Not only was it related to our course content, it also got me thinking for a couple of reasons. First, National Down Syndrome Awareness Week was from November 1-7th, 2012. I'm assuming this billboard has been up since before that week, yet this is the first time I've noticed it. Is it because I'm paying closer attention due to starting a new course? Shouldn't I pay attention anyways?!
Second, it got me thinking about the topic of presuming competence. Obviously presuming compentence is a mindset that we should all have, especially as educators. However, I've often found myself in situations where I've presumed that a student could handle the level of work I was giving him/her simply because they didn't "look" different, which has led to frustration on their part. Now, I know there's a difference between presuming competence and presuming grade level ability, but it did get me thinking about how we sometimes assume things about people (students in this case) based on how they do, or do not, look. An interesting thought on my drive home.
Thank you for sharing! This billboard is extremely powerful. So often we use the word disability in a negative way in our society. Instantly we imagine a student or person who canNOT. I love that as a society we are attempting through marketing to break down some of these barriers associated with students with special needs. I wonder if I have passed this billboard as well and never noticed it! Interesting how when we bring our attention to something we begin to see it everywhere. When I returned home from our weekend I began playing around with iMovie. My mind was blown away with the possibilities for the classroom and my students in the learning center. I quickly began using it with my brother and my son. It was only days afterwards that my best friends son was working on a project in his school and it involved making an iMovie to show understanding of his Science unit.
ReplyDeleteThere are some wonderful thing happening in education and our society in terms of access (and focusing on ability) - we just need to see it and celebrate it ;)
-Gillian Costelo