In the classroom and in life, I have never judged a book by its cover. With this being said, a student with a psychological disability might have taken steps to control or manage their disability and drawing conclusions about them would only prohibit their learning of the subject. I am always amazed by the obstacles my students overcome to attend college. No on can predict who will succeed based on initial observations.
Cindy,
That's a great example of ability over disability -- but I am not sure why you shared it in a thread on psychological disability. Cerebral palsy is a physical disability caused by neurological damage, but that damage is to the motor system. It doesn't come along with emotional problems or cognitive problems.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I have a student in our degree program who has cerebral palsy. If one were to judge him on appearance alone, they would think him to be a drooling mess. However, he is one of my most brilliant students. He has never earned anything less than an A in any one of his classes. He is so polite, attentive in class, and a real dream of a student to have in class.
Cheryl,
I am not sure I understand what you said, but I think I know what you meant! GRIN People with disabilities should not be defined by their disability. They are people, first, and whether they manage with or without assistance is their choice, not ours.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Although my position in the medical field, it is not good for any individual to assume that a person is disable. There are some individuals that are handicap and want to be treated as if they were normal even if they do have a condition that is obvious to the human eye. It should be that person digression on whether or not they want to identify their handicap.
Chris,
I agree. Even if the student is struggling because he/she has a disability, that may explain the behavior but it doesn't excuse it.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
If a student displays "inappropriate " behavior in the classroom, we definitely need to address that behavior, and not make assumptions about the possible causes. If problems continue, having a brief private chat with the student MAY give us some insight.....or maybe not...but all students need to be made aware that disruptive behavior cannot be allowed.
Bryce,
I certainly can't (and won't!) disagree with THAT conclusion. (smile)
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Ted,
I suppose I am less concerned about you treating the student inappropriately as I would be you treating the student DIFFERENTLY because of what you believed (regarding disability). The trick is always to deal with the behavior your see, not your supposition about why that behavior occurs.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I feel like I don't have the qualifications nor the experience to draw conclusions, I know how I would feel if someone were to draw a conclusion on me, I didn't ask for it and it's not their place to do so unless the are my psycologist. So what it boils down to is, having a psycological disability or not nobody likes to be judged unless asked.
The simple answer is that I am not a trained psychologist. Without being qualified to make assessments of a student any conclusions I draw would likely be incorrect. This could then cause me to treat the student in an inappropriate manner and potentially further disrupt their education.
Stacy,
That's it exactly. You focus on providing them with the same information and support that you would provide to any student -- and for just the same reasons. How their disability (if it is one) impacts on their learning is a separate issue from the learning opportunities you present.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I certainly have been guilty of this in the past. It's important to not diagnose -- what if you are very, very wrong?
Make the necessary accomodations for your student and treat them no differently than any other. Do everything in your power to help them grasp the material and succeed.
I am not an expert in psychological disabilites therefore not making assumptions is the best option. Also for legalities reasons we as instructors must follow protocol and remember the ADA=American Disability Act. Meanwhile, I notice that students with disabilities often try very hard to succed in the classroom so making every effort to support the student is imperative. Also drawing conclusions based on our own observation may cause tension in the classroom.
Paul,
I am less worried about the legal complications than about the issues of stigma and stereotype. As teachers, we help most by not attempting to classify, excuse, or suppose about a student based on their behavior, but only to respond to the behavior (and the student!) in the same way we would for any other student engaging in that behavior.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Only a qualified person can discern if a student has a psychological disability. As teachers, we can only help a student to the extent of making recommendations to the school guidance counselor or psychologist. They would be the ones most qualified to draw conclusions as to whether or not a student has a serious problem. If teachers try to make a diagnosis, they can become entangled in the legal system.
David,
That's true... whether or not the student is disabled. Maybe that is part of the answer. If you treat ALL students with respect, you will be sure of treating students with disabilities in the same, fair manner.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
You should treat students with respect and never assume they can not do something.
Dennis,
Generally, the trick is where and when the asking is done. Students who are given the courtesy of an instructor taking the time to seek them out privately and inquire about how they are doing are much more likely to be comfortable in sharing sensitive information.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I agree there are times that a student may be having a bad day.We may not know what issues the student may have going on at the time. However I have found that if you ask the student if every thing is ok, most of the time they will open up and let you know what issue or issues they are dealing with.
