"I couldn't understand why everybody thought he was so special that he had to be away from other kids and probably even away from us...
So, that really got me in the belly and in the heart about something I needed to do...
Listening, especially to the kids listening to self advocates, adults with disabilities have been great role models for Wilson and have been really encouragers for me, and I think that what I learned is I gotta believe in my community...
I used to be, I still am a conflict avoider. And so the idea that my husband and I who were both teachers would have to fight to have my kid get into general education – That was the most perplexing thing.
Another thing that I learned that normal is just a social construct. It doesn't mean anything. And so the idea is that disability brings uniquenesses not abnormal or on normal.
Believe in yourself and possibilities and persist."
Which of Barbara Buswell's words and phrases stand out to you? Which of her thoughts have you pondered?
Hear more from Barbara Buswell, Executive Director of PEAK Parent Center, author, speaker, and parent-ally on the replay of our live show. Watch here.
If you're a podcast lover, we've got you covered! Tune in here.
Find more inclusive education resources below. Check it out!
Yes, we did...Paula Kluth and I talked about the elephant in the room... the Coffee Cart (and lunch tables and special proms).
Paula challenges us to, "really think about and look around and, really take stock of what kinds of opportunities are available for students, we want you to think, is this particular structure, norm, tradition, inclusive?
Dr. Paula Kluth reminds us, "We should be using energy to start thinking about how to make something inclusive.
We're not saying get rid of these structures. We're saying make them inclusive.
You don't know what you don't know sometimes. Once you've established something that's truly inclusive, then you can point to that. And folks will say, Oh, I never thought of doing it that way.
And now folks go, Oh yeah, we could do that with this, this and this, that extra curricular could be done that way or so on. I like that it starts to give people a template for having a bigger conversation.
Anytime we look at how people are spending their time or what activities they're involved in, we need to ask a question like, Is that too special and the reverse of that, Is that really inclusive?
Is it natural proportions, age appropriate, a valued activity?
One of the things I love as a strategy, especially for high school, but not necessarily exclusively for high school, is to take it to the kids. Get to the student council. Just say, you know, we noticed that we have a lot of kids in our school, that they're not making connections with other kids, and we don't know what to do about that. Kids
know.
Talk to them about what kinds of things are our challenges and see what the kids can come up with as a way to make the space itself feel equitable for all.
We're not trying to take anybody's connection away. We want people to have an unforgettable experience at prom. We just don't want to have to be separate from everybody else.
What is the barrier for whether it's the coffee cart or lunch room or prom or whatever it is, let's address the barrier itself, instead of assuming that it has to stay separate."
Would you love to be immersed in more insights from Paula Kluth? Watch our live show, right here.
Are you more of a podcast person? Listen in on my conversation with Paula. Click here.
I know this is a long newsletter, keep scrolling, we've got more goodness for you!
Resources from Barbara Buswell and Paula Kluth
Take Risks, Ride The River, Barb shares the story of her family's 10 day river raft trip and lessons learned from her son, Wilson.
Doug Biklen's book, Schooling Without Labels: Parents, Educators, and Inclusive Education
Jonathan Mooney's Normal Sucks: How to Live, Learn, and Thrive Outside the Lines
PEAK Parent Center's Inclusive Education Conference! Not to be missed! Register by January 17th for the best price. You will walk away changed, after this conference. Click here.
Don't We Already Do Inclusion?: 100 Ideas for Improving Inclusive Schools, by Dr. Paula Kluth. Add this to your library.
Coaster, Dr. Paula Kluth's latest book! A children's book that has a surprise ending.
Co-Teaching, FB live with Dr. Paula Kluth and Dr. Julie Causton
Watch the replay and be ready for some shenanigans!
Off-The-Page videos on Paula's YouTube channel. Off The Page #10 is about the Coffee Cart. :)
Mix it up day, promoted by Teaching Tolerance.
THURSDAY, January 16th: Ask a Question, Get Answers
Our monthly Q & A time, where you determine what we talk about! It gets lively and sometimes controversial...
THURSDAY, January 9th: Ending Restraint And Seclusion: We Can Make a Difference. Guy Stevens, Executive Director and Founder of will be our guest. Guy will be share:
* What you should know and what you can do if your child is being restrained and/or secluded.
* What the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint are doing to reduce and eliminate restraint and seclusion.
* How he and other parents influenced change in their local school
district and what you can do.
Both shows will be on our Visions and Voices Together page.
Noon Mtn. Time, 2 pm ET, 1 pm CT, 11 am PT
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