School and education can be wonderful or it can be a disaster for families who have a child with a disability. There are children with Down syndrome who are thriving in fully inclusive classrooms or special education classrooms with teachers who believe in them and a classroom of students who accept them. Then, there are students with Down syndrome who are struggling to find their place in school with teachers who have given up on them. There are parents who are fighting every year to keep their child in an inclusive environment. I just spoke with a mom recently who lives near us, and she expressed her frustration over having the same conversation and the same fight every single year over keeping her child in the classroom that she wants her to be in. The classroom that she is legally entitled to be in. The classroom that she deserves to be in.
Let's thank our teachers who are striving to make our schools and classrooms better for children with disabilities. Let them know that you appreciate it. If you have a principal that is striving toward inclusion, tell them that you appreciate their efforts for inclusion. And wouldn't it be even more wonderful if parents who do not have a child with a disability would say these things to their teachers and principals. An encouraging word goes a long way. Think of the difference it could make for that mom that I mentioned above if some of the other parents from her child's classroom would speak up and tell the teacher and principal that they are happy to have their child in a classroom with children of all abilities.
An area that has really been on my mind lately is the lack of inclusion in Christian schools. I have taught at several different Christian schools, and I graduated from a Christian college 10 years ago. I am proud of the education that I received from the college that I went to, but one area that is seriously lacking was any training in teaching students with disabilities. There was not one class or discussion on teaching students with any type of disability. What is that saying? That these students don't belong in the private Christian school setting? I hope not.
In my years of classroom experience, I had one student with a disability. It's hard for me to say, but I didn't do enough for that student. With a classroom full of students and no aid or any help, it would have been difficult to do more, but I could have. We should have had more help classes, and I should have modified the work more. But the thing that still upsets me the worst is how much that child was bullied. When my class was with me, I was on top of any situation that came up. Then, they go to lunch, recess, art, music, or any other special classes and the bullying starts. By the end of that school year, there had been a fist fight and one student expelled, and I'm left wondering what in the world is going on in the Christian school.
We're teaching the Sunday School version of kindness and love. We fill in the little bubble of the child that is showing kindness and that's it. The conversation ends. There needs to be an ongoing conversation if you want your child to be one of the kids that is kind.
And lastly , PRESUME COMPETENCE. One of my Facebook friends designed this shirt with the words "Presume Competence" in black letters across the front. How many of us would like to send our child to school on the first day with this shirt on? No one should be judged by their appearance or their disability. Our first assumption about any person should be that they are able. Maybe they are not able to do something in the same that you are able to do it, but they can use a different way. Maybe that is a wheelchair or an assistive device for communicating. If something is not working for someone, we should adapt and find a different way to teach it or do it.
We have recently partnered with The Learning Program and Kamdyn is using the program. One of their Guiding Principles is:
Assume your child is able.
Always assume the child or adult with a disability is able.
If you would like to purchase a Presume Competence t-shirt, there are child and adult sizes. I believe today is the last day to order.
Look at her climbing, what a little monkey! Loved this post...Thanking the Teachers who do make a difference is a wonderful idea. And YES to Assume your child is Able. Loved that!
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