On a Personal Note

This post is strictly a post to vent and sort of add a personal opinion about students/people with not only visual impairments but other physical disablities. I don't know if it is how we are raised or the things we experience as we grow up that make us treat people with disablities so differently then "normal" people. I know you all know what I'm talking about...talking to a kid in a wheelchair far below their actual age ability because you've assumed they must be mentally slow too, since their body doesn't work right, or raising your voice to someone who's wearing a hearing aid, or pointing at someone crossing the street with a cane or service dog. Many of us as children did these things because we did not know any better but as adults, as teachers, what's our excuse?

I know many times we as human beings do things because we've been conditioned to do them or respond in certain ways because that's what we've seen; however, that is not always the correct way to respond and as a future educator I am determined to respond in ways other then how I've been conditioned my entire life. Now don't misunderstand, I am not saying that all the ways we are taught to respond to people who are different are neccessarily wrong or bad, what I'm saying is that as a future educator I need to be aware that my responses need to reflect the student with which I'm dealing at the moment. By this I mean that I need to be aware of how each particular student is different and do my best to figure out how to communicate effectively with each student in an appropriate manner. I know I sound like I'm rambling on and I apologize for that. All I am trying to say is that we should never assume anything about anyone, especially people with obvious disablities because even though they may look different and perhaps their bodies are incapable, it does not mean that they are mentally absent or inferior.

Please forgive my little rant, I just think that students/people with disablities are often dismissed by society and treated unfairly; school should be a safe haven where they are seen for who they are and what they are CAPABLE of doing.