Talking Point #9

Christopher Kliewer; "Schooling Children with Down Syndrome"

Author's Argument:
Kliewer argues that all children no matter what the disability or what their health may be still have the ability to learn and be successful in some way.

Quotes:
1. "He set the bottle on a shelf, waved his arms wildly, punched his fist into the air, shouted out a long series of sounds, and plopped a baseball cap sideways on his head."
Even though some people may have a handicap, does not mean that they are unable to express themselves. This student for instance, has a disability and with him putting his fist in the air, and shouting out long series of sounds he was able to express himself. Some people may see him has a person that is disablied but then there will be others that see him as a very expressive person because of what he did. Everyone should be able to express themselves and it shows here that you do not have to be a "healthy" person in order to express yourself. You can have disablities and be a great person. When a person is able to show who they really are and others can look through the disability and see the good inside someone then that is when acceptance is generated.

2. "Instead, Vygotsky understood children to be active constructors of knowledge who constantly enter into new relationships of understanding with adults, peers, and materials."
Children as also people of knowledge. Many people mainly adults do not understand or are able to see that. When a child is young and interupt an "adult conversation" to make a point they are brushed off as being "too young" or "not knowing what they are talknig about." Even though they may be young, they may still have a point to be made that may impact the way people view things. When children are young, that it when they will being to develop who and what they are going to become. The people that surround them daily are the people that are going to have the biggest impact on the children because they are around so often. Children are the future of the world and every generation from now until the end of time will be saying that. With their thoughts and their knowledge is how the world will improve or decline. Without the minds of people before us and the minds of the people now, we would not have the technology and resources that we have in today's society.

3. "As such, education is considered a dual process of group and individual transformation through which children (1) establish together a unique community in thoughtfully planned activites, projects, experiences, and problems; and (2) support one another's membership in that community."
When children are able to communicate with each other and form groups that help them educate themselves that is when they are able to learn at their best. When students are brought into the world of a disabled kid with lets say, down syndrome, then when they grow older, they will have some experience on how to manage and work with child with disabilities. There are some children that are in the classroom with the child that has down syndrome and they may become teachers. When they become teachers, they will have some experience of how to handle a child that may have that disease or any other disease that can be considered a "learning disability." Then when students are able to accept the students with the disease then the child with the disease will feel accepted by the other students in the classroom. When there is acceptance in the classroom then the classroom will be a great place to learn in.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
I believe, as a future teacher, that all students should be able to learn. No matter what disease, handicap, or diability they should be able to learn. They will be able to learn if people are willing to put in time and effort to help educate them.