Don't Judge One's Abilities; Judge Their Opportunities by Cristina

Cristinaof San Francisco's entry into Varsity Tutor's July 2017 scholarship contest

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Cristina of San Francisco, CA
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Don't Judge One's Abilities; Judge Their Opportunities by Cristina - July 2017 Scholarship Essay

I am sure we can all agree that each person learns at different rates or has different processes in dealing with their emotions.

I am confident that we all would agree that not every person learns at the same rate or pace. This is apparent within the individual grades within a math class as not every student will have earned an “A”. I am also confident that we would not go to the grocery store and shun the “C” math students or look upon them with fear. Could we agree that we wouldn’t want to be that “C” student if we knew there could be an element of being socially avoided? I am sure we would all study harder.

Now imagine the spectrum of learning differences and extend that below the “norm”. These individuals may have cognitive impairments that hinder their academic successes. In addition, they may have additional developmental or psychological disorders that cause behavior that could be seen as “odd” when compared to “normal” standards. Perhaps the individual even physically looks different. Do we “shun” this individual at the local market?

The normal course for these individuals was institutionalization. House them and medicate them… hide them from the community. Just because they learn differently then what society calls “normal”. For a long time we did not even have the opportunity to “shun” because these individuals were “away”.

Thankfully, a deinstitutionalization movement is picking up momentum. Individuals are able to leave the institution and assimilate into the community through supported residential living. These individuals, once living a life with no choices or variety, now have the opportunity to live a life that we have taken for granted. So instead of looking at these individuals with fear when you encounter them in the community, spark up a conversation. Let’s be ambassadors for society and welcome those who may learn differently than us.

Remember, at the end of the day… a grade does not make the person. Look beyond someone’s abilities and begin to see their opportunity.

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