SCHOOL ‘MATTERS’

(A student’s experience navigating the special needs landscape from elementary to university)

Self-Advocacy Part 1

           

            Self-advocacy can be a difficult thing to undertake, especially if an individual feels anxious about their disability.  I have an intimate understanding of the anxiety that arises from the mere prospect of not only divulging a disability, but also advocating for one’s strengths and weaknesses.  Feelings of inadequacy and questions surrounding the understanding of both your teacher and peers can have a dissuasive effect.  These feelings however, are not indicative of reality.

            

            The most important thing you can do when advocating for yourself is developing a good working relationship with your teacher.  In my experience, teachers at every level of education are more than willing to work with and listen to students who approach them.  Obviously, there are outliers, but for the most part, your teacher will be empathetic if you approach them earnestly.  Just explain your situation in a fashion that imparts your commitment and work ethic instead of appearing to want special treatment.  This is a difficult tightrope to walk, but if you approach the initial conversation maturely then you have made a good first step.

           If you are in elementary or high school, I would recommend asking your parents or guardians for assistance when approaching a teacher.  This should not be seen as a mark of weakness, but instead a simple fact that no matter how mature you may seem, age can still act against you.  However, if you are a special needs university student, I would strongly recommend approaching your Professor independently.  This initial meeting does not have to be long or overwrought, but instead a quick and simple statement of facts.  Introduce yourself, your condition, and ask your Professor if you could stop by every other week to clarify reading and assignment details.  In my experience, a Professor has never been anything but willing to work with me on points of weakness.  If anything, this initial meeting is a fantastic way to start a strong working relationship with any Professor and can make all the difference in your success.

SCHOOL ‘MATTERS’

(A student’s experience navigating the special needs landscape from elementary to university)

Two of my closest friends maintain fantastic blogs.  I blame them for what follows .

 I have never blogged before, but I believe that now is as good a time as any to start. The first order of business, aside from settling on some banal title, is outlining the scope and focus of this blog and its author.   I feel I have something to say regarding my lifelong experience and ultimate academic success as an identified special needs student.  I have experienced the best and the worst of the system that exists for students in Ontario in public, private and post-secondary education. 

As a post-secondary student I studied history at Brock University, eventually completing undergraduate and graduate degrees with peers that I am glad to call friends.  Although I chose not to pursue a career in academia (more due to the employment landscape than my personal desires), education remains my passion and an avenue for self-fulfillment moving forward.  I trust my past experiences and future endeavors to continue my life-long pursuit of self-education will help others on the same journey.  Herein lies the focus of my blog.

Doing well in school was something I had to work very hard at.  This is not to suggest that others lack a strong work ethic, but simply to state the reality of my experience with education from the elementary to university level.  I was not bestowed with my sister’s intellect, who, to be fair, has worked incredibly hard to achieve what she has, but she also seemed to do well with the utmost of ease.  I was very much consigned to deal with my educational limitations however possible, but things changed drastically in March of 1994.

When I woke up in Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children I was told that my family’s car had veered into a snowdrift and crashed into a Ministry of Transportation utility truck.  No one in the car escaped injury and I eventually learned that I had suffered an acquired brain injury, although my 6-year old self could scarcely make sense of such a seemingly complex term.  In many ways, the events of March 1994 were, and continue to be, the definitive moments of my life.  That day placed restrictions on my existing capabilities while simultaneously providing the tools needed to be the person I am today.

Being a student with special needs, be it dyslexia, brain injury, depression, or otherwise, is, at times, difficult to accept.  Educational assistants, IEPS (individual education plan), and the odd impatient teacher appear to mark you as the black sheep of the herd and make an already anxiety-ridden experience that much more so.  However, as years of experience have taught me, such a view tends to limit an individual’s potential to, not only cope with, but flourish under new circumstances.  Specifically, instead of seeing your special needs as something to be embarrassed of, you need to embrace your perceived limitations and learn how to work within a new framework.  Self-advocacy and an honest work ethic are the cornerstones of being a successful special needs student.

Join my here every week as I share my experiences as a successful special needs student and, hopefully, help others feel more confident in dealing with what is an understandably sensitive issue.