Back to School...A Lesson

Class...I'm going to teach you all some very important words today.


-Equality

-Fairness

-Status Quo

-Ignorance

-Disrespect

-Restrictive

-Independence

-Follower

-Advocacy


Good, can you all say these important words with me now? ***repeat*** Excellent! Let's review what they all mean:


Equality - The idea of equal treatment

Fairness - The absence of bias

Status Quo - The existing state of affairs

Ignorance - Lacking knowledge

Disrespect - Lack of acknowledgement of value

Restrictive - Enforcement of segregation

Independence - Not requiring outside aid or support

Follower - Person who completes actions suggested by the leader(s)

Advocacy - Pursuit of influencing outcomes that directly affect people's lives


Excellent job of listing the vocabulary of today's lesson. Now, let's talk about today's lesson. It's a challenge for all of you to see if you can pick out all of today's vocabulary words!!!


Today's lesson is all about equality and fairness for all individuals, particularly those that cannot voice for themselves what they need. Today's lesson is about asking the individuals who work with the above mentioned individuals to challenge the status quo...one that needs to be challenged as it is a necessity in the state of the world today (and is in the mission/vision statement). Today's lesson is to not accept ignorance on the part of the individuals who administer programs for individuals who cannot voice for themselves and to not accept ignorance from any of the individuals who provide services to individuals who cannot voice for themselves. Today's lesson is about using scientifically based instructional and inclusionary practices (and the practices that have been proven *proof of growth* profoundly effective for the individual whom I am writing this) for those with specific needs. Today's lesson is to teach that it is ignorant and disrespectful to not look at all aspects of a situation in relation to the needs of an individual who cannot voice for themselves. Today's lesson is to teach that restriction is a form of ignorance and disrespect as well as being illegal. And finally, today's lesson is about being a follower. Being a follower means that you have been taught to listen and respect authority. Nicely done. But, being a follower in a situation regarding the needs of an individual without a voice is doing nothing beneficial for that individual. In fact it's detrimental. 'Following' is paving the way for complacency, perpetual ignorance, and guilt. One thing that will remedy 'following' is advocacy for the individual with needs. Advocate for needs! Advocate for independence! Advocate for respect! Advocate for FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY!


This ends our lesson today! If you didn't understand our lesson, look at the picture below and know that I am an advocate for this little girl and her educational needs. But also know that there are others in her life that refuse to advocate for fairness and equality for her needs!