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This is not a
student that I teach directly. Having said that, I am so happy that I had the chance
to work with her, help to create positive roles for her and help her peers and
teachers see her in a totally new light. She may be cognitively delayed but she has
so much to offer and I think with the help of my team, others were able to
recognize her strengths for the first time in a long time. Most importantly, Kate
was able to recognize her strengths and her parents have told me that her role as
a mentor has helped her to gain so much confidence and that they can notice a
difference in her maturity as well.
It was not hard for me to identify a student that was being devalued within
my school. In fact, there were many students that I could have focused my
attention on. The fact that our goals for Kate, the mentor goal and the athlete
goal, were met gives me hope that a similar program could work for other
students as well. I am inspired now to continue my work with Special Olympics as
well as creating mentoring opportunities for students in grades 7 through 9 using
sport.
In my opinion, Kate has already experienced some of the Common Life
Experiences of Individuals who are Devalued as listed by Lutfiyya & Updike
(2013a) including Relegation to Low Social Status, Rejection and being cast
devalued roles such as Object of Pity and Eternally Childlike. It is my fear that
without support and SRV, Kate would also begin to experience Social and
Relationship Discontinuity and Loss of Freely Given Relationships.
Throughout this journey, I kept one of the Ten Themes of Social Role
Valorization at the forefront and that was Social Imagery. Lutfiyya and Updike
(2013b) state that several messages can be communicated by the juxtaposition
of one image to another and the subsequent meaning between the two. I
wanted to take into account the ways that Wolfensberger (2000) discusses the
importance of physical setting, groupings, positive imagery, language and
activities and time use. We worked to ensure that the images created and the
messages that were conveyed were positive and could be valued by others. For
example, Kates schedule did not take time from her regular classes and I think
this supported the fact that Kates coaching was a responsibility, not just an
excuse to leave class. Also, the language that we used conveyed a message that
this was important work, for example saying coach rather than helper and
mentor rather than buddy.
As I have mentioned, it is not and was not my intention for this to be a six
month goal that has an ending. Yes, we have been successful in creating and
nourishing positive roles for Kate, but I know that these goals can very easily fall
flat without continued support. When thinking about our goals for Kate, some of
her future goals for high school and the support group that we have created it is
worth quoting Lutfiyya & Updike (2013c) at length:
Leisure and recreational acivities, involvement with community
organizations, and social relationships are an important part of a meaningful
life. This is particularly true for those individuals who for whatever reason, do
not have paid employment or do not have many regular hours of
employment. Social and leisure activities represent valued social roles and
contribute significantly to overall life satisfaction and positive self-identity.
I think that working with devalued students can be scary for some
educators. The thought of helping to create roles, implementing a plan and then
sticking with is can be a daunting task for some. As educators, it is our job to
prepare our students for success and that means all of our students. I am a huge
believer in the fact that each of my students is on an individualized education plan
and it is my job to be flexible enough to help that student discover their strengths,
even if it looks very different than other students.
I have learned a lot from this experience. It is ok to change the plan and mix
it up if need be. Also, I have learned that involving parents in decisions regarding
their children is not only crucial but very much appreciated. My biggest
supporters in this process were Kates parents and they truly became invested in
our goals. Kate became invested in our goals. I love the fact that it was such a
team effort because I am confident that next year when Kate goes to high school,
that her parents will continue to push for our plan to be in place.
References
Lutfiyya, Z. & Updike, M. (2013a). EDUA 5600 Study notes unit 1. University of
Manitoba, Distance Education.
Lutfiyya, Z. & Updike, M. (2013b). EDUA 5600 Study notes unit 4. University of
Manitoba, Distance Education.
Lutfiyya, Z. & Updike, M. (2013c). EDUA 5600 Study notes unit 17. University of
Manitoba, Distance Education.
Wolfensberger, W. (2000). A brief overview of Social Role Valorization. Mental
Retardation, (38)2, p. 105-123.