Week
6: Start Seeing Diversity: "We Don't
Say Those Words in Class!"
Teaching children with varying abilities
requires extra effort and attention. Anti-bias educators will find many rewards
and happy moments along the way. We may encounter challenging moments when some
adults and children ask unwelcome and rude questions regarding a child’s
condition. It is always a great choice to handle the situation with calmness,
patience and sternness.
I was tutoring four 2nd grade
students in the hallway of an elementary school. Seven year-old Megan is living
with a condition known as cerebal palsy and requires the use of a wheelchair.
Megan has a classroom job of sharpening everyone’s pencil. She enjoys doing
things to help her classmates. She was one of the 4 students being tutored on
this day. As I was starting the activity, I noticed that the students did not
have any pencils and Megan offered to get 5 pencils. Jennifer, a girl sitting
at the table, made a rude comment. She responded “Aw man…do we have to wait for her…she’s moves like a snail in that
raggedy wheelchair…anyone who uses a wheelchair can’t move very fast.”
Bias based on physical disabilities is any attitude that subordinates people
because of a disability or other physical characteristics (Laureate Education,
2011). When I heard her say that, my
eyes turned into beach balls out of pure shock. As we were waiting for Megan, I
asked Jennifer if we could speak alone for just a minute. I immediately told
Jennifer that we should be positive or be quiet and that Megan has a condition
that makes it difficult for her to move as fast as others and there is no
reason to be rude to her. During our private conference, Jennifer apologized
for making the comment and began looking toward the floor.
I believe I communicated the message of
showing respect for all people.
An anti-bias educator could have used
several strategies to support Jennifer’s understanding of people who require wheelchairs.
The teacher can ask Jennifer why she thinks all people using wheelchairs move
slowly. The teacher can have a series of classroom discussions in which books
depict people of varying abilities being active members of society. Some books
model anti-bias behaviors and help children think about how they can act
against different kinds of bias (Laureate Education, 2011).
References
Laureate Education,
Inc. (Producer).(2011). “Start Seeing Diversity: Physical Ability and
Characteristics.” {Webcast}. Baltimore, MD: Author.
