Early Learning About People With Disabilities

Journal entries help you to reflect, think critically, express your feelings, and write focused arguments about the concepts and ideas we review in the course. In this entry, you will reflect upon your early learning about people with disabilities. Your entry must be at least 500 words in length (not including any subheadings or restatements of the questions). Make sure you carefully review the scoring rubric for the diversity journal entries before submitting your assignment. Journal Prompt Reflect upon your early memories about disability and how these memories inform your current thoughts, feelings, and actions in relation to people with disabilities. As part of your reflection, please answer the following questions: Describe the first time you can remember encountering a person with a disability. What were your reactions, feelings, and thoughts in the situation? When were you first aware that people with disabilities were treated differently because of their disability? Describe an early memory of a time you witnessed someone being hurt or discriminated against because they had a disability. What were some of the assumptions you had about people with disabilities, or what it would be like to have a disability when you were in elementary school? Recall what people adults and peers said about people with disabilities. Include what labels and typical descriptions and attributes you heard. Recall how people behave toward people with disabilities. Describe a specific memory What were some early messages you learned about disability? From whom did these messages come? Adults or peers? Media? How do these early messages about disability and people disabilities affect you now?