What did you think of her
behaviors while Dr. Louis was talking? What if you were teaching and had a
student like that? What could you do to be a good advocate for that student and
the rest of your students? Did anything Dr. Louis say stick with you as
important?
I do not know the word to best describe my reaction to Barb while
Dr. Louis spoke. Without viewing the videos prior to the discussion, I probably
would have felt sympathetic for Barb. But after reading excerpts from her book
and listening to the eloquence of her writings, I was nothing short of
fascinated by how Barb behaved during the discussion. When I say fascinated, I
do not mean to dehumanize Barb or paint her as a subject to be studied, but
here is a woman who has expressed herself profoundly and lucidly, with the
assistance of facilitated communication, hardly able to sit still during the
discussion. I was simply fascinated. And after taking the whole discussion in,
I think I developed a new feeling of empathy for people with autism spectrum
disorders, or an emotion as close to empathy as I can experience as a “normal.”
If I had a student like Barb in my
class, I would first reference my notes from this class and other education courses
as well as research on autism spectrum disorders. I would then make sure I
talked with the student with his or her parents to come to an understanding of
the student’s specific strengths, weaknesses, and needs. I would also consult
the student’s IEP and go to IEP meetings to ensure I met every enumerated
accommodation and modification. After seeing Barb, I would also lobby for the
school to supply some type of facilitated communication device like Barb uses
to elucidate her thoughts. I would also make sure all of the students in my
class understood autism spectrum disorders before working with the entire class
to structure an equitable classroom community.
Dr. Louis echoed something in the videos we watched before the
presentation that stuck with me. To paraphrase, she said that some day Barb
might have a beautiful voice, but for right now, it is still in the shop. This
saying resonated with me for reasons I have already discussed about the
eloquence of Barb’s writing. Of course, Barb cannot, as of yet, orally express
herself on the level of her writing, but through the use of facilitated
communication, she does have a beautiful voice, even if it is a bit unconventional.
As mentioned before, I am more empathetic and open to alternative modes of
expression after participating in Barb’s presentation.
Great. I have really enjoyed reading your blog. I like that phrase, too: "still in the shop."
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