While teaching in my Mexican hometown, there was a boy
who needed to use a wheelchair. Once I heard a little girl asking her mom why
that boy spent all day sitting on that chair, the girl’s mom asked her not to
see him, and she kept walking to the girl’s room. I knew the boy’s mom heard
the girl-mom conversation –if this
could be considered a conversation. The boy’s mom told me she wanted the people
to see his boy, because this way others will see his boy only once or twice
with the look as if he was weird –as the mom said, but they would get use to
see him just the way he is.
I consider the girl’s mom sent to the girl the message
that the boy was someone who did not deserve attention, or that it was inappropriate
to see him. Now I know the mother was avoiding answering the girl’s question
because the mom did not have an answer for her.
Before having taken two courses in this program degree, I was not aware that having no difficulties
to do things on our own was considered an “ism”: ableism. Now, I know that as
part of an institution, I have to make efforts in order to include people who
have different abilities and also facilitate their stay (Ford, 2009). If I face
a situation like the one I faced with regard to the girl asking her mom about
the child using a wheelchair again, I would include dolls with different
abilities in the classroom, I would talk to children about how some people use
their feet to move, others use crutches, a cane, or a wheelchair. If possible, I
would let children use a real crutch, cane or wheelchair, in order to help them
understand that the use of these objects is vital part for some people. Finally
I would highlight that despite the way we all use to move around, we all are
valuable and important for each other, just because of our uniqueness.
Reference
Ford, A. R. (2009). It's not just about racism, but
ableism. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, 26(4), 16.
