From The Classroom

Wheelchair Basketball!

Last week Team 3/4 experienced something unique!

All of the students got to play basketball in a wheelchair.

As a part of the whole school concept of Social Justice, Team 3/4 students are learning about how it might feel and how they might act if they were in ‘Someone Else’s Shoes.’ As part of this learning students are answering the following essential questions: -

• How can we respect those who are different from us?
• What is it like to live with a disability?
• How can we make rules and laws that are fair for everyone?
• What can I learn from people who live with a disability?

To support their learning WheelTalk (from Disability Sport and Recreation, Victoria) came to the school and provided an opportunity for students to hear unique stories about what it is like to live with a disability and play wheelchair basketball.

Orfeo and Brendan were fabulous presenters, sharing their life stories with the students. Students asked questions and learned how they coped with the changes that were caused by a tragic accident. They were engaging and it was enlightening to hear how something so terrible can turn into something with many positive possibilities. Students learned how they are able to drive a car, get dressed in the mornings, learn new skills, continue life with adjustments and how they represented Australia in the Paralympics and won gold!

Afterwards, each class had a ball playing wheelchair basketball! Firstly, they had to learn how to drive the wheelchair and turn the wheelchair, which wasn’t as easy as it seemed. However, once a few basic rules of the game were explained it was off, off and away! It was the blue chairs vs the black chairs and all students tried their hardest to be first to the ball. There was some dribbling, but mostly passes to get the ball down the court. And for the lucky few students who had the strength in their arms to shoot a hoop (as the hoops remained at normal competition height), points were scored.

It was a wonderful, memorable experience for all students. They had the opportunity to listen and talk to people with a disability and experience what it was like, even for a short time, to live in their shoes.

Compiled by

Julie Tainsh