Archive for June 2015
What It’s REALLY Like to Teach Middle School
When I tell people I work as a teacher, the conversation inevitably goes like this: “Oh, that’s wonderful! What do you teach?” “7th grade sp–“ “You teach middle school?! That is rough. I hated middle school. I cringe when I think back to my time in middle school. It takes a special kind of person…
Read MoreInclusion From Day One
My name is Hannah Alves, and I have an older sister with Down Syndrome. Her name is Sabrina, and she is 36 years young. I say it that way because ever since her 30th birthday, she has insisted that she is getting younger. As it is for most individuals with older siblings, I look up…
Read MoreThe Power of Teamwork
Today, I’d like to tell you a story about a student of mine named Elena. Elena is a seventh grade student who has been working so hard all year. She comes in to office hours before school, takes home extra study materials and extra credit work, and has significantly improved her self-advocacy skills. She is a…
Read MoreDifferent Abilities. Same Determination.
Ruben and Javier were both 16 year old students in my ROP (Regional Occupational Program) Retail Sales class. The class consisted of 19 students – 3 of which were in our district’s special education program. Ruben and Javier both had learning disabilities, according to their IEPs, and their academic skills were below those of the…
Read MoreA Leak in the System: When a Little Girl Felt Sorry for My Son
This week, we are honored to share with you this moving piece about the damage that pity for individuals with disabilities can cause. This post, written by Mary Evelyn from What Do You Do, Dear? appropriately and powerfully identifies the problem with feeling sorry for people with disabilities. We have confidence that, had the little girl in the gauzy white…
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