team if she would be willing to play  with me.  She  couldn't , but she did come out to play with me  one  night.

   That  night  I played the best game of my life.  I  got two  great chips and  great drives.   I also  was  able to connect  with a peer who is quickly becoming my friend.  We were not close friends   in high school , but we  were able to  reconnect,  She  originally lived on my street but moved  to another city. Being on that  team  laid  the foundation for us   to play together .

   I know  a lot of  families of kids with disabilities who have to fight for  inclusive education.   My heart breaks for these families and their  kids.  I also feel very angry because educators  need to understand that   school  is more  than  test scores and academic honors.   It is  the center of a child's life.  Friends  come  from school experience  when   people  ship  students   off to another  place   there is no  foundation for  friendships to form between those with and without disabilities.  I am not saying that these friendships will  form while in school, but they  could,  but  as  people   grow and mature  and  see  their surroundings in a new  way  they might want to become  friends with  people  with disabilities, but if they did not have  the  chance to attend school  with people  who did  have disabilities   they will not know  where to look.   

 Inclusion  lays the foundation for   friendships.



 Tune in tomorrow for  a book giveaway

31 for 21 Day Four : Project Search

Project Search is a wonderful  program. It  helps young people with disabilities  find  jobs.  There  is a program  in my town and my friend  with DS   went there last year. From there  he  got a job  in a inclusive  work environment .  It is  a wonderful  program.  I would   highly  recommend  it  to any  young person with  disabilities.

31 for 21 Day Three: Dear Future Mom

 Happy  Saturday  guys.    On  weekends this  month I will be  posting   video clips  that  are  disability related.     Do you have any  suggestions for you tube  videos that I should link  to?   Leave a comment below.

31 for 21 Day Two: The update preview and a new label

 Hay  guys  so I have not really updated  you guys on  my school stuff  since  Spring .  I    am  set to graduate  college  in 2016.     I am  taking 16  units this fall and am doing well.  Three of those  classes  are  Graduate  level  classes that I am  taking for  my Special  Education  minor.  A  big  goal of  mine was to graduate  in 2016 and I am  ecstatic that this  is  a real  possibility.  As long as  I  pass my  classes.

  Because  I am  graduating from  undergrad  I will be   blogging a lot about my experience-particularly  pre school  through  eighth  grade in school.     In  order to do  this  I will  be sharing some older  posts about my school   that I  have  written  along with some  new  posts so be sure to come  back for more from now til  June .

31 for 21 Day One: Welcome

   Hay  guys  long time no blog.  Sorry its been so long I have been busy.  I have lots to tell you and you will  be hearing a lot  about  my life  now that    its  31 for 21.  This is an event hosted by  Big  Blue Berry Eyes in which  people  post every day in October for  Down  Syndrome  Awareness  Month.

 Welcome    please    leave a comment that lets me know that you are here,

     Grab This Button

A poem in Honor of Back to school

   Today is the official start of  School for  local  schools  in the are,  My  Jr college starts back Monday.
 ( This year is   going to be a very special year for my family you will have to wait  a little bit longer to find out why )


Here is to a school year where all children are visible in local  neighborhood schools

 The invisible student

  I am a child  just like you.
  I go to school, and think recess is cool.
  But there is something different  about me.
  I have an disability.

  I  sometimes drool
  You sometimes stare.
   Many people pretend I am not there
  For  I am invisible
 you can’t see me   I have  a disability.

     District personal see  my  education a joke
 so they bus me across town  even though the neighborhood school is not broke.
       there system is.
 At school   I am  sent  down the   hall.
  The classroom door closes and  that is all.
   I  am there all day  down the hall.
     Its not fair,

  Its not  fair
 it can’t be
  I should be treated fair
 as an equal you see
   We  learn about  freedom 
    we learn about  the world, but  we are not there.

 Left out  of pictures
   of social life
    the websites  about the school do not include us.
   Why can’t  I be in the pictures?
  Why  do  my  parents need to fight  for me to be seen?
      Seen  as a  disabled person
  seen  for me.
  Inclusive education that is key.
   Its time to close   separate  classroom.
 Cause Separate is not equal
 We learned that in 1954.

 Its time for  us to become visible-
for us to be seen.
 For us to be in all general education classes
 Learning and living about  Freedom
  Learning  how to read.
  Learning  about  Romeo,  Juliet, and  Huckleberry Finn.
    Discovering our  past
   Exploring through  experiments
                 Its time for all that
                 Its time to presume competence for  all kids
Teach us  everything so we have a chance at learning  about this world.

 Its time to move the desk  from down the hall.
 Into same aged classrooms.
   Open  the classroom
  Let me in
 Now is a good time to begin.





 Have a great year  everyone. 

World CP Day Photo Montage

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 or post it on my   and tune in   October seventh    to see this great  montage.
 Feeling left out? 
    Find a friend with CP and take a photo  and   submit it.


For more information  please  see  the tab  labeled.   World CP day photo montage

25 years later .. we have a long way to go

  

  Hay guys  I have been extremely busy sorry  I have not been able to  blog for you guys.   I am in summer school.   I will try to update soon.

  Next Saturday is  the 25 anniversary of  the ADA.  This is a huge deal  for our nation.  This  law signifies that  people  with disabilities  have access to  life.    It is  cause for  great celebration;however  the work is not over.

    People with disabilities still face large unemployment or under employment .  People with disabilities   still are forced to  work  for less then  minimum wage


People with disabilities  that receive benefits from the government can not get married   because their  benefits   will evaporate.


      Parents of disabled kids  still have to fight  to ensure  that there child  revives a  fully inclusive   education. 

 25  years ago  things changed for the better for people with disabilities.  We still have a long road  ahead to ensure that people with disabilities are given  equal access.    We should celebrate  how  far we have come  but  realize that this is just  a pit  stop.      We  will have to get back on the road for  access equality  and inclusion.

Spring Quarter 2015

\

  Back in November    my philosophy  teacher told me about these trees.  He  said that  they are the same tree planted at the
same time but  one is different then the others.   I am like a red  tree .  I still want to graduate  asap  though :)

   The year is winding down.  I am  almost done as I begin  writing this  I  have finished  two out of three classes at   my new university.  I  decided in   late November to  apply  to another school a public university  about an  half hour from my house.  I got in there.  Ironically I  got into this school way back when I  graduated from high school.   I would not trade those times at my Second home for anything though.

 First day of Spring Quarter 

            These first six months of 2015 have been rocky but  my life has always been a series of ups and  down.    January and February were filled with  depression as    I   was not able to go  to school because my private school kicked me out.   In  late March  I  decided to  try something new.  I had  a great philosophy teacher,  B,  who encouraged me to drop his class and try  the school I got into .


B  gave  me an incentive for me to finish my  BA.    B  also  helped me  by  telling me about a program called  Open  University. This  is a program at Cal  State schools where  anyone can pay a fee to  take classes. This  is what I am  doing so I can  gain credits that count towards my  major  before the fall term.   Anyone  can  enroll in   Open University  there is a form you  fill out but there is no need for transcripts or  grades.   I am  so happy that B  recommended  this program.  The only  downside is that the units cost more.

 I had to go  karting for a class project. I made a video  which got  100 percent 

     I  was able to  take  three  classes.   Thats right  THREE classes  or  12  units which means that I went  full time.  Something  I had  earn at my private school.    Two  online classes and one in person class.    My  behavior in those classes has been  great    and    I have learned a ton.   I  felt a part of the classes  instead of  an outsider.    I  do not  feel  like a trained  seal when i do well  on assignments;therefore, I have excelled.  The only downside  is  I had to take a leave from work.  I  may  be able to work  again  next week though.


  What has changed in ten weeks

 Confidence  and a new found  belief in myself that I can   finish my  BA.

 Units  After  I  pass  all my classes  I will double the upper   division   units  that I took  at the private school.

 I  made a  worksheet  for a class  project.

     Me  yesterday  after finishing finals

I do my own laundry

 I do my own Landry at home 

 So  for those of you that do not know  what is happening  read here.   Then come back, then read here.



                                                                           HOW 
                                       IS 

  THIS 

OK?

  HOW  IS OKEY FOR ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE   TO BECOME SERVANTS TO THE OTHER?

      ITS NOT 

   WHAT MESSAGE  DOES IT SEND TO THE OTHER  STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL.

  THEY ARE SEPARATE, THEY ARE SPECIAL THEY DO NOT BELONG.

     THIS IS  TOOO IMPORTANT.    WHEN PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE GIVEN   THE DIRTY  JOBS   AT  11 OR 12 , WHAT MESSAGE  DOES THAT SEND TO THEM.  WHERE IS THE  PRESUMPTION OF COMPETENCE?   its not there.    WHERE ARE  THE BOOKS, MATH BLOCKS,   EGYPTIAN TUMS  WITH MUMMIES,   WHERE ARE THE  SCINCE EXPERIMENTS.    

  THOSE THINGS MATTER.  Reading matters because information is  in these  books. Stories   of our past.  Explores   Dragons    Shakespeare they matter .

  Writing  to be  able to connect  with people over social media  is important.   Sharing our own stories  so that future generations  will know us.

 History   the stories of the past  are a light to  understanding our future.

Science   to discover  how the world works,   It is also fun,  

 So in short  why are you wasting precious learning time  doing laundry in middle school when  most kids don't. 

   There was a  time in American history where one  group  of people  did the dirty  work in America.   They  did the laundry.  They   cleaned up the house, They   worked  the  fields  and picked cotton too,    They were slaves in America.  We now  look down on this  as a  society . Although this isn't slavery. Its  still dehumanizing.

Blogging against disablism day 2015 : My ideal classroom

           


 This quarter  I am venturing into  my field of choice,  special education,  my  goal: to become a special education teacher  who provides  inclusive services to high school students with intellectual disabilities .

 image of and empty classroom. The classroom has desks  a flag and Television

      My  program would  have  kids with intellectual disabilities included for English, History, and Science and  elective with modifications and  support.  They would  be doing work that  is connected to what the other  students in class are doing  modified to their  level.

 My students  would have math and life skills  in a special education class that I would teach.  I say math because some of my students might need  life skill math.     The math would be temporary   I would reach out to general education  math  teacher with the hope  of  having students with intellectual disabilities included. I would  try to offer life skills for general education students because  all kids need to learn life skills,   Life skills would be one period.

  A lunch time sandwich shop  which  students with and without disabilities would get work  experience,

   Office Aids  and on campus jobs for  my students.

  A chance to participate in sports and  plays or anything else that students are interested in.

  Homework every night  to reinforce learning concepts.

   Special Olympics  practices that would be healed  AFTER SCHOOL  once a week and compete in the community program.

  Independence jars where  students  can do things both at school and in the community and then  get  tokens  to earn  for their jars.

     Presumed  Competence

    Fun club  which would take place monthly. Students  with and without disabilities would be invited  to do fun things in the community.  Events would include   activities in their communities.   This would be done after school.

  Lofty  goals  and high expectations.

   My  main goal for my  students would be to learn and have fun. (in that order)



  Who  knows  as I go through my  teaching maybe  I will  add more things to this list. One thing that will not change in my mind is  inclusion in core subjects.   I am a die hard inclusion fan for life.

 My high school  graduation photo. 

The best word in a human development textbook

 my textbook 

     So  Monday night  was  spent  reading   a  textbook about Child Cognitive Development.  It was a long   chapter. Forty pages about the  brain development.   The chapter was very fascinating  , especially about  the brain. The best part though  came with a little word. It was not very long only  one vowel and three consistences.  Th word was
Most.  The sentience talked about the fact that most babies  who are over two walk.  This was music to my ears, literally  I read out loud to increase my comprehension.

       The  reason why  most is such a great word it that it leaves room for people who are different.  I had to read  a text book  that was so exclusive  and ablest  it was hard to read.  That  text book   said that all children learn language without ever being taught. This cut like a knife because learning to speak clearly is something I  struggled with at 22  and continue to   try to learn at 23.   I am not  delusional, I know that many people speak clearly without thought and do not have to think about walking or use their hands, but to deny  the experiences of those of us who struggle to do these things is not fair.  By including most it  allows for the diversity of the human experience.  It is allowing for  the disabled  to be included   as people.    One small word goes a long word in telling all people that  there experience is  valid.   They are still people  and  they matter.  

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 18 : National Cerebral Palsy Day 2015 - Please don't blow the candle out - A Ceep view on curing disabilities

         

  Happy   National  Cerebral Palsy   Day  everyone and the last day of  theCerebral Palsy  Party.   I hope  you are all  wearing green  today.
   Today is the  national day for Cerebral  Palsy Awareness. The history behind this is  Reaching for the stars.  These  guys are  trying to eventually find a cure for CP.

             Hay  guys  I want to let  you in on a secret. We don't  need a cure,  Now  at this point you may be thinking that this   person is  crazy and  doesn't make sense.   So on this day  I want to  share my feelings with you about why   as a person with Cerebral Palsy. The idea of a cure is treating to me.   I hope that there will not be a  cure  for CP or any other disability we are meant to be here.  

Keep the  candle  burning  people with CP are not  mistakes

        Now  there are two ways to look at disability.  One  way is to  say that disability is mistake,  a  mutation, damaged  broken. Disability is seen as a flaw.  This view  makes it easier to  separate  people with disabilities because  after all they are broken people who need to be fixed. This is known as the medical modal.   This is the dominate view  of disabilities that is  deeply imbedded into society. 

   Some  people with disabilities   see that   the world has it wrong.  Instead of believing that  people with disabilities are flawed   the society is at fault for denying us  rights.    I mean  the ADA  is  only 25    this  year .     Low expectations rule supreme  and segregation is still  practiced  under the name special.  That is far more disabling then  the disability.  I have  a personal experience with this.

   I come  from  a big sport family.    Both my parents played sports in their youth.   My brother played baseball for a number of years  and I spent saturdays at baseball games supporting him.  When  the fine motor challenges of playing with dolls  became too much for me I  turned to sports  where I was   able to join community team and recess.  I was a  true tom boy.  Did CP make it hard for me to play you  bet  but  I  really liked playing.

 In  eighth grade  I came to the realization that I probably  would not  continue to play  on inclusive teams.   IT WAS THEN THAT I LONGED TO BE NORMAL.   It was not  that I couldn't  talk clearly,  or   use my hands.  IT  WAS THAT I WAS NOT  GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE INCLUDED ON  A SPORT TEAM. 

 Now  if  there was a inclusion basketball team  I would not  have  yearned to be normal because  I  still would have been included on  a  sport team like I always  wanted to do.  If there were  the same opportunities offered to me  as my parents and siblings and to all  citizens  then    there  wouldn't need to be a cure because we  would be able to contribute to society.   

    Its like this, think of    life as a movie theater, now imagined   instead of seeing the movie  in two d  and  3d   You  saw it  through color lens.     These lenses  tint what  you see and how you  view    them.   A lot of factors go through  these color lenses including  race, gender,  economic status  ,family , political  ideation,and  disability.  In short the thing that you  are trying to cure has shaped how  I see the world around me.   I have lived with it my  entire life and will continue to live with it til  I  die.   If  disabilities were not suppose to exist   then they  would not  exist.  They have always been around .   It is  a part of diversity. One that I hope will always  be  included in every aspect of life.

  Happy  Cerebral Palsy   Awareness   Day.





    I am  disabled  and  proud

    There are no  new post   tomorrow but be sure  to   check out my other  post from CP month.

Cerebral Palsy Party Day 17 : Gifts

 

 What is  a birthday  party  without  gifts.

 Today's  post will be a guest post.   I  asked people with CP in a facebook group that I am in to    tell me what   are some  gifts  that have been   given  to you because of CP.

This is what  other people  said.



"A more open mind to race gender sexual orientation social and economic inequality."

"A better understanding of social issues, I suppose."

"a sense of humor. 

"All of the above"

"Empathy"

Creative problem-solving skills.

It's hard for me to pick out specific gifts because cp has impacted so much in my life mostly in a positive way. Nothing about me would be the same without cp, that includes my gifts. I guess the greatest gifts I have because of my cp is the ability to use my experiences as a disabled person to help others with disabilities, especially children with disabilities.

  

Please  be sure to wear  green tomorrow for   CP  Day .    Here is a video that I was a part of.

 See you tomarrow and do not forget to go green,