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The moment in Jennie’s presentation or speech that made an impact on me was when she claimed that she envisioned her daughter being the prime minister of that country. That was a very difficult statement for me to swallow at first, because naturally we think that it isn’t possible. My reaction was due to lack of knowledge. After she started talking about the achievements reached and in the works by other people with disabilities such as completing a PhD, being a CEO, and practicing as a lawyer, I began to believe in possibility just as she did. Now I see that their dreams should be supported and it is all about them. I also resonated with her description of what seemed like a group home because I could smell the disinfectant as she said it, and felt the dependence when thought of not having a key to my own home. I have worked in that environment but never thought about how they may feel about these things. in my classroom this will help me in envisioning for my students what they want to see in their future, and helping them see through the correct lenses.

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The thing that stood out most to me from listening to Jennie Fenton speak was about point about how we are all necessary pieces in the revolution.  I think this is important because we often do not acknowledge the hardships of families who have a member who has a disability.  However, it is important that we work together in order to provide students with the most support as a means to achieve at the same level of those who do not suffer from disabilities. This is, unfortunately, not always the case. They need the constant support and sense of community so they do not feel isolated due to their disabilities but instead, find value in their differences. That value, however, is only truly possible if those around them see the value and support their success.

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Jennie Fenton said "They were largely invisible and when they were visible they were largely segregated". This statement speaks volumes to the approach to people with disabilities. A family member with a disability can be a daunting undertaking mentally, emotionall and financially. Many times the economics of taking care of a family member with disabilities can be cause a segregated view within itself. I previously worked for Cerebral Palsy of westchester where the residents of the facility came from families who where financially more than stable. Essentially the families paid not to bear the burden of the everyday needs their family member with disabilities. In many cases the resident only went home to their families on the holidays. I wasnt sure if the resident was being seccluded or ostracized. In communities less prominent families are forced to take a more active role in the caring of a family member with disabilities because they can not afford the cost to place them in a residence. This goes hand in hand with Jennie Fenton reference to a cast system. The correlation of money and healthcare will always a stamp of the haves and have nots. Movng forward with a better understanding of what people with disabilities can do there should be a more transparent way to highlight what they can do rather than treating them as outcast.

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Watching this video and hearing Jennie Fenton advocate for every child with diverse learning abilities allows me to be more coherent to my students individual needs. As a special education teacher, it is my duty to bring out the quality skills that is embedded in every single student with learning disabilities. When Jennie said "What if we all focused on possibilities and limitations so that people who live with disability and everyone else whose been excluded from community can believe in their own value and their own limitless possibilities", I came to realize that I would never want to work in a self-contained setting. If we keep children in restrictive settings, how are we going to show our children that they have no limitations when all of their educational needs are being half way met in a 4 by 4 room of 12 students? The kind of diverse educational needs students with disabilities and other learners can benefit from is the least restrictive environment, differentiated instruction, and a well planned curriculum.

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I don’t have any kids, but working as a paraprofessional and now a Special Educator, the students I work with are like my children. Dealing with them can be “hell” as Jennie Fenton described it initially. In the end it is hard work. Parents entrust their children to me when they send them to school and it is my job to educate them as best as I can. My students in my self-contained classes and ICT class require a ton of hard work, on their part and from me. Jennie talking about hard work resonated with me because it is what I need to learn to live with for as long as I am on this career path. Once I realize that this will always be hard work and not hell, the impact in my classroom will take effect. The hard work stops being hard work and becomes part of who I am. I am not quite there, but I like to believe I am on that path towards that general direction.

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" I believe my daughter could be the prime minister of this country...now right now you might t be thinking I'm a little bit delusional..." When listening to Jennie Fenton speak this really stuck out to me. As she continued on Jennie spoke about how people with disabilities all over the world are living real lives in their communities. Jennie admitted that she knew little to nothing about disabilities. She shares how she has researched and has read stories of people with disabilities that are thriving contrary to popular belief. To be honest, I began to drift off during the talk, but hearing the words possibility more than disability immediately caught my attention and drew me back in. As a former sociotherapist for children in therapeutic foster care, and now a special education teacher I believe it is important to be optimistic. I've had conversations with some students who stated that all they ever really wanted was someone that believes in them, and doesn't give up on them. This ted talk made me reiterated that my job is more then trying to teach a curriculum, but also teaching life skills. It made me think about some of my students in which I know their parents aren't as engaged in the school life as they should be. It made me reflect on students that will often tell me that they cannot do something because they are "stupid" or its too hard. This talk helped me to bring those thoughts to the front of my mind in order to help my students be the best version of themselves.

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Hearing Jennie Fenton speak so positive about her story gave me hope, allover again with my new students. As a mother you often wonder what if that was you, what if you had to care for a child with disabilities. Well I was once that mother who had to challenge the school system. My son was giving an IEP when he was in the 5th grade, I advocated for him in every step of the way. I knew what he was capable of and what he can achieve. I refuse to allowed some group of "expert" tell me that my son needed more labels than what he required. I remember in the meeting they wanted to give him more services than what he required, I didn't allowed it, I stuck to my guns and fought for what was right for him, I wasn't sure why would "they" want to give my son services he didn't need, I mean I wasn't in denial of my son's learning disability, but I also felt like if you are not on top of the system they can easily misdiagnose your child and add services they believed your child have which can be true, but if you know what your child is capable of as a parent you must fight for it. Just as Mrs. Fenton said in the video, "My daughter have dreams just like other kids" she refuses to not give her daughter the opportunity to achieve those dreams and conquer her goals. Rewind 7 years later, my son graduated High School, took all his regents exam and is now attending first year of college. So when I teach my SPED high schoolers I see my own child in them and I know what they are capable of, I am their own personal cheerleader, I won't stop until I see them through.

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As I watched this Ted talk with Jennie Fenton I was impressed by her willingness to be vulnerable, welcoming the word to hear her story. I often think about how it may feel when parents realize their child may be developing differently than other children their age and all the emotions that come along with that. One of the first things that caught my attention when watching this Ted talk was the 7 realizations Jennie explained, specifically when she spoke about hard work. She realized that hard work was an important factor that comes along with having a daughter with special needs. Parents as well as teachers may get into ‘fix it’ mode where they use every activity, techniques and such to help “fix” or work on the child. As I am teaching a 10th grade English class with students will a wide range of learning disabilities, I realize the hard work it is going to take to effectively teach these students. In the first few days of teaching these students I was extremely stressed out thinking about how they will be ready to take the 11th grade English regents because they are on such low academic levels. I have already been told that it may seem impossible at time for these students to learn but this video have me a sense of reassurance. To teach these students it will definitely take serious hard work. I will have to continue using helpful techniques to better serve these students no matter how frustrating it may be. This ted talks also reminded me of a moment where a student pulled me aside and asked “Is it impossible to get out of an IEP?” I answered him by saying “is it impossible no” but I told him it is going to take hard work. I explained to him that most things in life do not come easy especially important things and that with the supports from myself, his other teachers and his parents, getting rid of an I.E.P is definitely a goal that can be reached and is ultimately the overall plan. Understanding that you must work hard to achieve certain outcomes take great strength and responsibility. Teachers all around but especially special education teachers, must realize the extent of hard work they will have to encounter when serving their students to the best of their abilities. It is not an easy job but it is the reality of the position.

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Watching this made me think of one of my students who has cerebral palsy in my 8th grade class. Last year I heard that he was bullied quite often and there was an occasion where a students threw him in the trash. hearing this made my stomach turn. No child should be ever treated this way. while Watching the ted talk, a particular part where she states that we often focus too much on differences, stood out. Children are always reminded of how difference they are from other at such a early age. when this happens there tend to be a tendency to single out those who don't fit in to your standards, and for the child who doesn't fit in, they are often subject to unfair treatment. i think its part of our duty as teaches to push our students towards a different way of thinking and challenging those to embraces differences and support one another.

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No specific quote or moment stood out to me as much as the speakers vulnerability did.  Telling the story of how she handled learning her daughter  had cerebral palsy really made me feel connected to her story. Not because I have been through it, but because she exposed herself and talked about both the good and the bad; these are feelings all of us can relate to. She admitted to her own biases and I appreciate how she discussed the evolution of the way she thought about disability. When she talks about having the same dreams for her daughter as she does for her son I was reminded of the expectations that are set for our special education children. I co-teach a 9th grade English class, and I also have my own self-contained 9th grade English class. I try to make sure my self-contained class is following the same curriculum as the the rest of the 9th graders. Just as she says, the way her daughter will reach her dreams will be different from her son, the way my special education students will learn will be different from the general education, but that doesn't mean they aren't capable of learning. I think this all comes back to being aware and conscious of our own biases. She says at one point, "people with disabilities are individuals, they aren't your labels and they aren't your assumptions." I think this is a mentality we all need to remember to bring into our classroom. It's natural for us to have biases, but we need to remember that they are OUR biases, OUR assumptions, and we need to create a space in the classroom for our students to challenge them.

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There are so many things one can take away from the Ted video, from the seven realizations--even though all are equally important--I would like to talk about four and five; “Disability is natural”, and the fifth “We have more in common than we have differences”. It is our duty as members of a civilized society to treat each member with the same respect we demand for ourselves. There are different ways for that respect to be shown, and for sure one is the access to equal opportunity, whether in school, in the open market, or anywhere else. Ms Fenton says that “the exclusion that happens today is largely based on customs and beliefs”; it is sad to see this in our ‘civilized’ society.

Not everything is negative though, we see the culture around education is changing, one babystep at a time, but definitely changing for the better. Except in extreme cases, an inclusion model of education is being adopted by most, and it is what students with disabilities need. They need to feel included and that they are useful members of a society; they need to be challenged to pursuit their dreams. We have the ability to provide all that is essential to students with disabilities in order for them to succeed in life, the fact that we choose to do it so slowly shows that despite our progress as a species, we are still not where we should. It is time for everyone to realize that disability is natural, and that we all have more in common than differences; these two realizations will make the path to inclusion and support much faster.

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No one needs to feel broken especially not even a child

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No one needs to feel broken especially not even a child

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A moment that resonated with me from the Ted talks is when the Jennie says, “no one needs to feel broken especially not even a child”. This stuck out to me because I think a lot of times society focuses on the disability not on the ability of the child or adult. We as a whole need to be more centered on making that child with a disability feel that they are included in society. Yes one person with a disability and one person without a disability take very different routes in life. When they finally reach that destination they are at the same end point. This will have an impact on my classroom because it is just a reminder that all of my students with disabilities are able. They are just as capable of doing the same work as general education students but they just need some guidance and rerouting to make it there. That is why I love what I do because I can be that guiding hand in a child’s success.

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In the Ted talk Inclusion, belonging and the disability revolution by Jennie Fenton there were so many parts of her speech that resonated with me. When Jennie started speaking about her hope and dreams for her child having a meaningful and successful life she made a claim that many would say is an impossible dream and that it would never happen, but much like any good argument, she supports her claim with evidence. So Jennie then named several individuals with disabilities across the country that had both remarkable careers and achieving unimaginable dreams. Lawyers, Doctors and CEO's with more challenging disabilities then Jennie's daughter with cerebral palsy to Down Syndrome. All of these individuals were living a life that some would say is not ideal for a person with disability. i connected with this because it helped enlarge my goals for my students. I am starting to see my students as more than high school or college graduates, I know see them as Doctors and CEO's. Although I am one to never place limits on anyone with or without a disability but listening to her speech helped me to refocus my vision for them in a career of their choosing with no limitations. This impacts my teaching because can now I will go into my classroom with a vision for each of my students. The one that likes to argue with everyone, including me and other teachers, I can now see him as an attorney.

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There is so much from the TED talk that resonated with me. As I was listening for one moment I found myself writing down many.
The wheel chair image change stood out because it encompassed much of what Jennie Fenton spoke of throughout the video.
One from the "Disability" represented in the old image juxtaposed to one of "Possibility" represented in the new image...
A symbol for the movement or "revolution" towards changing perspectives and definitions from one to the other. Seeing those with challenges more as another part of the diversity represented in society. "Not broken, just different", much like the many other ways differences are represented in the world community.
Back when I was in school, students with disabilities were separate, apart from everyone else, now as an educator many years later the shift to more inclusive educational settings seems to be the norm. The old way of exclusion versus the new approach of inclusion, much like the wheel chair image, is changing.

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I know that "unability" isn't a word, but I think it most accurately encapsulates the message that comes to mind when people encounter those with disabilities. We too often think that those in wheelchairs, etc are unable to achieve, rather than finding their strengths and honing in on those; no one is good at everything whether disabled or not. I loved how candid the speaker was about her and her families first reactions to learning about their daughter; it was a really human moment. But I also loved how she detailed her growth and journey in an equally candid way. When we acknowledge that we base a lot of our interactions on assumptions, rather than the facts and move forward from there, everyone has an opportunity to learn from each other. So my takeaway from this is first to have our students embrace what makes them different and wear it as a badge of honor rather than shame. Once that's taken care of, growth can be achieved.

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Jennie Fenton discussed the upbringing of her daughter who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. What touched me was that she was super transparent about how she and her husband first had a negative mindset about the situation. I respect that she was totally truthful even though it was something that most people wouldn't want to admit about their loved ones. The importance of the video is that they learned to adapt to Marla's disability and even put it to the side, allowing her to do whatever she wanted even if others said she couldn't. Disabilities should not be restrictions. We should only look at them as a small obstacle or detour.
Often, people with disabilities are looked down upon like they are inferior. Instead, I'd like for the world to look at people with disabilities as having heightened abilities in other areas.

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This TED talk makes me think about how us humans seem to think that disabled people/children are so limited to what they can do. We give them these limitations, without even knowing what they can or can not do. Jennie Fenton, said "Possibility not disability", this touched me, the many people she spoke about with disabilities that are accomplishing so many things, that people don't believe they can do, like running their own businesses, getting married and having their own kids, it makes me thin about the many times that I myself have seen some one with a disability and wondered what they could and could not do. As Madeehah stated in her post, we often focus on the physical disability that we may see, and assume that a person is completely "handicap".
As an educator, we have the duty to make a no tolerance for discrimination in our class environment from our students, but we as adults should also check ourselves. We too need not to discriminate or put limitations on students with disabilities.
Another thing that Madeehah spoke about that i too was no aware of was the wheelchair sign being changed. I love the new image, I believe it can give a person whom is wheelchair bound a sense of empowerment!

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Socially Inclusive Community and Wheelchair Image

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Socially Inclusive Community and Wheelchair Image

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The Ted talk on disability revolution was a good one that brought up a lot of good points that I want to reiterate to my class. The first, was when the speaker used baldness and an unattractive nose as examples for people to relate to in regards to focusing on a person's disability. Oftentimes, people do get so caught up in only seeing a person's disability and not the person to the point where they become unintentionally rude. Making the conversation about the person's disability and asking prying questions is disrespectful and as the speaker points out, how would you feel if the conversation was about your nose or lack of hair? If adults behave in this manner around individuals with disabilities, we can't expect our kids to behave any better unless we teach them to. This is where we come in as teachers with making sure all of our students are respectful towards one another as we try to build socially inclusive communities within our classrooms. I will definitely even use her analogies to help students relate to the idea of only focusing on someone's disability--whether its a learning one or physical one---, not seeing the actual person, and how it would make them feel.

Also, the image of the wheelchair symbol changed? I didn't even realize and feel ashamed that I haven't been paying attention. I think the new image is a much better representation of an active lifestyle. Bravo to New York for leading the change!

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Pick a moment from the talk that resonated with you.  Discuss what the speaker shares and why you connected to it.  How will this impact your classroom, teaching or outlook on our world?