Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome

This week the reading was “Citizenship in School:  Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome” by Christopher Kliewer.  In his essay, Kliewer analyzes “the meaning of school citizenship for students with Down syndrome as it relates to (1) literacy development and (2) friendship formation” (pg 74).  Kliewer uses research by Kozol, Freire, Gardner, Vygotsky (to name a few) as well as his own field research to prove that children with Down syndrome not only can have meaningful relationships and be productive members of society, but that they can learn.  The best part of this essay was that Kliewer proved that people with Down syndrome could live meaningful, productive lives.

           

At first I was disappointed because the essay was written in 1998 and some of Kliewer’s research was rather old; however, as I read the essay, I realized that his research was actually timeless in a way.  People with Down syndrome have always been special people, with special strengths and weaknesses but “normal?” folks just did not “get” them years ago.  I am almost 50 and I remember at my high school, the “retarded” students (as they were called in the 70s) were stuck in a special room and rarely left this room.  Every now and then we would get a glimpse of them but for the most part they were not a part of mainstream education and they did not socialize the other students.  How sad and lonely it must have been for special education students during that time.  Obviously they can learn and they have feelings, this has been determined over the year.  I was thinking about the Rodriguez reading when Kliewer says, “democracy can only occur when no person’s voice is deterministically silenced” (pg. 72).   Once I had my daughter and she was going through the school system, I realized how absurd the special education students were treated years ago.  Mandy was part of the Pals program in elementary school where the school paired a special needs student with a regular ed student.  It was one of the best exeriences because Mandy was quite shy.  This program allowed her to be a leader and to help another student.  It was a win/win for everyone.

In Gerri August’s essay “Making Room for One Another”, she says, “Vygotsky determined that the higher psychological functions of human beings originate in social interaction and then are internalized.”  This is so clear in Kliewer’s case study on the student John Mcgough.  John was in a segregated school, had little contact with the community outside his Down syndrome world, and was considered uneducable.  It wasn’t until John moved to a community that embraced him for the competent human being he was that John was able to find success and happiness.  Amazingly, John found art through his community connection and his paintings are sold in shows around the country.  This social interaction with the community gave John models to look up to, admire, and emulate. Just like my daughter, another win/win on both ends.  As we read in Johnson’s piece, Kliewer also says, “We have got to learn to get along as individuals and as citizens” (pg 74).

But I have a question I hope we can chat about tomorrow night.   Why can’t the public have trust in what most teachers know is right for our students?  On page 78 we see the teacher, Shanyne (Isaac and Anne’s teacher) use the curriculum as a guide.  She knows her students so well and has such a good instinct for what they really need that she makes necessary adjustments that have huge impacts on her students lives.  I just don’t know why the public (or whomever) does not trust educators to know what is best for students.

Please take a few minutes to read this timely article posted Saturday from a CNN writer who is the dad of a child with Down syndrome.  Excellent article and exactly what I think Kliewer was trying to tell us 14 years ago …

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/16/opinion/perry-down-syndrome/index.html