How do we see (+ study) young people?

 

Zora: On Being Outstanding

While reading Carla Shalaby, I couldn't help but feel the need to intervene many times for Zora. I felt like I was in the classroom with her, and she needing someone to talk too and help her process everything that was going on. I felt helpless, just reading about the many times the teacher reprimanded her rather than taking a moment to utilize those interactions in a positive way, to better help the student learn about themselves, but at the same time understand that there are boundaries and that the energy she gave in the classroom everyday could be utilize in a powerful way. At the same time, I wondered how many other students behaved the way she did, but because of obvious reasons, and for the purpose of this article were not called out or put in the spot the way Zora was called out on many times. 

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution 

This documentary film was AMAZING! Having watched this, I think that this film should be watched by every single human that is or wants to work in Education regardless of their role. It brought me back to my times at Bates College, and one of the first education courses I took. I can't recall the name of the course, but I remember learning about the difference between a 504 Plan and an IEP. If only this film would have been available during those times, many things would have made more sense then. As I watched this film, I tried to take in every moment. The part where the speaker, Hollynn D'Lil was introduced and she shares her life about how she became involved with the Disabilities Act made me think of the Netflix Film "A Man Called Otto" and his life experience as a caregiver for his wife after an accident they were both involved in. He managed to transform his kitchen with lower counters so that his wife could move around and access things in the kitchen. While disability is not the focus of this film, watching Crip Camp certainly made me think of that moment and what he had to do to help his wife live a normal life, as much as possible. The experiences the youth with disability dealt with and how hard they went to make the law passed made me realize the power that a community has to change something for the better of all.

Comments

  1. Vianka HicianoSeptember 11, 2024 at 10:12 PM

    Hi Frangely! I am sooo with you! I felt so angry while reading Zora's story, I would sit and think about all the things I would say on her behalf and how I would defend her and fight for her. I wondered how the words said to her by others might impact her, if she ever sat at night and thought about them, if they left any scars. I was heartbroken that she was so excluded. I too thought about all the "Zoras" of the world, and other students that have stories similar to hers. I hope they have someone in their corner telling them that they are brave and wonderful just the way they are. I LOVE the movie "A man called Otto," it was such a beautiful film about making a situation out of your control feel normal and like it isn't a reason to be pushed aside or give up.

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  2. Victoria RestlerSeptember 12, 2024 at 7:39 AM

    Thank you for this thoughtful post, Frangely. I appreciate the content of what you say about Zora, but also the method. I love the way you are reading the Zora chapter as a dialogue--I'm imagining you intervening in the text, writing side notes about what you would say, pulling the teacher aside to chat and remaking the story. This feels like what reading should be (and only rarely is)!

    I appreciate the link you made to the other netflix doc as well and look forward to checking it out.

    ReplyDelete
  3. STEPHSeptember 12, 2024 at 8:05 AM

    Hi Frangely, thanks for sharing your thoughts and reactions to the text and film. Definitely retable on thinking of ways to intervene in the actions that were taken when reading Zora. It too, may me wonder of the other experiences in the classroom and even wonder after this research were there any changes made in approach.
    Thanks for your recommendation on "A man called Otto" I haven't watched it and something to add to the list.

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