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Caroline Suchman

SPED 4344
Duchaine

26

Chapter 2 Reflection
This chapter talked about Temple Grandin! I found it amusing that the other students
were worried about Gavin, the boy with autism, being smushed between two mats. Most
people would find this alarming and become claustrophobic. I am glad that they took the
opportunity to learn about autism and how someone with autism could need extra sensory
stimulation. I also found it heartwarming that Gavins fellow students wanted to help him by
brushing him. It is interesting how much knowledge can change our opinion of a situation. The
author describes the annoyance of the teachers at the open-concept school that Gavin had just
joined and how their annoyance quickly turned to understanding once he explained that Gavin
had autism and was probably scared about being in a new place. This is the good thing about
labellingthe power of names. Once Patrick is able to put a label on Gavin, it immediately
explains everything and even serves as an excuse for his crazy behavior.
I remember talking about the difference between equality and equity in a previous class.
The professor described it using the example of three different-sized people picking apples
from an apple tree. She explained that equality would be giving each person a stool of the same
height to stand on in order to reach the tree, but someone could still be too short to reach the
tree. In order to achieve equity, that person should be given a taller stool so they too can reach
an apple. This came to mind when reading the section titled, Fairness Is Not Sameness.
I have also learned that a positive thing about inclusion classes is that the experts
providing specialized services to the student identified as needing help can also provide those
services to students who have not been identified as needing help. Many students who do not
typically need help can benefit from these services. For instance, the book mentioned that
Susan has difficulties with visual processing that affect her reading abilities. In order to help her
read classroom materials more easily the team of teachers highlights the main points of the
passage, which is a good strategy for all learners to use. Because of the push-in services, these
fifth-graders are exposed to advanced note-taking strategies that will help them succeed in
school for the rest of their academic career.
When I am teaching, any time I have a student with special needs I will be sure to learn
as much about it as I can before they come to my class. The book mentions that Gavins
teacher, Carla, introduced the idea of brushing him as a way to satisfy his need for sensory
integration. She is able to take matters into her own hands and integrate his need in a way that
she is comfortable with and that is not an imposition on her class.
After reading this chapter I have to ask how humans have come this far with so little
toleration for people with disabilities. There have always been stories that portrayed characters
with disabilities, so they clearly have always existed. Many people who live with people with
disabilities are able to come to understand their needs and their capabilities. Why is this
knowledge such a secret?

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