Hello everybody. Today my blog will be about Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Awareness month and my opinions of it. Mr. Scott has given me some thought starters to help get me started. I have not heard anything about I/DD month in school. The word needs to get out! I think that is because the school is not familiar with it. I also think that school should give assemblies on these many disabilities through an assembly to all students. The assembly would be about the different types of disabilities. I think would be great to have guest speakers talk to my fellow classmates. I think it would be helpful to have students try out some different modes of transportation besides walking. They would get to walk with a cane or sit in a wheelchair and do an obstacle course. Students would have to go around 3 cones and then come back to the starting line. This simple yet challenging activity would provide each student a glimpse into one challenge a person with disabilities may face.
I don’t think children without a disability have a good understanding of children who live with a disability. I think we should let other children spend a day in a wheelchair, blind folded or unable to speak, so they will know what it is like to be in a wheelchair or live with a disability for the whole day. Take it from me, it is not easy. For instance, taking the elevator is the choice for most people, but for me it is not. Today was the start of my blogs on IDD month. I will continue on this topic throughout the month of March. If you are interested in knowing more about I/DD awareness month or would like to spread the word you need to check out this link to The Arc of the United States. Link to “Let’s go out on March 29th”. See you next week
Chandler 🙂
What a fantastic idea, Chandler! Our staff had a training on providing guided assistance to a blind person. Each had a turn to be blindfolded and have to navigate our way out of one room into another. Wow, what a humbling experience! People tend to do these ‘a day in his shoes’ type activities for disability awareness with younger students. I agree it is equally, if not more, important when kids are teens and young adults. All middle and high schoolers experience many changes – physically, emotionally, and socially. It is not an easy transition from childhood to adulthood. What they don’t get is – layer on top of all this turmoil a disability! We all really do take things for granted.
Chandler,
I totally agree that young people today need to see the world through the eyes of someone who lives with a disability. When I was in grad school for PT, I had an amazing professor who stressed the importance of the person, not the disability. We had to spend an entire day as if we had a disability of our choice. Ironically, I chose CP, and although I was not in a wheelchair, I used Loftstrand crutches for the entire day. We also had to chose an activity to experience. Not sure what or if I was thinking clearly at the time, but I chose to go to the Art Museum. Rocky did not use Loftstrand crutches, that’s for sure! I was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted by day’s end. Never had I felt so many eyes on me, or had people rush to help me, when I knew I could do something myself and did not need help. I learned a lot that day about myself and about all who live with disabilities on a daily basis. More proof that what is on the inside counts the most!
Keep up the good work,
Miss Amy