Select at least two of these questions. Your post should be at least one page (around 250 words) and include at least 4 hyperlinks. Students who integrate quotes from the assigned reading will earn more points than those that do not. I'm looking for your opinion, but also want that opinion to be backed up by course content. This post is due Thursday, September 17th.
- When is a child considered to be educationally exceptional?
- How do parents and siblings respond to the presence of a child with disabilities in the family?
Every year students walk into new classrooms for the first time. Sometimes it’s their first ever in a classroom; while for others it’s their first time in that particular room. With whatever background that particular group comes from does not affect them what does affect that particular student is if he or she is an exceptional child. This usually would be detected at birth because it has become increasingly necessary to catch these children at an earlier age. An exceptional child is a child who differs from the average child in (1) mental characteristics, (2) sensory abilities, (3) communication, (4) behavior and emotional development, and/or (5) physical characteristics (Kirk 5). To have a student be characterized as an exceptional child, their differences must be to such an extent that he or she requires “either a modification of school practices or special education services to develop his or her unique capabilities” (Kirk 5).
Over the years, I have worked in many different classrooms ranging from a 6-1-1 to a behavioral classroom. Each classroom I was in, I saw many parents, siblings, and grandparents come in to work with their family member in the classroom. To me, when I watched a parent interact with their child was like any other parent interacting with their child. They saw pass the disability and only saw their loving child. It amazed me the patience, care, and love not only the parents had but the student’s siblings had. In these circumstances I witnessed, made me love the profession that awaits me in the future.
My personal experiences coincide with what our book, Teaching Exceptional Children, says “family empowerment refers to the parents’ taking action to get what their child needs (21).” That many parents have formed groups over the years to help their children get what the need to have an education and prosper in life.
Even though, my experiences showed me the side of parents wanting to do anything for their child. I never saw the siblings trying to understand why their brother or sister is different and all the other questions that formed over the years. For the siblings, it is hard for them to understand why their brother or sister needs certain treatments or why they go to a different school or classroom then they do. Another issue they face is when it comes to their friends. How they should stand up to them, how do they explain why their sibling is different, and so on. Because children at a young age can be cruel about things they don’t understand or that is different.
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