From the Boston Globe:

First, classroom teacher Maggie Doben developed a curriculum to help elementary school students understand physical disabilities. Then she made a documentary film about the process, “Labeled Disabled,” that shows how personal interactions with people with disabilities can help kids put aside preconceptions, stigma and fear.

Along the way, kids ask tough questions and get unexpected answers. For instance:

If you could wake up tomorrow and be able to see (hear, walk, etc.), would you want that?

Most often, the answer is a resounding “no.”

Among the visitors to her classroom are people who talk firsthand about paralysis, blindness, deafness, about being little people or having a prosthetic leg. They’re satisfied with their lives, and able to do everything anyone else can do — although perhaps in a different way.

Doben’s goal: To help the kids move past cultural stigmas and respect all people.

(Graphic from labeleddisabledfilm.com)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 at 1:32 pm and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, blindness/visual impairments, deaf/hard of hearing, disabilities, education, limb loss, personal stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post