Teaching Children About Disabilities Discussion Board
When you were a child, was it difficult to interact with non-disabled children? Did your school help introduce them to your disability? Was that helpful?
Read an article about navigating school accommodations for children with SMA here: https://spinalmuscularatrophy.net/living/school-accommodations
I was very active in my daughter's education. She was mainstreamed. I was on the school's Committee of the Handicapped [COH]. I was instrumental in getting a touring group of educators sent to the school to desensitize my daughter's class concerning her being in a wheelchair and SMA. They worked with 'handicapped' Muppet-like puppets who presented with disabilities involving visual, auditory, and physical difficulties and how to talk to the students. Then they spoke to the staff about how to interact and talk to disabled students. Marc M., Advocate, spinalmuscularatrophy.net
Please refer to my article discussing the topic 'Jessie’s First Grade Class Learns About Disabilities' that teaches children about interacting with handicapped children in their classroom, Best Marc M., Advocate, spinalmuscularatrophy.net
From my experience, it’s not difficult because they’re little kids just like me. I never explained what is SMA. back then I wasn’t sure what it was. What I did was make them involved with what I’m doing. From there, they eventually learned what I can and I can’t do. I remembered there was a time, the school decided to put my class on the upper level, there will always be a friend who helped my dad to carry my wheelchair/school bag.
This is one of my all time favorite questions. I am a mother of two young boys and the teaching about disabilities started in our own home. I wrote my Children’s book No Such Thing As Normal for this very reason. Let them ask questions, front load with books on differences and disabilities and don’t only focus on differences, but rather highlight similarities!
