First They Are Children
by Lynn Moore, Donna Nylander, and Anne Shannon
Adam, a three-year-old with Down's syndrome, is entering your program. He looks different from other children, and he has developmental delays. He plays with toys, but his play is not complex. He feeds himself, but he only uses a spoon. He speaks, but his speech is often hard to understand. He tries to interact with other children and responds when they approach him, but these interactions are usually brief (Bredekamp and Rosegrant, 1992).
In most families, the first day of school triggers excitement and anxiety. In families with children who have disabilities, parents are also concerned about their child's rights. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 gave parents the right to enroll preschool children with disabilities in neighborhood child-care settings. The act requires that you assess each child on a case-by-case basis and decide what changes would be necessary to include that child in your program (Fink, 1992). If a child with disabilities wants to enter your program, what steps should you take to make sure it's going to work out for both of you?
Where Do I Start?
Always remember that children are more alike than different. In all important ways, disabilities don't make a difference. Children need to feel welcome, and they need to feel safe, both physically and emotionally. They also need to have friends and to feel as if they belong. All children should be encouraged to live up to their potential, and every child should be celebrated for his or her uniqueness. It's easy to focus on the differences, but there are two important things that you should keep in mind. They (the kids in your care) are all children, and they all have special needs (Wolery, Strain, and Bailey, 1992).
Louise Derman-Sparks says that teachers must become aware of their own deep-seated attitudes. One mother asked her day-care provider to "try to get past his face." Try to look beyond the features that remind you of the disability, whether they are physical, mental, or emotional. If you can't see beneath the surface, it's hard to believe in the child's potential. Children who are not disabled should also be able to ask questions, gain information, and express their feelings about disabilities.
"The challenge for the teacher is to treat each child as an individual. If you treat everyone the same, you are not using each child's uniqueness. Seek and recognize the differences and help the child feel comfortable with her differences. The goal is to develop an appreciation for each child as an individual. Then we can help parents value their child as an individual." (Neugebauer, 1992)
What About the Curriculum?
Gear your curriculum toward individual children. Seek input from families and be sure your program involves contact with children who are developing typically. Model your program after other high-quality programs for children with typical development (Woverly, Strain, Bailey, 1992). Make learning activities and materials concrete, real, and relevant to the lives of young children. The classroom environment, outdoor activities, materials, and equipment should be organized and easy to obtain. Work to develop the skills listed on the individualized education plan by using child-centered and teacher-led activities.
How Do I Answer Questions from Peers and Parents?
Children do notice differences in people, although they tend to become aware of disabilities later than they become aware of gender and race. By age 2, some children begin to recognize obvious differences in physical abilities (Derman-Sparks, 1989). In the past, children were told not to point, stare, or ask questions about people with disabilities. Today, we believe that children should be encouraged to ask questions in a respectful way. They should know that it's okay to have questions and concerns. Children may believe that they can catch a disability or that it is a punishment. Acknowledge and correct these fears gently.
Always use correct language. Say, for example, "Adam was born with Down's syndrome. That means it takes him a little longer to do things." Include all of the children in these conversations. Answer questions as they come up and give simple and direct responses. If the child uses adaptive equipment at school, encourage him to show how it works. Or you could invite the parent or a nurse to come demonstrate the equipment. Let the other children experience how it works.
Parents often fear that a child with special needs will take time and energy away from their child. Talk with them about this concern and set the tone for future dialogue. Invite parents and community members to take part in your programs and get people involved during and after your activities. Help the other parents understand why parents with special-needs children want their kids in "normal" settings. Point out that having children with disabilities in the classroom is good for their children. They'll learn to accept differences, they'll benefit from a number of teaching strategies, and they'll have the chance to be a peer helper or to see how this is done. And, as you demonstrate daily your belief that everyone is special, the kids will learn to feel valued for their own uniqueness. As an active learner in this environment, they learn to become supportive adults.
Most educators believe that the parent is the child's first and most important teacher. When you involve a child's family and understand their strengths and needs, the child benefits. But the family benefits too as they receive support in dealing with the challenges and joys of raising their child. For the best results, parents and professionals should work together. We are only limited by our vision, our creativity, and our willingness to work as partners!
Suggestions
As a first step in countering bias, rearrange the room where children play, adding appropriate materials. But remember, just putting children with and without disabilities together doesn't instantly reduce fears or create friendships. Take these steps to help the children accept and value each other.
1. Take a look at your classrooms. Make sure toys and other materials are easy to reach. This may mean putting materials on lower shelves, widening pathways, and adding chairs, pillows, or bolsters for circle time. If a child is active, rearranging the furniture will get rid of large areas where children like to run. Make sure your materials are at the right developmental and physical levels for each child. You may want to include more sensory-motor, tactile, or adaptive toys. Ask parents and a special education consultant, if possible, to help evaluate your classroom and its materials before a child with disabilities enters your program.
2. Bring disabilities into your classroom by using pictures, stories, and dolls. There are many excellent books that discuss a variety of disabilities in both children and adults. But don't let disabilities become a "theme." These books should be used naturally all through the year. Several cutting-edge programs have created dolls with disabilities. One such program is New Friends, a part of the Chapel Hill Project. To reach them, call (919)490-5577. Other dolls are described in Louise Derman-Sparks's Anti-Bias Curriculum. For puppets with disabilities, call New Kids on the Block at (410)290-9045. Play-acting with dolls and puppets is an excellent way for children to learn to discuss their feelings, and they are a natural addition to your classroom. Create a puppet troupe of children with disabilities and have them perform for the class or at parent and community events.
3. Let children explore special equipment used by persons with disabilities. If you do not have a child with a disability in your classroom, you may want to add certain props to your play areas after they are discussed in a story. Local hospitals, rehab institutes, physical therapists, and special education programs may let you borrow equipment or buy old equipment. At first, children may be afraid of this equipment, but they'll learn to enjoy riding in a wheelchair or using a special communication system.
4. Recognize that a child with a disability is just like any other child. She may need your help in entering a group or playing with a new toy. Part of your task with this new child may be helping her learn how to approach and play with peers. You may need to be the child's play partner for a while. Then you can fade out of the picture as the child learns these skills and begins to use them.
5. Pair children as "buddies." Children can help each other in math, art, language activities, and in outdoor play. This gives children an organized way to get to know each other. Make sure the child with the disability has the chance to be the helper too.
References
Bredekamp, S. 1987. Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Bredekamp, S., and T. Rosegrant. 1992. Reaching Potentials: Appropriate Curriculum and Assessment for Young Children, vol 1. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Edelman, L. (Ed.). 1991. Getting on Board: Training Activities to Promote the Practice of Family-Centered Care. Baltimore, MD: Association for the Care of Children's Health.
Fink, D. May 1992. The Americans with Disabilities Act. Child Care Information Exchange, pp. 43-46.
Neugebauer, B. (Ed.). 1992. Alike and Different: Exploring our Humanity with Young Children (rev. ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Sparks-Derman, L. 1989. Anti-Bias Curriculum Tools for Empowering Young Children. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Additional Resources
Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project, (919)490-5577, FAX (919)490-4905.
Department of Children and Family Services, Child Care Resource and Referral System.
Illinois Early Childhood Intervention Clearinghouse. For information or bibliographies on birth to five issues, call 1(800)852-4302.
Kids on the Block. For information, call (410)290-9045.
Project Choices (Children have Opportunities in Integrated Sites). Funded by Illinois State Board of Education. (708)778-4520.
R*TAS/ITAP. Birth to Five Staff Development Grants. Funded by Illinois State Board of Education. For a listing of lending libraries, glossary terms, and a schedule of birth-to-five training, call (708)957-7100.