What kind of life can he expect to have? He's so disabled. No chance
for a good life.
Whoa! Stop right there!
Wouldn't it be great if we could fast forward and see how a young
person's life would really turn out?
But we can't.
How the journey plays out will depend on a lot of factors.
Here are three stories which are great examples of how parents and
teachers saw possibilities when others did not.
Take note of the role the parents and teachers played in the lives of
these three young boys.
What do you believe they did that every parent and teacher needs to
know about setting high expectations for children who have disabilities?
After watching these three videos, share your comments and beliefs with
us.
Okay, here are the three videos.
1. "There's nothing better than people doubting you."
Why did a coach say this about a high school junior? You'll like the
answer!
http://tinyurl.com/286ttnv
2. Teacher gets pushed by student. Why does the teacher think the
child is brilliant?
(Two commercials precede this video)
http://tinyurl.com/yjwvjnm
3. Kid with learning disability, made to feel small, grows up to make
millions by thinking small.
(Click on the Wall Street video)
http://www.willard-wigan.com/video.aspx
Now please share with us your comments and beliefs about succeeding with a disability.
Always remember,
"Courage is the capacity to hear what others say is impossible and
believe you are the one to make it happen." -Nancy Shugart
http://www.ProveThemWrong.com
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
He Dared to Persist
George Lucas said, "You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don't have that kind of feeling for what it is you are doing, you'll stop at the first giant hurdle."
Why are students, both with and without disabilities, dropping out of high school? Why are there so many young people stopping at the first giant hurdle?
Are they not willing to take risks?
Have they not found something that they are passionate about?
Or were they passionate about something but were told over and over again that they were aiming too high?
Why do some listen to the so-called experts and change their course while others are willing to risk failure in order to make their dreams come true?
Here is an example of someone who dared to persist.
As a child he was diagnosed to have cerebral palsy. He is so brain damaged, he'll never walk, was the doctor's conclusion.
He did learn to walk.
He is so brain damaged, he'll never speak.
He did learn to speak.
As an adult, John V. Wright not only completed high school, but he went on to earn both a Bachelor and a Master of Science Degree in Meteorology from Texas A&M University.
He then lived his dream as a meteorologist at the National Weather Service for 31 years!
Why didn't Mr. Wright stop at the first giant hurdle, or the second or third one?
After interviewing Mr. Wright for a new book to be released this spring, I learned that he was absolutely passionate about studying meteorology. There was no hurdle, not even cerebral palsy that was going to stop him from achieving his dream of becoming a meteorologist.
I gain strength, and I believe others do too, from knowing what others have been able to achieve despite the enormous hurdles that were placed before them.
Would you share your story with us?
What have you achieved that someone said would be impossible for you to achieve?
It does not have to be related to a disability.
Please share your positive and uplifting message with us.
Tell us your story by answering...
As a child, I (Describe a difficulty that you faced)
As an adult, I (Describe a success you achieved)
We look forward to hearing from you.
Remember, you can get your free subscription to Prove Them Wrong Ezine by visiting...
http://www.ProveThemWrong.com
Why are students, both with and without disabilities, dropping out of high school? Why are there so many young people stopping at the first giant hurdle?
Are they not willing to take risks?
Have they not found something that they are passionate about?
Or were they passionate about something but were told over and over again that they were aiming too high?
Why do some listen to the so-called experts and change their course while others are willing to risk failure in order to make their dreams come true?
Here is an example of someone who dared to persist.
As a child he was diagnosed to have cerebral palsy. He is so brain damaged, he'll never walk, was the doctor's conclusion.
He did learn to walk.
He is so brain damaged, he'll never speak.
He did learn to speak.
As an adult, John V. Wright not only completed high school, but he went on to earn both a Bachelor and a Master of Science Degree in Meteorology from Texas A&M University.
He then lived his dream as a meteorologist at the National Weather Service for 31 years!
Why didn't Mr. Wright stop at the first giant hurdle, or the second or third one?
After interviewing Mr. Wright for a new book to be released this spring, I learned that he was absolutely passionate about studying meteorology. There was no hurdle, not even cerebral palsy that was going to stop him from achieving his dream of becoming a meteorologist.
I gain strength, and I believe others do too, from knowing what others have been able to achieve despite the enormous hurdles that were placed before them.
Would you share your story with us?
What have you achieved that someone said would be impossible for you to achieve?
It does not have to be related to a disability.
Please share your positive and uplifting message with us.
Tell us your story by answering...
As a child, I (Describe a difficulty that you faced)
As an adult, I (Describe a success you achieved)
We look forward to hearing from you.
Remember, you can get your free subscription to Prove Them Wrong Ezine by visiting...
http://www.ProveThemWrong.com
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
To Make a Difference
As a child, he was labeled a hyperactive dyslexic kid. He flunked the second grade. He couldn't learn the alphabet. Of the eight schools he attended, four expelled him. As his second grade teacher was paddling him, he vowed to himself that one day he would own his own business with a secretary who could read for him.
As an adult, Paul Orfalea earned a BS Degree in Finance from the University of Southern California and founded Kinkos Photocopy Shops which he built into a billion dollar corporation.
In 2004, Kinko's was acquired by FedEx and rebranded as FedEx Kinko's Office & Print Services.
FedEx Kinko's now operates a network of 1,700 locations in eleven countries.
Below is an excerpt from Two Billion Dollars in Nickels: Reflections on the Entrepreneurial Life, by Paul Orfalea with Dean Zatkowsky
Although society’s understanding of dyslexia and ADHD is improving, too many people still equate “difference” with “disability.” Every disability may be a difference, but not every difference is a disability.
How can we best serve students with differences?
What if we reframe the question? What if every student learns in a different way and at a different pace? That’s right: what if everyone has a learning difference? Some may fit more neatly into traditional teaching templates, but does that make others “disabled?”
We hire specialists to identify and label disabilities, but we should be learning to recognize and support hidden abilities. To be successful in school, you must be good at everything, but to be successful in life, you only have to be good at one or two things. I recognize the importance of a well-rounded education, but some people take a roundabout path to get there. For them, school should be a part of the journey paved with small victories, not an impassable mountain of accumulated failures and dismissive labels.
Instead of obsessing over what a student cannot do, we should help each student make the most of his or her individual strengths, because you don’t make a difference in this world by trying to be the same as everyone else.
End of excerpt.
What's your opinion on what you just read? Do you agree? Disagree?
Please post your comments.
As an adult, Paul Orfalea earned a BS Degree in Finance from the University of Southern California and founded Kinkos Photocopy Shops which he built into a billion dollar corporation.
In 2004, Kinko's was acquired by FedEx and rebranded as FedEx Kinko's Office & Print Services.
FedEx Kinko's now operates a network of 1,700 locations in eleven countries.
Below is an excerpt from Two Billion Dollars in Nickels: Reflections on the Entrepreneurial Life, by Paul Orfalea with Dean Zatkowsky
Although society’s understanding of dyslexia and ADHD is improving, too many people still equate “difference” with “disability.” Every disability may be a difference, but not every difference is a disability.
How can we best serve students with differences?
What if we reframe the question? What if every student learns in a different way and at a different pace? That’s right: what if everyone has a learning difference? Some may fit more neatly into traditional teaching templates, but does that make others “disabled?”
We hire specialists to identify and label disabilities, but we should be learning to recognize and support hidden abilities. To be successful in school, you must be good at everything, but to be successful in life, you only have to be good at one or two things. I recognize the importance of a well-rounded education, but some people take a roundabout path to get there. For them, school should be a part of the journey paved with small victories, not an impassable mountain of accumulated failures and dismissive labels.
Instead of obsessing over what a student cannot do, we should help each student make the most of his or her individual strengths, because you don’t make a difference in this world by trying to be the same as everyone else.
End of excerpt.
What's your opinion on what you just read? Do you agree? Disagree?
Please post your comments.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
