Thoughts on Disability

My Personal Questions 

My lack of education in special education makes me constantly question my skill set for teaching students with disabilities. After reading the readings for this week some questions/observations that came up for me were:

1. I found the article "Cripping School Curricula: 20 Ways the Reteach Disability" very enlightening. I did not realize how much media portrays people with disabilities in such a negative or humorous light. It will make me question any media I come across that involves disability and how it is portrayed. It made me think, have I really been this oblivious? In some instances no, but in many yes.
2. When reading about Universal Design, it asks for a change in the role of the special educator and it made me wonder what role should they be taking on? Should they be a resource for all students? But if they are not familiar with my content area then how can they be a resource and vice versa? How do I make myself more useful to those with special needs when I do not possess the tools to be?
3. It all reminded me of how I struggle to figure out how much I should put onto the teacher aides in my school and how much I should not. I try to dedicate as much time to the special needs students in my classroom, but I also have twenty other students who need my help as well. I constantly ask myself how do I juggle it all? 

These articles made me realize that all teachers should be required to take special education classes for these particular reasons. Especially for someone like me who sees almost all students. I only took one special education class during my undergrad, and I do not think that is enough.

Student Artwork: There is no such thing as disability in art

Here is some awesome artwork done by my special needs students in the past. Sometimes I modify, and sometimes I do not because I want them to explore and I tell my teacher aides this. I want them to have fun and not feel like they have to do it a certain way and the results I get are amazing.