Start Seeing Diversity Blog: "We Don't Say Those Words in Class!

Unfortunately, people that lack the understanding of persons with disabilities cannot fully understand the concept of being disable. And some children, like adults do not understand people with disabilities, and they are viewed as helpless. But that is not the case, some people with disability lives a functional life, and does very well. And some people with disabilities live a functionally life, better than people without disabilities. That is because, some people with disabilities has accept their lives and are committed to live their life and are happy.

            The church that I am member of has an Easter program every Easter Sunday morning.  Anyone that wants to participate can read a poem, sing a song, or partake in a skit. One particular Easter, a young man with a slight mental disability that is also a member of the church, decided that he would sing a song. Well, the other children in the church started laughing at the young man. Although, their laughs were not very loud their gestures, faces, and body languages were very much noticeable. The adults did not want to bring attention to the children that were making fun of the young man, because he might would get nervous, or he might would know that he was being laughed at; so the adults just acknowledge the children that were laughing by looking straight at them and they stop. When I was a child and I did something wrong, my mother gave me that look. 

            In addition, when the young man finished singing, the young lady that presided over the Easter program, spoke highly of the young man, and he received a standing ovation. The message that was received by the adult's response was that the young man could achieve his goals no matter what obstacles he faces. I think that the adult response also gave the young man some confidence; and no more what he should strive. Derman-Sparks, L. & A. B. Task Force. (2012) states “all children are harmed. On the one hand, struggling against bias that declares a person inferior because of gender, race, ethnicity, or disability sucks energy from and undercut a child's full development” (p. 1).

            In this case, the children without a disability also learn that because the young man or anyone that has a disability is a message; being disable does not mean that disable people cannot participate in activities while enjoying themselves. I think that it is easier for a disable person to accept their disability than a person without a disability to accept someone with a disability.

            As an anti-bias educator it is imperative that any child with a disability knows that he or she should strive to reach his or her goal. But first the anti-bias educator needs to remove, if any, bias from within. So, when a situation occurs, the educator will not have difficulties dealing with the situation. Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) states “understanding how young children construct their personal and social identities, how they think about differences and absorb messages about prejudice and social advantage or disadvantage, is the foundation of effective anti-bias education” (p.11).

                                                            References

Derman-Sparks, L. & A. B. Task Force. (2012) Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young             Children. Retrieved from www.teachingforchange.org.

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010) Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and            Ourselves. Children's Identifiably Development. Director Publications and Education             Initiatives.