Reflection on the article, “The Virtues of Ballpark Normalcy” by Lisa Blumberg Lisa Blumberg defines ballpark normalcy as “ life that is not quite normal-but is ‘in the ballpark.” My question is what is normal? Every person young or old has strengths and weaknesses; this is true to anyone, whether they have a disability or not. The word ballpark in this context refers to a range. Don’t everyone have different abilities and levels of proficiency? I would argue that everyone that has a disability or not has a ballpark normalcy. I appreciate Lisa Blumberg, sharing her views on her experiences of being a child with a disability. Consequently, she wrote the article solely based on her own experiences and needs as a person with a physical disability. However, Lisa's beliefs may not offer an accurate interpretation of every person that has a disability wants and needs. For instance, when she says, “excessive praise for doing something normal is not a spur to further achievement. Instead, it just makes a person feel like a freak." I would argue that excessive praise is not healthy for anyone. However, I don’t agree that everyone praised or …show more content…
One paragraph she is saying that children with disabilities should be looked at as individuals first and then as a person with a disability. Paragraphs later she is saying, “If there is one thing that all children with or without disabilities-have in common, it is that kids don't always do what parents want.”I do agree that children don’t always do what parents want them to. However, I think children with disabilities and those who don’t have a lot more in common than that. She keeps making a separation between the children, that does not need to be there. As a future educator, I will look at my class as a complete unit and not separate the children that have disabilities. I will concentrate on the needs of all my students and plan
More recently than ever, the treatment and the representation of the disabled has become an important topic of discussion, with many disabled persons speaking out on the stereotypes of disability and lack of proper portrayal in the media. In her essay “Disability,” author Nancy Mairs describes her life as a woman living with multiple sclerosis, and she examens the lack of accurate portrayal of disability, especially in the media. Similarly, Andre Dubus adds to Mairs’ argument in his essay “Why the Able-Bodied Still Don’t Get It” by elaborating on how his life changed after becoming disabled, an experience that allowed him to understand why the disabled are still stereotyped and how this causes the abled-bodied to not fully understand what it’s
Imagine you’re a normal person, just living life going through the motions of your average uneventful day. It’s not hard to picture – it’s how most of us live. You’re simply going to school or your job, maybe out for a drink or two – like everyone else – but then unexpectedly someone stops and tells you how brave you are for it, that you’ve inspired them. Weird, right? You haven’t done anything exciting, doing your usual daily routine.
In American society, if American’s do not look the same as society’s ideal image, then they are not considered normal. Those non normal American’s are treated as if they have a plague and are left on the outside always looking in. The people who have something that sets them apart from the norm, such as a disability, should not be treated differently than the people who are society’s version of normal. In “Disability” by Nancy Mairs, the problem of judging a book by its cover discusses individual examples relating to people who have a disability. Mairs’ essay discusses having a disability in a world where disability is ignored, especially by the media.
One will see what it really is like to be a student with a disability and is in inclusion in the classroom. Also what it is like to be the regular education teacher and the special education team working with the
In the essay, “On Being a Cripple,” Nancy Mairs uses humorous diction and a positive tone to educate people about life as a cripple and struggles of people with disabilities. She does this to show how hard it is to be disabled and how it differs from the life of someone without a disability. She talks about the struggles and the fears that disabled people must deal with on a daily basis. Mairs use of rhetoric creates a strong sense of connection and understanding for the reader. Nancy Mairs is successful in using detailed imagery, diction, and tone to educate her readers about the difficulties of living with a disability.
People with disabilities and their caretakers are stigmatized for not being able to keep up, but they are not viewed as not having a “real” disability if they are too productive. Instead of viewing this as a symptom for their disease or disability, Hillyer believes this is a healthier way of living, and she encourages her readers to adopt similar techniques for managing their responsibilities. She especially criticizes the unrealistic, fast-paced speed that women are expected to maintain, despite personal obstacles. Hillyer, having lived in the intersection between the feminist and disability communities for most of her life, emphasizes the importance of allowing women to abandon the traditional concept of a highly productive “superwoman” and instead replace it with the knowledge that every woman dealing with a disease or disability, in themselves or loved ones, is a
People with disabilities have faced several challenges with their own experience over time. Nancy Mairs, Andre Dubus, and Harriet McBryde Johnson are three different writers expressing their diverse experiences through essays. Each present their perspective in different angles but share similar themes of frustration, thriumphs, and the need for equality. Nancy Mairs is a strong woman who claims to be a feminist and has also been living with MS since her early MS diagnosis. Throughout her essay, Disability, she exposes the lack of representation of the disabled in media.
n Nancy Mairs essay, “Disability”, she illustrates the lack of representation of people with disabilities in the media. While disability plays a major role in Mairs’ life, she points out the various ways her everyday life is ordinary and even mundane. Despite the normalcy of the lives of citizens with disabilities Mairs argues the media’s effacement of this population, is fear driven. She claims, “To depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about the disability itself, that it may enter anybody’s life” (Mairs 14). Able bodied people worry about the prospect of eventually becoming physically impaired.
Informative Speech Preparation Outline I. INTRODUCTION A. Gain the audience’s attention: Koch states in the article Special Education in 2000 that 1.7 million disabled children were not able to attend public schools until IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, was implemented (Koch, 2000). Transition to Thesis: A high school diploma is necessary in todays life, but many students with special needs are still facing challenges to receive theirs. B. Thesis: The environment where a student is taught has a major impact on their general education, their future educational experiences, and the likelihood of graduating and continuing their education. C. Credibility Statement: After extensive research on special education and background knowledge from a Children with Exceptionalities class, I have gained the knowledge and information to inform you of the impacts of teaching special education inside of the general education classroom.
The daughters statement was clearly just her opinion on her mother passing not with any back up evidence which would of gave the mother a more solid thought on just her passing. So the speaker doesn’t seem so enthusiastic about the way her family judges her value, her worth, or her performance. The mother seems in distress which is also just like a student being graded in school and they don’t meet the standards that are set for them by others. The irony here is that rather than parents mark their children, it is the children and father who is marking her, which is the commonly thought to be the most important figure in the household and family.
Disability does not equate to inability , thus , special needs people need empathy not sympathy . I agree that by calling them “special” and pushing them into “special” schools , groups and activities , we segregate them . What is normal ? Does it mean having different abilities, talents and Oh
Susan speaks about how important it is for everyone, not just the disabled, to figure out what their true strengths are and to use those strengths to their advantage at all times. She mentions how even though she is visually impaired she is able to process extreme volumes of information quickly and to” ‘see’ what other people don’t” (Robinson, 2016). The main point I found important from her speech is when she says “I hate the word disabled when its used to describe people. It detonates a mindset of less-than that disregards capacity, ability and potential.”
My goals for the future are to improve my ability to differentiate lessons and my ability identify students with special needs. I look forward to improving as a teacher of students with
The family’s visions of a typical life for their children can come true. All parents want their children to be accepted by their peers, have friends and live “regular” lives. Inclusive settings can make this vision a reality for many children with disabilities. Children develop a positive understanding of themselves and others. When they attend classes that reflect the similarities and differences of people in the real world, they learn to appreciate diversity.
Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress. Working together is success” (Brainy Quote). From here, the concept of inclusive education, including students with and without learning disabilities as peers in the same classroom, originated. The aim of this type of education is to get students with learning disabilities involved in the society. Teachers and fellow students will also provide help for students with disabilities; in this way, students with learning disabilities will be motivated to study as they feel that they are a part of a group instead of being isolated in special places.