Many people in Harriet's new school will see her as the average, new 11-year-old student. After leaving her old school--and an old friend-- her reflective blog may have everyone thinking otherwise.
At Harriet's old school she had a friend named Eleanor who had a disability. Harriet began to notice that everyone, classmates, teachers, and even the principal treated Eleanor differently from the rest of her peers. But why?
"The aides act almost as if they are terrified of her and because they act this way, most of the other kids do, too." Harriet explained. "She is treated and represented and misinterpreted as though she can't learn like any other 5th grader. I think she can, but she is never given the chance."
"My dream," writes Harriet, "is to work on the challenge of helping kids belong and help change the thinking about how all kids are included in our schools."
Click here to read Harriet's full blog post.
As educators we work to meet the needs of all our students, and to provide an inclusive atmosphere that is welcoming for all. This year Behrman House teamed up with Gateways: Access for Jewish Education to bring a new Passover haggadah to your table, where everyone has a place.
With its clear pages, quiet design, and text accompanied by specially created pictograms developed in conjunction with Mayer-Johnson, the new Gateways Haggadah welcomes families with children of all abilities and disabilites to a Passover celebration that is accessible for the whole family.
The Gateways Haggadah will be released in January for Passover 2015, and quantity discounts will be available. For sample pages, click here. Pre-orders available.
