What does it mean to
teach? In simple basic terms, according to the dictionary, it is a verb. It
means to impart knowledge of or skill in; give instruction in, and impart
knowledge or skill to; instruct to. We all understand the basic definition of
teaching. The question is, how do we define teachable moments or teachers
themselves?
I recently graduated
with a Master's in education. Still, my institution told me that I could not
get a teacher's certification, according to Pennsylvania, because I was too
disabled to teach. At first, this statement, to put it nicely, perplexed me.
What did it mean I was also disabled to teach? How could they judge me without allowing
me to try? As time has gone by, I have begun to understand their position. I disagree
with it, but I understand it now.
They look at disabled
people in a traditional box. Due to my physical limitations, they could not
look past my lack of physical capability and see the great deal of knowledge
that I can pass on to others. They were afraid to go to bat for someone so
different, even if they had great knowledge to pass on. I've also changed my
perception of what a teacher is in general. Yes, a great deal of teaching
occurs in the classroom, and eventually, that is something I want to do.
However, I have learned that disabled teachers can exist, and often they have
greater mobility than traditional teachers.
Until society and those
in higher education stop putting disabled people in a box, we need to take
ourselves out of that box. For the time being, we might not b able to be
traditional classroom teachers, but every disabled person has a story to tell
and lessons they can teach those around them. Often the most powerful learning
occurs outside the classroom, not in it. Disabled people in general
and society need to expand their definitions of a classroom and realize that
there are teachable moments every day in the life. You can teach your aides,
and they can teach you. You can lead a stranger on the street and change their
life forever. To do so, there are a few necessary components, none of which
involve the traditional four walls of a schoolhouse.
To be an effective
teacher with a disability, one needs first to understand themselves and their
limitations. Second, they need to view events in their lives as having a
purpose, even the small and bad ones. Third, they need to find their outlet.
Mine happens to be writing at this point; others might find their outlet in
other ways. However, one finds their outlet; it is essential to develop it.
Finally, for disabled people to be effective teachers, we need to not give in
to what society says it has mandated for us. If we develop our voice and tell
our story and it touches one person, we have been influential teachers.
Traditional classroom
teachers and teachers who teach online are often knowledgeable about content. With
the way teaching is now, they have minimal opportunity to bring their
experience into the classroom. It is those teachers that do so that turn into
great teaches. Disabled people have a leg up on the second crucial teaching
element that great classroom teachers excel at. While some of us, hopefully,
myself included, will eventually be a classroom teacher, disabled people must
look for unique teaching opportunities until society realizes that we can be
teachers in the traditional sense just like everyone else. These traditional
opportunities may include writing a blog like this one, teaching a class online,
or just having a conversation with someone who asks a question about
disability. Whichever way you choose to be a teacher, it is clear that we need
more disabled teachers in this world because there is so much we learn daily
from one another. Why not be a part of that conversation if you have a
disability?
