Obvious Trouble with Current Accepted Disability Advocacy; Pointing Out What is Wrong!

Having a disability and being able to identify this.  My son has taught me a lot about this.  It is a very touchy subject.   There is an advantage to saying I have blank.  When a person goes to Secondary Education and asking for the help that is needed means naming your disability.

Consider these things about having to say I have blank.  How many people like being singled out?  Do you want to be known for being different or having a disability?  Did you want to belong to specific groups?  How many realize the peer pressure teens with disabilitiies face?  Are called stupid or dumb for going to Lab Class for help?   Going through all these issues at or during adolescent? Recall Freak Shows at the Fair and Circues?  

Many teens and people in general with a disability see themselves as being flawed.  A number of those in this population feel like naming their disability means something is wrong with them.  A few might consider themselves less than whole.  

This is my son Tanner Mack Adcock.  Every time I have tried to teach him about his disability and to name it; he gets upset.  He doesn't want to be known as a person with a disability.  He is adamant he doesn't have a disability. Being in an inclusive Oklahoma History, one incentive for him to do good without any accommadations is to be able to stay in the classroom and take tests or whatever. If a child or teen goes to lab for help he might be labled as Retarded. 

Another issue I have with what is considered correct Disability Advocacy deals with having teens lead their IEP meetings.  This can be an awful amount of pressure for a teen.  What teenager really knows what they want to do? Would we consider letting those labeled "normal" lead a class?  Be in charge of more?  Actually when I taught high school Biology I had teens present a paper, be video taped and have the so called authority of teaching the class.  Their material was on my test. I gave them what I got.  Which was asking to go to the bathroom and such.  

Please understand, I believe that the interests of the teen are paramount.  I only feel that direction of the meeting needs to be left in the hands of adults and direct the teens in having a meeting that covers all the things that should be done for him.  Trust me how many teens declare a college major and end up with that being their final degree path?  More should be expected from these teens.

How many teens with disabilities go on to be successful?  How many owe that to a parent that has pushed the teen to contiue exploriong a path?  Looking at jobs and pushing the teen to continue on in career or other?

Had I to do it over, I would been less about my son saying he has autism and more about him understanding when to ask for help.  Then I would have explained more about how some people have specific needs and identified the people like President George Washington had huge spelling problems but overcame them.  I would explain that people that have challenges need assistance and by understanding that this label may mean you can overcome this with a specific thing.

Does everybody know that a Blind person needs a cane or that a cane greatly increases his/her ability to get around?   Do we keep telling a person that is Blind to identifiy his disability or spend more time teaching him to use a cane to get around?  How much time do we spend on teaching a person that needs a wheelchair that he has a mobility disability?    Or, do we concentrate on teaching him/her to use the wheelchair to get aroud?  

If I could go back and do it over; I would center my time and energy on teaching my son to grasp his needs to master challenges in life and be able to communicate that to others.  Conveying to my son the importance of being able to ask for and communicate how support is a necessity for meeting the demands of this world.   Or, somehow be more positivie in getting him to name his disabilities to be succesful in this world be where I placed my resolve with him.

I believe that being politically correct and following the trends in Disability Advocacy is less important than doing what is needed.  I failed to listen to my son in his insistent of prefering to be identified as normal or not disabled.  What I hope to convey in this post is for you to understand you the authority on your child.  Try to listen to them and find a way to do what is needed without being afraid you are doing the right or correct way.

Become confident in yourself with regard to your child.  There are no better specialists on a child than their parent or Guardian.  Please learn from my mistakes.  Instead of helping my son name his disability, I conveyed to him that he is different or that I think he there is something wrong with him.  I am sure you know this was not my intent. Raising any child is scary. Trials and life associated with raising and planning for a child with extrodinary abilities is daunting. 

If you have advice to me, disagree with my slant on this or other; commenting is crucial to boost parents or those working with this population to teach them how to do this.

Unsolicited Endorsement of Textbook for Child Development

Unsolicited Endorsement of Textbook for Child Development

“Your Child Is Smarter Than You Think!” written by Wanda Draper Ph.D.

is a book I believe should be thefirst book used in any parenting class, Child Development course, or any entry course dealing with raising or understanding children. This book supplies all the necessary theory, development progress, and completes all the other needed information in such a textbook. Wanda does it in such a positive manner. Her years of experience, education and caring offer hope to parents, teachers and caregivers. Her book saved my confidence as a parent.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Your-Child-Smarter-Than-Think/dp/1614487669/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429417422&sr=8-1&keywords=your+child+is+smarter+than+you+think

Negative reports about children seem to be more common than others. I read about children that struggled with reading. Current research showed me that if your child mastery of reading lacked the occurrence by third grade, chances were he/she in the end would lack mastery in reading.

Education and the state of it in the United States along with reports about this appear more negative to me. Problems, problems and more problems are written about. My son has Autism. Trust me the gloom and doom that is all over makes parents feel worse. How is this conducive to parents in completing their responsibilities of raising children? Does a positive note about children, like this title, motivate educations better?

Jana Staton, PhD and Theodora Ooms, MSW in their paper covering “Wingspread Conference Proceedings 2012,” states that:

“Rigorously designed program evaluations have demonstrated that couples can learn new positive behaviors and skills, such as improving communication—a core, essential relationship skill—problem solving and conflict resolution as well as improving other measures of relationship quality.”

Wanda knows that all children have more ability than they are typically given credit! Pointing out to parents that children are people too helps remind us that the Golden Rule works with and applies to our children.

What do introductory courses in Child Development usually cover and what a textbook should cover according to descriptions and state requirements? What and who are the courses designed for? Many states are implementing a required course in human sexuality instruction or like course. After reading a number of these online I believe these are the beginning basics covered in these courses:

• Human Relationships and Impact on Society
• Pregnancy (stages and related issues)
• Child Development stages
• Theories related to Child Development
• Emotional stability factors for best quality outcomes
• Impact of positive parental coping skills and the relationship
• An understanding of legal and usual society standards of parenting, teachers, daycare workers and volunteers with regard to child development.
• Methods needed to implement programs for best outcomes.
• Understanding industrial costs and committeemen’s needed to help produce happy, strong, and stable children in our society.
• Realize the education needs and impacts needs in Child Development.
• Identifying factors that can affect children and have promising interventions in place for best quality outcomes.

****Who these courses are designed for:

• Parents As Teachers, a great program for young parents. http://www.parentsasteachers.org/
• Child Development/Relationship/Family type course for high school adolescents.

http://teens.lovetoknow.com/Benefits_of_Parenting_Classes_in_High_School

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTCY/EXTECD/0,,contentMDK:20259127~menuPK:527099~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:344939,00.html

http://www.parentinginfo.org/

http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/

http://www.cdc.gov/parents/index.html

• Baby Sitting Courses like those offered by the YMCA

http://www.laymca.org/arc.shtml

http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/program-highlights/babysitting-caregiving

https://www.care.com/a/8-babysitting-training-courses-1306110207

http://www.ncsainfo.com/training.html

http://www.safesitter.org/

http://www.prweb.com/releases/babysitting-class/babysitting/prweb10936318.htm

http://www.carecourses.com/PublicPages/Home.aspx

• Childcare Workers, Paraprofessionals (Teacher’s Aides)

http://childcareaware.org/child-care-providers/training/types-of-training

http://www.myfuture.com/careers/education/childcare-workers_39-9011.00

http://www.naccrra.org/about-child-care/state-child-care-licensing/training-requirements

http://ohsonline.com/Articles/2014/04/01/Essential-Training-for-Childcare-Workers.aspx

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/child-care-employee-training-2024.html

http://www.cdacouncil.org/the-cda-credential/about-the-cda

https://www.cceionline.edu/index.cfm?id=205

http://www.early-childhood-education-degrees.com/early-childhood-education-certificates/

Vocational or related Programs giving Childcare Certificates

http://learn.org/articles/What_Can_I_Do_with_a_Child_Development_Associates_Degree.html

http://www.childcarenet.org/providers/scholarships/ece/early-childhood-education-ece

https://www.naeyc.org/ecada/ecada_programs

• Education degrees, Advanced Degrees, Psychology, Public Health, Parents and more

As an introductory course, Wanda’s book is excellent. It actually covers most of the theory and related requirements without bogging the reader in rhetoric. Her book covers the necessities in a succinct motivational upbeat manner. Hence, those wanting to push on in studies can do so. Busy parents get plenty in one book, which deletes the need for many other books that go on forever.

Now to the point of accomplishments, education, competence and ability of educational textbooks on Child Development and why Wanda’s book is the best for your buck in these programs. Researching Child Development textbooks online, I discovered quite a bit. The authors met the requirements for writing such books. Yet, few had Wanda’s unique almost 80 years of experience. Wanda started as a teacher. In reading texts that have helped me with my son, Tanner, and dealing with autism; those written by teachers seem to have more insight into children. Below are highlights of Wanda’s golden abilities that make her book a prize:

Teacher (four decades) that covers preschool to university level (impressive)

Professor of Child Development and Author

                                                 President Education Futures International

Position, Professor Emeritus Department of Psychiatry OU

Board Member Oklahoma Child and Family Institute

Texas Woman's University

Plus, studies at Harvard University

Epistemologist (Epistemology is the study of knowledge, so an epistemologist is someone who studies how we know things), studied at The International Center for Genetic Epistemology in Geneva, Switzerland

Private Consultant

Expert Witness

Appearances including: television, radio, and in newspaper and magazine media, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Parent magazine, CNN World News, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Hong Kong Radio.

One key component of my being in awe of Wanda is how humble she is. In all my interactions with her she acknowledges the importance of the parent and that the parent is the foremost expert on their child. Common sense appears to me to dominate most of her decisions.

My goal in writing this is that a magnificent too for parents, teachers and those working with children finds the widest audience possible! Thank you for your time in reading my endorsement of Wanda, her knowledge and instructive book.

Sincerely and respectful;

Sandra Lynn Mallo Adcock D.Ph. M.S.M. (with a little over a year of teaching practice via alternative certification)

 

 

posted from Bloggeroid

http://ollamok.com/2015/04/16/blessings-in-gods-april-showers-and-more/

posted from Bloggeroid