International Day of People with Disability

Everyday is a Special Day in Special Education

On 2 December 2022, as we celebrated the International Day of People with Disability at Cecil Hills High School, I looked back on my teaching career in Special and Inclusive Education. The first time I saw a School for Specific Purposes was in 1991 in South Africa. All students at Helen Franz School for Handicapped had Physical disabilities. It was an eye-opening experience for my husband and I. 

A year after teaching at the school, we migrated to Sydney with our ten-year-old daughter and our eight-year-old son. We wanted to pursue a career in Special Education, and we got the approval to teach in NSW and graduated in Special Education to teach students with disabilities. 

I stayed at my first job for six years before I joined Cecil Hills High School in 2001. I found Cecil Hills HS a perfect place to continue my career and even to this day, I am happy to wake up in the morning to go to school and be with my Cecil family.

While I wanted to share some information about different disabilities with you, remember disability is not black and white. Two people with the same disability may not have the same experiences. At Cecil Hills, we have students with physical disability, intellectual (moderate to severe), and Autism. 

Our educational goals for our students are to achieve success in reading, writing and numeracy, ability to manage money, make personal decisions, be competent in the community to gain a job and stay in the job or participate in post school program, have reliable friends, and socialise in the community. Opportunities are provided to participate in social events, sporting programs, work experience and community access. Working hard at school, our students have been successful in achieving a position in the workforce or other programs.

Of all the disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder is the most challenging disability to understand for the general population. Autism spectrum disorder, commonly known as ASD, affects how people communicate and interact with others. It affects how they make sense of the world.

Autism is a developmental condition that is typically life-long. People with autism experience difficulties with communication, social interaction and restricted/repetitive interests and behaviours. Sensory issues, such as oversensitivity or under sensitivity to sounds, smells or touch, often accompany these. All these difficulties may lead to behavioural challenges in some individuals.

The term “spectrum” emphasises that autism presents differently in everyone. People with autism have a wide range of challenges as well as abilities.

I have spent one-third of my life teaching students with disabilities at this school

I have many fond memories of my students; they are all unique in their personalities. They are all differentially abled. I am privileged to have taught them and learned a lot of patience, empathy, compassion, and kindness by teaching them. The 3rd of December is the day of People with Disability - a day in a year devoted to promoting the rights and well-being of people with disabilities. 

As a member of society, everyone a duty to allow people with disabilities to experience the life they deserve.   Here are some general etiquette tips:

Treat everyone as you would like to be treated.

Always ask before assisting. Just because a person has a disability does not mean that they want your assistance. Some people with disabilities are not comfortable with people whom they don’t know.

Think before you speak.

Greet them the same way you would anyone else.

Talk directly to the person, not their caregiver. 

Be respectful.

Listen patiently and attentively to a person who has difficulty speaking. 

Do not try to finish their thoughts for them.

Not all people are born with a disability. Some people have acquired a disability after an accident/trauma or medical condition. 

Invite peers from the Support Unit for your birthdays.

Language matters - be polite and respectful to everyone.

Treat adults with disabilities as adults.

The theme this year is Transformative Solutions for Inclusive Development: The Role of Innovation for an Accessible and Equitable World.

We promote inclusion and equality in our school when every student and teacher can create an inclusive environment for our students in the Unit. 

At our school, we have students form Support unit representing the Student Representative Council.

We accommodate our students in all the curriculum activities as much as we can.

The aim of observing this day each year is to increase awareness and understanding of disability issues and the issues regarding integrating people with disabilities.

There is always a disparity between the abled and the disabled. A disabled person who practices kindness often is mentally stronger than other individuals. This is because he/she understands and knows the use of sympathy, empathy, and compassion even when everything goes wrong.

The nomination and celebration of this day are essential tools in promoting the rights of people with a disability. Anyone with a disability faces discrimination. By celebrating this day, we have an opportunity to pause and look both at what we have achieved as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe. The disruption in learning caused by the pandemic has reversed years of progress and has exacerbated inequalities in education.

Many students with autism have been especially hard hit and studies show that they have been disproportionately affected by disruptions to routines, as well as services and supports that they rely on.

When people enjoy their good health, nothing seems to bother them or have a concern for people who need extra help in looking after themselves. Some of them target weak and vulnerable students and give them a difficult time at school. Years after school, people have faced tragedies in life and that has led to situations where they require someone’s assistance to survive the rest of their lives.

I have seen this happen to students I know. While enjoying your life please consider your peers who need help, a little extra time to understand you, and need a little patience. If you consider leading a life of sharing and caring for others, you can create a better world for people with disabilities.

Invite your peers in the Support Unit for birthdays and other events you celebrate. I urge every one of you to have more understanding of the needs of people with disabilities. Try to create an accessible and equitable place for everyone

Four of my colleagues are retiring this week and I take my hat off to these extraordinary ladies who have put their heart and soul into teaching and learning in Special Education. They worked tirelessly to help the students achieve their best at school and in the future. Together they have contributed more than a hundred years of service to Special Education. Happy Retirement, Margaret Beadle (Teacher) Agnes McIntyre, Maria Sanfilippo and Wendy Holmes (School Learning Support Officers). 

Mary Lukose

Head Teacher - Special Education