This week I am reminded of how selfishly normal my educational experience has been. I was never at the top or bottom rung...just middle of the road enough to have every choice and access to whatever experience I wanted to pursue. Somehow, though, students just like me (just like us) are cheated. We are excluded from experiencing the joy of watching special needs kids achieve and overcome and we are lulled into believing that our circles are somehow complete when really they are broken and self-centered. The truth is, disability scares me a little and breaks my heart a lot. I don't always know what to say and what to expect because I've been so excluded from living real life, side by side, with people persevering and overcoming challenges I wouldn't have the strength to endure for a day.
I've been challenged a lot in these past weeks. Challenged to add the stories of the marginalized, the faces of the minority, and the heart of the disabled to my pedagogy - not just in the classroom but in my daily life.
Comments (3)
I really appreciate your awareness on this matter. By bringing light to the shadow of disabilities we can see this unique "lens" as another authentic "way of knowing". I find this population one of the most precious lens for knowledge construction on any matter, whether the computer geek or the student with Asbergers. Yesterday, I witnessed a participate (client)with DID (Multiple personalities)and learned how beautifully the mind works to protect the inner child from collapse. Her personalities were made of children and a wise woman. They guarded her safety very specifically.
Knowledge construction comes in all forms, not just from the "middle" man. By opening the lenses and viewing all the God-given ways of knowing on this planet, we should be able to value everyone and every living thing, so that authentic voices can be heard and honored. Just think how really smart we would be if we opened ourselves to all "ways of knowing". Educators and students are losing out when we don't go into the shadow of knowledge. We need to illuminate all.
Posted by Diane | July 15, 2009 3:02 PM
Posted on July 15, 2009 15:02
OK, I need to clarify my statement as I have been thinking about my use of the term "disability" to include...."from computer geeks to Asbergers".
As a counselor, we always need to examine any issues we may have toward a group of people. By placing computer geeks into the category of disability, I erred BIG TIME. So..what is my issue with geeks? Do I think they qualify as a group of disablied citizens? Am I prejudice against them? I don't think so. By saying what I said, I was trying to communicate that there are "legal" groups with disabilities and they are entitled for services. There are groups of students that fall under the 504 clause that considers the student at-risk. I was trying to speak of a individuals who may struggle from just being different in the flow of what is considered normal and how the norm population may considered everyone else as abnormal, thus the middle ground may call the extreme or different population as having disabilities, prejudicially. My original point in the previous comment meant to expose this kind of thinking that students (and faculty and even school systems) may be feeling toward anyone who "they" consider as different. Like some of Johnny's comments about the history of treating blacks as a disability because of color or negating the equal opportunity to learn, oppressing a group to make them less educated, thus claiming them as inadequate, is simply not right.
I am sorry if I crossed boundaries about people who are splendidly gifted in computer knowledge!
Posted by Diane | July 17, 2009 5:30 PM
Posted on July 17, 2009 17:30
Fantastic site :) I'm so happy I stumbled here through my friend's blog. Going to definitely have to add this one to the morning routine :D
Posted by hardware problems | December 14, 2009 11:13 AM
Posted on December 14, 2009 11:13