Kliewer

Reflection

Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-JcBFAuLc-0bXVmZVR4ODI0RHc/view 

Cheistopher Kliewer

 Much of my experience in a classroom in a play-school, preschool, and two kindergartens involves interaction with students who have IEP's or are often thought of as special education students. I have seen these students across a wide spectrum of severity. The issue in schools that is slowly beginning to get better is that these students weren't really seen as students in the past. They were not seen as fully capable. many didn't give them the ability to show their strengths in a classroom or school setting. Many are put into lower level classes where many aren't even getting the chance to learn basic things. People are afraid that they'll fall behind and will often be a distraction in a regular classroom. The truth is that many of these students actually thrive in regular classrooms. They are given the chance to learn what their peers are learning. This is also a chance for the child to be encouraged by their peers and even for their peers to get a better understanding of others being different for different reasons and for them to know that small differences don't make any less of a regular child. This gives them a great chance to socialize and keep up with others their own skill level. This is what Kliewer emphasized in this article. It is important to listen to these students and understand where they truly fit and thrive in which classrooms. They can accomplish what they set out to do but so many people doubt their abilities and this is a mindset that we need to diminish.