Talking Points #9

Christopher Kliewer
"Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome"

1) "Community acceptance requires opportunity for individual participation in the group, but opportunity cannot exist outside community acceptance." Pg. 75

I thought this quote was interesting because I think that it is totally true. In order to be accepted one has to contribute something to the group, but one cannot contribute anything to the group if one does not feel accepted. I like that it is talking about the reciprocity of community and acceptance. It's a two way street.

2) "The presence of a thoughtful mind has been linked to patterns of behavioral and communicative conformity associated with competence in logical-mathematical thinking and linguistic skills." Pg. 79

I think that this is a very narrow description of an intelligent mind. I think that many people can be thoughtful without having great math or language skills. A student may not be able to express their thoughts in writing or math, but they may be able to do so in art or music. I don't think that a person who cannot do math or speak well is unintelligent.

3) "If you came into the room and were told there was a retarded child in the class, a child with special needs, I don't think you would pick Lee out. The kids really agree that he's as capable as they are. Intellectually the same." Pg. 83

I liked this story because it shows that a child with special needs can fit in with the rest of a class. Special needs, to me, means that a child learns differently, but it does not mean that they are incapable of learning. I think that people are too quick to write off a child with special needs as unintelligent.

I thought the article was interesting because I have worked with kids with special needs and have seen just how thoughtful or intelligent they are. In my dance class that I'm teaching this year, there is a three year old little boy who has down syndrome. He's absolutely adorable and does everything the other kids do. One of the mothers came up to me and the owner on Saturday and asked if it was safe to have him in a class with the other kids. For a minute I didn't know what to say, then I told her that down syndrome doesn't make a child dangerous or unstable. I feel like people are a little afraid of what they don't know and it makes them treat someone with special needs in a different way. One of my friends has a nephew with autism and she says the best thing about him. She says it's not "autism", but "awetism" because she is amazed by what he can do everyday. I think that she has a better attitude and more people or schools should adopt it.