Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome

This author argues that the school system has had problems with determining the realm of achievement for certain individuals within the mathematical and linguistic areas.
It is said in the reading that students who are labeled as "low functioning" are ofter too harshly criticized as such.
Children with disabilities can learn and have a full and rich life. The challenge is not in educating them as much as it is in erasing the negative attitudes and connotations associated with the predetermined beliefs based around "low functioning" and disabled students.
Having more teachers like Shayne Robbins will further progress the achievements of students with disabilities.
In Shayne's class, she had students who were down syndrome and one of which Isaac Johnson who had a wonderful experience of an enriching learning environment through her teachings.
Isaac loved the book "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak and Shayne created an opportunity to delve into the book through learning with this in mind.
She allowed the students to create their own play surrounding this book and let Isaac be Max. Isaac always made a lot of noise in regard to this book and where other teachers would describe the noise as a distraction to circle time, his teacher described his noises as excited responses to the curriculum.
With teachers like this, we can advance opportunities for students and the silly attitudes that we have for people with disabilities being low functioning or not able to learn and enrich their lives.
Schools have taken a very narrow attitude in determining student intellect.
The belief of a "thoughtful mind" has been through successes in testing in areas of linguistics and mathematics.
When children score low in these areas they are rated by those scores in their capabilities.
When teaching methods are changed, these abilities may thrive and when predetermined marks become the consensus in determining a child's capabilities it is a disservice to the student.
Shayne disregarded the determined ability of the student by that of these tests and instead regarded these tests are a failed attempt at understanding the needs of the student and their other abilities. She took the time to get to know her students and based their curriculum around the individual.
Because she understood that education was not that of conformity and masses but on the individual person.
This to me is a successful teacher.
This video shows "disabled artists" who have created beautiful art pieces and show true innovation and ability.