#10 Tying It All Together

 After looking at my blog from this semester my first thought was WOW! I was amazed by all the articles, videos, and thoughts that we had written about. There was actually a point where I had trouble narrowing down the three main things that will stick with me. 

The first thing that I would like to highlight is intersectionality. Although I have been introduced to this concept in other classes, I truly appreciated the in class task of making a collage of our different identities. This is something I would like to use going forward with a team I coach, classroom I teach or other group that I would be working with. I attempted to add the image from my blog on intersectionality but not sure if it is loading.

The second thing that stood out to me was Delpit's “Codes of Power.” While I might not remember what they are exactly years down the road, I will remember how every person initially has a different amount of power and it is the duty of those with power to explicitly tell those without power the rules in order to acquire power. 

Delpit’s Codes of Power:

1. Issues of power are enacted in the classroom

2. There are codes or rules for participating in power that is there is a culture of power

3. The rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power

4. If you are not already a participant in the culture of power, being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power easier

5. Those with power are frequently least aware or least willing to acknowledge its existence. Those with less power are often most aware of its existence

The third and final thing that stood out to me in this class was learning more about ableism. While I have grown up with a sister who has special needs, there is still so much I do not know and would like to learn about people with differing abilities. The main takeaway from Hehir’s piece is that people are often afraid of what they do not know and that is something that I would like to work on going forward.

Overall, I am grateful for the opportunity to have taken this class and opened my eyes and mind to more than I thought I could have ever known and thank you to Dr. Bogas and our class for making this class a community. Thank you!

#9 Queering our schools

“How do we create classrooms and schools where each child, parent, and staff member’s unique, beautiful self is appreciated and nurtured?” (23)

This question resonates with me because it is something that I felt was lacking in the schools I attended growing up. In Catholic schools, there is a lack of discussion around the LGBTQ+ community and history. This concerns me because it is so vota; to understand one’s own individuality and to appreciate oneself as well as others for who they are. These valuable lessons should be learned in schools in order to help children understand how even if and when people are different from them they are equally valued, respected and appreciated. 

*I’d like to look at this question more in class if possible to unpack what it means.

“Community is built by working through differences, not sweeping them under the rug” (25)

After discussing the damages that bullying causes, this quote emphasizes the importance of working together by recognizing differences. Instead of following the status quo or not rocking the boat, together people can bring change when they bring issues forward. When people feel “swept under the rug” they do not feel valued, which is the opposite goal of education which should be to empower students to be the best they can be. 

“Sharing current stories of history making activists like Sasha…can inspire dialogue and understanding as we work to help schools catch up in the march toward justice” (26).

This quote expresses how every step will lead to another in the direction of justice. By sharing current stories of LGBTQ+ and allied activists with students, education can shift to be more supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. Seeing peers or other young people who are standing up for their rights can inspire others to do the same. This can also inspire people to stand alongside those who are standing up for what they believe in and fighting for justice.

https://youtube.com/shorts/a0wB8IVGEnw?feature=shared

I found this activity to be helpful and goes along with the story of understanding pronouns. 

https://images.app.goo.gl/ZXwZ3WTDfPWoCaYU7

#8 Hehir

 After reading this article, I looked to the blogs for further inspiration. Brenna’s blog stood out to me. In particular, one of the images she utilized in her blog. The image is below and titled “What Does Ableism Look Like” which relates to Hehir’s articles about ableism. Brenna’s connection to Johnson about how we are afraid of what we don’t know resonates with how people without special needs treat people with special needs. While there are people who are unkind and are out to hurt others, most people say things because they do not know. As an advocate for my sister, it is important that I help others understand down syndrome and how Emme lives differently but how it is a blessing. In the reading, there were a few parts that mentioned how parents of children with special needs see their child’s birth as a blessing and not a tragedy. This helped me understand my role in guiding and advocating for my sister as well as for other people with different abilities who experience inequalities. 

This reminds me of personal experiences I have had with my younger sister, Emme, who has down syndrome. Some interactions that reflect on Johnson’s point of being afraid of what we do not know include people staring at my sister because she looks different or talking loud and close to her even though she has typical hearing. Reading the examples in the image that Brenna posted, reminded me of interactions I have seen when my sister, Emme, meets new people. When I was younger, I had trouble articulating Emme’s disability when people asked me, “what was “wrong” with her. This connects to Johnson’s reading and Brenna’s post because I felt the need to “tiptoe” around what special needs means for my sister. However, over time I realized that people are not asking in an intentionally rude way, they are just asking in a way that they know. I will always be on Emme’s side and continue to advocate for her and make sure she can share her talents with the world even if she is not always accepted in the way she deserves to be treated.

Here is a picture (left to right) of Emme, my youngest sister Brooke and me from a couple weekends ago at a cheer competition. Even though the volume and amount of people is stressful and anxiety inducing for Emme, being able to see me coach and see Brooke perform, kept her grounded. Thanks for letting me share this with you all! 

Expanding on the reading, the “Going to School” and “Examined Life” films were helpful in seeing people with disabilities and how they function in the world. My heart breaks for the students in the inclusion programs in LA and their parents. Every parent wants the best education for their child and the parents of the children with special needs are fighting and advocating with their voices not being heard. Parents do not feel supported or that anyone is there for their child. One of the moms said that they continue to push things back year after year so the IEP never gets implemented. One of the teachers expressed his frustration with how the school is noy physically accessible for students with wheelchairs. His reflective question, can everyone just walk up the ramp? stood out to me because his mindset has disabilities as socially acceptable which is the way the world should strive to be. However, that is not the way the world is. Stereotypes and barriers persist in education, especially for students with disabilities. In the conversation between Judith Butler and Sanaura Taylor, they discussed the importance of the social acceptability of disabilities. They mentioned the importance of recognizing how one is different than the typical person but also how there are structures in place that prevent them from succeeding in all areas of life.