Some people may look at a person with special needs and see disabilities. Some may feel nothing but sympathy, while others, through the lack of knowledge, overlook these amazing individuals completely. I am one of the lucky ones that not only has experienced having a person of special needs in their life, but to also have the insight to realize the impact of the life lessons that my friend Jeff Geis has taught me. Jeff, born with Down’s syndrome, has overcome obstacles in his life that most of us cannot even imagine. Doctors told his parents to put him in an institution when he was a baby, stating that they would never be able to teach him to walk, feed himself or even live past adolescence – he would be too much of a burden. Today at the age of 21, Jeff is a High School graduate, he is taking courses at State University, working a part-time job at Valley YMCA and a part-time job at his father’s firm. Not only has Jeffy accomplished the things that the “professionals” said that he would never be able to do – he has achieved these things, and more. Persons with intellectual disabilities have qualities that I can only aspire to: among them are their strong mind, strength and determination, optimistic and positive attitude and above all, their kindness and acceptance. A strong mind, strength and determination are qualities that I always believed that I had until I met Jeff. I am not saying that I discovered that I did not have them; I just do not have the amazing drive that Jeff has. Everything that Jeff does, he goes at it full force with the belief that he will accomplish his goals. Take education for example, Jeff could easily have used his disability as an excuse but he was determined to graduate high school on hi... ... middle of paper ... ...ong the way. He has shown me that having a strong mind, strength and determination is all it takes to accomplish and overcome the obstacles in life that keep me from my true goals. He has shown me what optimism and a positive attitude can accomplish, if not just making the journey that much easier. I strive for the optimism and the positive attitude that he makes look so easy. Through him, I have come to realize that you are not a result of what happens to you, that "what happens to you" is a result of what you create. Above all, that living life with kindness and acceptance, I too can inspire others. If I can attain only a few of the wonderful qualities that Jeff possesses, I will be a better person for it. These are just a few examples of how my friend Jeff, a special person of special needs, has taught me to meet my own needs while meeting others needs as well.
The experience changed her life, she learned to rethink her own attitude and self determination. I learned that people with mental retardation are not to be separated from society or even treated with less respect because of their disability. “Riding the Bus with My Sister” taught me to never neglect people with mental disabilities. Readers learned that people with mental retardation, just like everyone else, have families, desires, and determination. They cry, they laugh, they have emotions just like the rest of us. We can learn new things from those suffering from mental retardation. ‘Riding the Bus with My Sister” taught me that civil rights apply to
What comes into one’s mind when they are asked to consider physical disabilities? Pity and embarrassment, or hope and encouragement? Perhaps a mix between the two contrasting emotions? The average, able-bodied person must have a different perspective than a handicapped person, on the quality of life of a physically disabled person. Nancy Mairs, Andre Dubus, and Harriet McBryde Johnson are three authors who shared their experiences as physically handicapped adults. Although the three authors wrote different pieces, all three essays demonstrate the frustrations, struggles, contemplations, and triumphs from a disabled person’s point of view and are aimed at a reader with no physical disability.
I have accomplished many things that people would always doubt of especially attending college which requires a higher academic standard. But, I’m here to inspire others with autism that God is in control and our faith is what unites us.” He has dedicated his life to spreading his message through churches and on social media informing others that there is hope. Everyone can relate to the question since we all face challenges throughout life that others wouldn’t understand. In the eyes of God, Rudy is an average person who is a disable person, but it didn’t stop him from attending college. Also, Rudy explains that “Autism defines me and he understands others who have experience and related to them.” On numerous occasions, I asked my brother if he would wish wasn’t born with a disability but always replied with no. Personally, I would have never wanted my brother to be born with autism since he has experienced many difficulties in
They are human beings determined to make something good in their lives. Across the world, people with disabilities have poorer health outcomes, lower education achievements, less economic participation and higher rates of poverty than people without
‘“Now it’s my turn to make it better for generations that come after, which is why I’ve become, involved in disabilities issues”’ (Open University, 2016a).
Historically, we have been taught that people with disabilities are different and do not belong among us, because they are incompetent, cannot contribute to society or that they are dangerous. We’re still living with the legacy of people with disabilities being segregated, made invisible, and devalued. The messages about people with disabilities need to be changed. There needs to be more integration of people with disabilities into our culture to balance out the message. Because of our history of abandonment and initialization, fear and stigma impact our choices more than they would if acceptance, community integration, and resources were a bigger part of our history.
My personal philosophy on special education begins with this firm conviction, I believe all children are “uniquely and wonderfully” made, and regardless of their disability, posse unique gifts and talents. My philosophy of special education has developed, not from just being a general education teacher for many years, and a graduate student in special education, but also from being blessed to be a parent of a special needs child. I believe that every child deserves to have the best possible education, regardless of their disabilities or challenges. It is our responsibility, as special education teachers, to not focus on a student’s disabilities and challenges, but rather focus and develop their personal gifts and talents, in an environment
I interviewed a woman who has a child with special needs. The child is now in kindergarten. The mother reported having a normal pregnancy with no complications. This was the second child for the mother, who has another child who was five years old at the time. The mother disclosed that during the pregnancy, she was in the process of separating from the child’s father and that this caused a moderate level of stress. At the time of the pregnancy, the mother was also working full time as a waitress in a local restaurant. The mother reported that her job required her to be on her feet for long periods of time. She was able to work until around a week before her child was born. The mother reports that the child was born around two weeks early but that labor was easy and the child was born healthy.
In middle school I was diagnosed with a disability with the way I expressed myself through writing. Ever since, I have gained multiple values and learned several lessons about self confidence. I was taught to push past my limits, in order to be successful in reaching my goals along with my dreams. Today I am a senior in high school who was once thought to struggle, but was able to succeed beyond expectations. To some, a disability may seem like a setback from achieving goals, but to me I used it as a challenge for myself. I accepted myself for who I was and looked at my disability as a unique trait of mine. I was able to provide a message to others that anything you set your mind to is possible with dedication and hard work. It might take
Being disabled is just a single facet of their life, and they have the same capacity to be happy as anyone else. While these three authors have different reasons to write their essays, be it media unfairness, ignorance, or ethical disputes, they all share a basic principle: The disabled are not viewed by the public as “normal people,” and they are unfairly cast away from the public eye. The disabled have the same capacity to love, desire and hurt as any other human being, and deserve all of the rights and privileges that we can offer them. They should be able to enter the same buildings, have representation in the media, and certainly be allowed the right to live.
The number of children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) in England is over 1.2 million with over 230,000 having statements or education, health and care plans, a number which has continued to rise over the years (Department for education, 2016). Described by the department for education (2014, p.7) as “Children and young people with SEN all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn…”. Within this assignment I intend to outline the provision made for a SEN child in my attachment, which will be referred to as Child A.
Children with disabilities are more in the public eye than years ago, although they are still treated differently. Our society treats them differently from lack of education on special needs. The society labels them and make their lives more difficult than it has to be becau...
Whether born from ignorance, fear, misunderstanding, or hate, society’s attitudes limit people from experiencing and appreciating the full potential a person with a disability can achieve. This treatment is unfair, unnecessary, and against the law (Purdie). Discrimination against people with disabilities is one of the greatest social injustices in the country today. Essential changes are needed in society’s basic outlook in order for people with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to succeed in life. To begin with, full inclusion in the education system for people with disabilities should be the first of many steps that are needed to correct the social injustices that people with disabilities currently face.
I have always grown up in a more ‘normal’ setting and seeing people with disabilities was something that was rare to me. When I was younger, my thoughts on people with disabilities were that they could only be physically seen, nothing else (mentally, intellectually, etc.). As I reached middle school, I realized how broad the world is and how many ways people were affected by disabilities. Some of them led a more normal life and some have a harder time adjusting. Just seeing and reading how so many are affected and how harder it is for them really opened up my mind and allowed me to have a wider perception of how broad things are in the world.
There are numerous careers related to special needs, all of which require different schooling, training, mentorships, and other types of preparation. Any type of job working with children with mental and physical disabilities can be challenging but also very rewarding when one sees the child improve (Tyrer, 2007). Different types of careers affect special needs children in different ways. For example a teacher will help them thrive in school, while other careers may help the kids improve at home or in a public setting. Special needs workers should be creative, flexible, and personable to be able to meet the needs of the child and also provide useful information for the child’s parents. It is important for one to at least complete minimal required training so one will be fully prepared to work with a child with any type of delay. Often children in schools do not improve at a higher rate because their teacher may not have the necessary training to assist them (Marković, 2014). No matter what special needs career someone chooses, everyone should have one common goal: to help special needs children thrive. Marković from the article “Work with Kids with Special Needs” puts it perfectly when she states, “the main aim is that children with disabilities get the chance to grow, learn, and socialize with children with normal development, and that these children can adapt and learn together with children with special needs. In this way, they develop understanding, tolerance, and humanity” (Marković,