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"You have more abilities than disabilities"

A couple of weeks ago I had a discussion with a man about why I wanted to be a special needs teacher and what has happened in my life to make me where I am today. At the end of our discussion he said something to me that I have thought about ever since. He said, "it sounds like you have more abilities than disabilities"

i do not think the man knew how impacting those words were to me. you know why? because it is the truth! in this world we are filled with so much negativity. so you say you have a disability..the immediate thought is what can you not do? how does that impact you from living a "normal" life? it was so refreshing to have someone listen to me and hear what i was saying in a positive way. he did not care about what i could not do but what i could do. he looked at me for who i really am and did not label or judge me for my disability.

over much thought about what he said i truly want this quote in my future classroom. you say what does this quote represent? it represents the positive and the hope for children who are constantly filtered into the negative. it represents me telling my students that their abilities outweigh their disabilities. they need to not let their disabilities define them but rather their abilities define them.

this also led me to think of how so often when people want to hear my story i tend to focus on my disability than who i am. so many times i let my disability define me and that just needs to stop. if i want my future students to believe in that quote than i need to believe it for myself. it is a constant reminder for myself that i have so many abilities i need to focus on than my one disabilities. in better terms my disability is actually an ability because i use my disability to help enable others like me to grow up independent and strong. I and you are not defined by are disabilities!

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