Higher Education not Special Education by Suzanne

Higher Education not Special Education by Suzanne - December 2014 Scholarship Essay

When I was born, doctors were not hopeful about my success in school as I was born with congenital glaucoma. Being blind has caused some problems, but I always considered myself an advanced student, not "special education," though my schools all labeled me as such. As I progressed through my schooling, I encountered many teachers who had never even met a legally blind person before, let alone had to teach one. Though I met many teachers who did not seem to care much to help me, I also met some teachers who knew I saw the world differently and were willing to help me share my perspective with the world.

Throughout my high school experience, I have noticed there is little help in the advanced courses for disabled students. I have always been in advanced classes, but every new class I was enrolled in was a challenge for school officials. Some teachers were stubborn and refused to change their methods of teaching, which often included visual elements such as using a projector or writing on the board. Their lack of an accommodating nature frustrated me, as the only way for me to see their writing and learn from it was to use bulky devices that were not practical to use in more than one class and would not fit on a desk. The subjects that these teachers taught, which might have been interesting, quickly became my least favorite and the ones I knew the least about. Though I tried very hard to learn what I could in those classes, those teachers were not helpful and did not recognize my effort in a class that was difficult for me to understand without the use of visual information.

Luckily, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and to contrast those unaccommodating teachers, there were some very helpful and influential teachers. These teachers were helpful to me and to all the other students and were willing to change their methods of teaching so that each and every student could understand the material. These teachers never allowed me to give up on something, just because I could not see, as they realized that my lack of sight gave me a different way of perceiving things, so they had to have a different way of teaching things.

These teachers that realized that each student has a different perspective on the world, made me realize I wanted to teach English, specifically to students who were disabled. I want to help students that have been in my predicament before who know how frustrating it is to sit in a classroom and not understand anything, simply because you cannot see or cannot hear. I want to make it my job as a teacher to let those students know that they do have something worthwhile to share. Their perspective on the world is unique, and their disability makes it even more so.

As an English teacher, it would be my job to teach these students how to express themselves effectively, in a world where the person who talks the loudest is the one who is heard. I do not want my students to be the ones who talk the loudest to be heard; I want my students to be the ones whose words are so important, that the world is quiet for a moment to listen to what they have to say. It would be my goal as an English teacher to change these students’ perspectives not only on themselves, but also on the way they express themselves, as I know these students have the ability to change the world and teachers have the ability to unlock that potential.