Blog Post #9 - Review of the course: In the last three years, I have worked as a substitute teacher at Cedar Hill Elementary where I have taught students at all grade levels, including those in Special Education. This semester, my experiences have brought to light the inequalities present in our education system. While going through the course materials, I found three specific articles that resonated with me, as they connected me to my personal encounters in both my assigned placement and the classrooms, I assisted in. Firstly, Delpit's piece, "The Silenced Dialogue," shed light on issues of communication within classrooms and among administrators. Secondly, Kohn's article, "What to Look for In A Classroom," made me realize the influence that the classroom setup can have on the learning environment for students. Lastly, Herir's work, "Toward Ending Ableism in Education," holds significance due to my personal experiences with family members, a...
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Blog #8 RI Laws and Policy/ Woke read-aloud After reading through the laws and guidance surrounding transgender and nonconforming gender students in RI, I had mixed emotions about a few of the policies. On one hand, I am a firm advocate for protecting individuals against any form of discrimination. My nephew made the courageous decision to come out that he was gay during his sophomore year of high school. It was an incredibly difficult choice for him, but one that changed his life in a positive way. He had known he was gay since middle school, and the struggle caused him anxiety and depression. Thankfully, he had an extremely supportive family by his side. However, he also had to deal with hatred and name-calling. While our society has progressed in accepting these differences, it is crucial to acknowledge that, just like with any aspect of one's identity, there will always be individuals who have hatred and refuse to accept it. This is precisely why we require laws that d...
BLOG #7 Herir, "Eliminating Albeism in Education" ARGUMENT : In his article, Hehir introduces us to Penny, a woman whose son challenged doctors after they concluded that he could never lead a life like his non-disabled peers. Surprised and taken aback by their assumptions, she refused to accept that her son was limited in his abilities to live a normal life. Moving forward, she worked with many activists to change the world of these assumptions. This article highlights the impact of ableist assumptions on the education of children with disabilities, compromising their education. Ableism is discriminating and excludes individuals with mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. Like Judith's perspective on how society viewed her disabilities, she asked for help in order to keep others from judging her on how she used her body to get a coffee or pay for a purchase. Trying to be accepted by society is always a challenge. This is an example of how society create...