Our
lecture on January 27th revolved around social change and the role
that education plays in inspiring students to be critically literate and
actively involved in creating an equitable society. I particularly enjoyed engaging
with guest speaker, Dr. Castrodale as he introduced alternative approaches to
addressing disability within my future classroom. Dr. Castrodale encouraged us
to question our current understanding of disability to consider how Western
society’s language, beliefs and practices inform our ideas of what it means to
have a disability. This is consistent with Hawkin’s (2010) discussion on social
justice education and the importance of questioning our uninformed assumptions
associated with difference. As
mentioned by Dr. Castrodale, encouraging students to reflect upon able-bodied privilege
helps students recognize disability as a constructed systemic barrier that
oppresses populations of people. In response, I decided to review educational
documents and critically think about my role as a future educator.
 |
Hands
of Compassion Home Care (2014, March 10). Disability Awareness. Web. 22 Feb
2016.
Retrieved
from https://hochomecare.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/disability-awareness-
march-2014-best-home-health-midland-tx/
|
The Ontario Curriculum (2015)
encourages the notion that “…fairness is not sameness” (p.58). This is parallel
to our lecture discussion about equity differing from equality (L. Lane,
personal communication, January 27). In other words, students need to be
treated differently based on their individual needs. This being said, it is
important that students learn that being treated differently does not mean that
some people are superior to others. This is an important message to reinforce
to students as students often see accommodations and modifications being made to
help people with disabilities complete tasks that are deemed ‘normal’ within
Western society.
It is interesting to consider the ‘regular’ versus the ‘para’ Olympic Games and how world records are achieved separately by able-bodied versus disabled athletes. Although all athletes are competing in similar sports, distinguishing between real versus prosthetic bodies can potentially lead to students viewing difference in terms of superiority and inferiority. When thinking about the Olympic Games and considering points made in the “Fixed” video, should there be pressure for people with physical disabilities to alter their bodies (e.g., prosthetic limbs) to ‘fit’ into what Western society deems ‘normal’ (Brashear, 2012)? Furthermore, how would I respond to a student who shared a cultural/personal belief about disability such as questions/comments about prenatal genetic testing or abortion laws/rights? Is it appropriate to introduce students to these different opinions/beliefs about disability? Lastly, why is the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) not formally incorporated into the Ontario curriculum?
It is interesting to consider the ‘regular’ versus the ‘para’ Olympic Games and how world records are achieved separately by able-bodied versus disabled athletes. Although all athletes are competing in similar sports, distinguishing between real versus prosthetic bodies can potentially lead to students viewing difference in terms of superiority and inferiority. When thinking about the Olympic Games and considering points made in the “Fixed” video, should there be pressure for people with physical disabilities to alter their bodies (e.g., prosthetic limbs) to ‘fit’ into what Western society deems ‘normal’ (Brashear, 2012)? Furthermore, how would I respond to a student who shared a cultural/personal belief about disability such as questions/comments about prenatal genetic testing or abortion laws/rights? Is it appropriate to introduce students to these different opinions/beliefs about disability? Lastly, why is the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) not formally incorporated into the Ontario curriculum?
 |
Itsmeact
(2012, September 8). Paralympics: Not disabled, just differently abled! Web. 23
Feb
2016.
Retrieved from https://itsmeact.wordpress.com/2012/09/08/without-you/.
|
The
Ontario Curriculum (2015) as well as Article 24 in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) requires teachers
to make accommodations/modifications to instruction, classroom environment and
assessment to allow students with disabilities to achieve maximum academic and
social development. This links to a discussion on inclusive education. As
defined by Realizing the Promise of Diversity (2009), inclusive education is
“…education that is based on the principles of acceptance and inclusion of all
students.” (p.4). This includes students who have intellectual and/or physical
disabilities. This being said, accommodating for a child who uses a wheel chair
significantly differs from accommodating a student with Down Syndrome.
Furthermore, every student with a disability requires different needs based on
their degree of function. This is why cases of ‘disability’ must be addressed individually.
Integrating all students into one mainstream classroom may not be in the best
interest of students with disabilities or the remaining students in the
classroom.
If
students with intellectual disabilities are being integrated into the
mainstream classroom, I feel that schools need to be able to provide educational
assistants where necessary. It is my understanding through family friends and
peers, who are currently teaching in the public elementary school system, that
the shortage of EAs is causing significant stress on the planning, teaching and
assessment processes expected of the classroom teacher. According to Article 24
of the UNCRPD (2009) effective individualized support measures must be provided
to ensure that students with disabilities have access to inclusive and
supportive educational environments. With an understanding that funding is
often an issue within the school system, should school board funding be taken
from areas such as breakfast programs or extra-curricular activities in order to
hire more EAs?
An additional point mentioned in The Ontario
Curriculum (2015) was to avoid drawing attention to the accommodations or
modifications made for individual students. This is challenging as students are
very observant and may voice concerns about fairness. For example, I wonder how
I would address a student who feels that they deserve similar accommodations
regardless of whether he/she had a diagnosed disability.
 |
|
Brown
McHale, Kathleen (2013, January 12). Op-ed: Disability service cuts leave most
vulnerable
helpless. Web. 22, Feb 2016. Retrieved from
http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2013/01/op-ed_disability_service_cuts_leave_most_vulnerable_helpless.html
|
Lastly, Realizing the Promise of Diversity (2009)
suggests that teachers build a classroom culture of diversity where students
respect one another as individuals with various strengths. This being said, how
would a teacher teach about disability without making individual students feel
singled out or uncomfortable? For example, if I were to show the video “Fixed”
in my future classroom, how would I ensure that a student with a physical or
intellectual disability in my classroom was not feeling alienated? In response,
I agree with Bajovic
and Elliott (2011) that students need to be formally taught to interpret
fairness, tolerance and compassion in what they read, write, and watch. This
extends into problem posing and encouraging students to understand messages
from unique perspectives (L. Lane, personal communication, February 3, 2016). Furthermore, teaching students about
juxtaposing would help classmates understand multiple points of view; this
includes the point of view of a peer with a disability.
References
Bajovic,
M., & Elliott, A. (2011). The intersection of critical literacy and moral
literacy:
Implications
for practice. Critical Literacy: Theories & Practices, 5(1), 27-37.
Brashear,
R. (2012, May 11). FIXED: The science/fiction of human enhancement. Retrieved
from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl4CdnLue-k.
Brown
McHale, Kathleen (2013, January 12). Op-ed: Disability service cuts leave most
vulnerable helpless.
Web. 22, Feb 2016. Retrieved from
http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2013/01/op-ed_disability_service_cuts_leave_most_vulnerable_helpless.html
Hands
of Compassion Home Care (2014, March 10). Disability Awareness. Web. 22 Feb
2016.
Retrieved
from https://hochomecare.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/disability-awareness-
march-2014-best-home-health-midland-tx/
Hawkins,
K. (2014). Teaching for social justice, social responsibility and social
inclusion: a
respectful pedagogy for
twenty-first century early childhood education. European Early Childhood
Education Research Journal, 22(5), 723-738. doi:10.1080/1350293X.2014.96 9085.
Itsmeact
(2012, September 8). Paralympics: Not disabled, just differently abled! Web. 23
Feb
2016.
Retrieved from https://itsmeact.wordpress.com/2012/09/08/without-you/.
Realizing
the promise of diversity... : Ontario's equity and inclusive education
strategy. (2009).
Toronto
: Ministry of Education, c2009.
The
Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education, 2015. Retrieved
from
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health.html
United Nations. Convention
on the rights of persons with disabilities. New York, NY. Retrieved from
https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/
