Educating Peter Reflection

In 1992 “Educating Peter” was released. “Educating Peter” was recorded while Peter was in the third grade. Peter was the first student in his new elementary school with a severe mental disability to be included in regular classes. “Graduating Peter” is the sequel to “Educating Peter”. Both documentaries follow Peter through school in a typical classroom setting. While watching Graduating Peter, I was able to observe his challenges at school and work. In addition, I was able to observe Pete in his after-school activities. Peter struggled, but never gave up. Luckily, Peter had many supporters such as his mother, teachers, a teacher aid, and a special education teacher.

Schools are often regarded as an ever-changing environment in relation to education becoming more complex and dynamic. Teachers can expect to have a diverse range of students in their classes reflecting on the Australian society becoming a more diverse Country in terms of cultural, social and family backgrounds, ethnic origins and levels of ability. According to Forman (2011) teachers are likely to educate at least one or more students with a diagnosed intellectual, physical,sensory or learning disability within their teaching career. In order to provide successful inclusion for all students and a optimal learning environment, teachers need to understand the diversity of each student incorporating multiple approaches and strategies. Something the teacher in What About Doug did not do according to Doug’s circumstances after his accident that caused him to have a Acquired Brian Injury. (ABI)

These students make the students with disabilities feel they do not belong or there is something wrong with them when there is not. Additionally, I find the students who get along with students with disabilities are the ones who have taken the time to get the person rather than the label. Students who are introduced to other students with disabilities at young do not discriminate against these students. Their peers at younger do not see the differences as much an example is the comments made by the Patty’s sister how she did not realize until they were older there was some “wrong” with Patty. Another example from the film talks about the mother’s concern about how the students’ opinion might change about Samuel as he grow older. I think if the friends Samuel has, or people who really respect the individual with a disability growing up and learning stereotypes would not matter because they can see the individual for who they are and would not treat them any

There are over 7 billion people in the world, each one is unique. In one classroom alone, you could see this diversity, people with differences both physical and culturally. It is up to everyone to understand and accept these differences. Cultural differences and misunderstandings about disabilities can lead to many personal challenges. In both texts, “ Finding Her Way” and “ Kylie’s Project” demonstrate this as well as how Angela and Kylie cope with their situations, each text then goes on to explain and demonstrate different ways in which people cope with these types of challenges.

“All children with disabilities must have an individualized education program (IEP), a free and appropriate public education, and be served in the least restrictive environment” (Esteves and Rao, 2008, p.1). Children whom have a leaning disability are looked at differently in society unfortunately, so we need to be there to help them learn that the negativity is not them. We need to help and support families and their children to understand we can help them be successful, it may take longer to get there, but what’s the rush after all we all learn on different paths and, levels. So why judge them if they need more time to process information, we can find avenues to assist them, which are parents like myself that have children in special education, it is just a classroom setting not a label that prevent them from being productive citizens, we need to be there resource as their educators, we not only educate the students, but we help educate the families to help their

Over the past few decades, education has dramatically changed. Educational laws were made to protect individuals with disabilities and to provide free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for ALL students. No longer are there institutions or special schools where disabled students are sent. Today we must educate all students and for most teachers, these exceptional students are in their regular education classrooms right alongside their same aged peers. How do you include and teach these students? Throughout this course, you will learn how to meet the needs of exceptional students, which will not only enhance your own teaching but enhance the lives of exceptional students.

In 1990, the federal government enacted a law called The Individuals with Disabilities Act, otherwise known as IDEA. Marilyn Friend and William Bursuck, authors of a very informative textbook regarding special education, explain that this law grants students with disabilities the rights to attend mainstream classes instead of always being separated. Obviously, these student’s with disabilities must be within an appropriate range to function in this type of setting. Therefore, nowadays, within one classroom a teacher can have a wide range of students, from learning disabled to extraordinarily gifted and every level in between. Not surprisingly, Learning Disabled (LD) students who are mainstreamed become more socially integrated and have higher

I used to cry when my father took me there. I didn’t feel like I was like the other children” (Human Rights Watch). Balkumari is a young woman with a physical disability that makes her have a difficult time walking. Her father did not let her attend school until she was 11 years old. She did not like the school because she felt that she did not belong there. This is because the kids in her school felt uncomfortable around her, which probably led them to turn away from her and make her feel like she did not belong there. The kids were not around her enough to get to know her personally, instead of knowing her for her disability. Looking at this story, it shows that we need to integrate disabled and nondisabled students together, so they can get to know each other and get to know their personalities, instead of looking at them for the tasks that they are limited to doing. Overall, it is clear to see that the third reason not enough is being done for disabled children to be accepted by nondisabled children is because disabled and non-disabled kids still do not feel comfortable talking to one another because they are not around each other

She knows that the earth is a cruel place, but we need to push for those who need a little help in life. Anyone that has been mistreated or looked down on can relate to what she is fighting for. She displays this by show what happens behind the scene of anyone with a handicap in Bring Down The Barriers- Seen and Unseen : “A student with a sensory-processing disorder needs to sit in the front row of class and take notes on a laptop computer, but the professor insists that laptops may be used only in the back of the room” (Adam, Rachel). By showing what needs to be changed, Ms. Adams can reach into those that believe we can make a better future for everyone. This will also not only help the handicapped but other as well. Another essay called Include, Everyone, Ms.Adams paints how a kinder future can form: “I know not all parents are sold on the idea of an education in kindness and tolerance. But there are more pragmatic reasons why inclusion is a good idea. It’s great preparation for the workforce leaders of the future. Employers are increasingly aware that people with disabilities are dedicated, reliable and innovative workers. Recently, it has been reported that the software corporation SAP is actively seeking out employees on the autism spectrum” (Adams, Rachel). If educators include people of all disabilities in school curriculums, American can see more situations like this. It shows that making sure

Down Syndrome Video Case Analysis "Educating Peter" Jessica Goldberg SPE 222: Orient to Ed Exceptional Child (2018 Spring - B) Arizona State University The video, “Educating Peter”, was very eye opening and educating to watch. The video talks about a student Peter Gwasdauskis, who has down syndrome and the trials and tribulations that he went through in his first year of public school. Peter is seen as inconsistent and unpredictable, which caused the teacher to watch other children carefully and Peter very carefully. The students all individually took charge of the unique and uncomfortable situations that occurred in class. The students either firmly told Peter that they did not like what he was doing, or they helped him so if he was struggling with his work he was pushed into the right direction.

I chose to do this reading response on Valle’s article on rethinking disabilities. This piece begins by talking bringing up the notion that when one reveals that they are a special education teacher, instantly they are looked at and thought about differently. Next, the piece goes on to discuss the medical model of disabilities, which is basically the same process as going to the doctor when you are sick, being examined, prescribed a treatment, and finally schedule a follow-up visit. The chapter continues by discussing how disability can be look at as a social construction. The origin of normal, and the increase of normal in schools is discussed next. The IQ test and intelligence tests in general are the main focus of this section, especially

The Every Disabled Child Matters Campaign (2007) survey found one of the key issues that young children insisted needed modification to was the negative attitudes of disability. This should be regarded as a crucial factor in prohibiting bullying, harassment and abuse. In order to achieve this it is important to put forward measures to promote the environment within the school setting where the norm is to respect others rights, deny discrimination on the grounds of disability (Save the Children, 2009, p.49).

Dan’s statement related to me as I began to reflect on my past of students with IDD. While Cheryl’s statement also brought up the idea of segregation and integration of students with and without disabilities. The two statements are related as they both consider the idea of if individuals with IDD are considered the same or different as individuals without IDD. I drew a comparison to when society is considering segregation in the classroom; they are suggesting that individuals with IDD should be in a different group and are different than individuals without IDD. However when discussing inclusion, it is as if individuals with IDD are equal and are capable of what everyone else is. By putting everyone in the same class, it presents the idea that

While in ninth and tenth grade, I constructed projects that deal with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In ninth grade, I focused on raising awareness about the social isolation that students with IDD are faced with in and out of school. This project was important to me because I was once in a special needs classroom and I remember the feeling of loneliness that I felt. I never want any student to go through that dilemma that I was faced with on a daily basis. However, I had a caring mother and grandmother that fought to provide me with the best education that was possible for me to obtain and I was able to mature out of those classrooms to the point where I was put in classes with the mainstream students. I want every student, no matter their standardized test scores or popularity, to know that they are important and that they are just as important as everyone else. We all can’t be smart like Albert Einstein or as beautiful as Marilyn Monroe, but we can be perfect at being ourselves and doing the best we can in order to make sure that we continue to better the world. Furthermore, the project that I worked on was titled, “IB Social” and it brought about the Best Buddies program to my school, which matched students with and without IDD in one-to-one friendships. Many students have enjoyed this program and a plethora of

One of the most controversial issues facing educators today is the topic of educating students with disabilities, specifically through the concept of inclusion. Inclusion is defined as having every student be a part of the classroom all working together no matter if the child has a learning disability or not (Farmer) (Inclusion: Where We’ve Been.., 2005, para. 5). The mentally retarded population has both a low IQ and the inability to perform everyday functions. Activities such as eating, dressing, walking, and in some cases, talking can be hopeless for a child with mental retardation.