Back to School Reading

Over the past four years I wrote many articles for various platforms relevant to the current back to school season. Today let’s revisit some as kids, parents, and teachers continue to gear up for the 2013-2014 academic year.

“Country Songs for High School Students” (Yahoo! Voices)

Most students seem to rush to get through high school. “I can’t wait until I get out of this hell hole” I heard from my classmates back when. Yet high school also contains much to appreciate, something I hope others come to recognize from this Yahoo! Voices article.

“Bullying: A Personal Issue for Musician Chris Hendricks” (The Mobility Resource)

Last winter I interviewed musician Chris Hendricks about his anti-bullying program Breaking Down Barriers. Born with cerebral palsy, Hendricks became an easy target for bullies. Compared to other bullying related articles I’ve written, my talk with Hendricks stands out due to his approach to the topic. He sees bullying as a self-confidence issue first and foremost.

 

Special education? There is an app for that… well apps. Photo: Wikimedia Commons user Gyfjonas

“7 Apps to Use as Assistive Technology” (Special Education Guide)

In general Special Education Guide (www.specialeducationguide.com) offers an incredible resource for teachers and special needs parents.  From the articles I wrote for the site “7 Apps to Use as Assistive Technology” remains my favorite. By mentioning specific apps the piece becomes very practical, or so I think.

Interviews with Intervention Specialists Anshawn Ivery and Kelsey Kimmel (The Mobility Resource)

On separate occasions I interviewed intervention specialists Anshawn Ivery and Kelsey Kimmel for The Mobility Resource. Ivery works at Entrepreneurship Preparatory School while Kimmel spent the 2012-2013 academic year at Southington Local Schools. Both Ivery and Kimmel provide helpful insights worth reading.

Off Balanced (Available on the Kindle and Nook)

Alright, time to plug my book! I really feel Off Balanced provides potential to teenagers with disabilities, their classmates, and teachers too. Teens with disabilities can take comfort in knowing they are not alone in their battle for self-confidence. Classmates can realize despite the differences handicaps cause, teens with disabilities share common adolescent interests and desires. Off Balanced could trigger teachers to think about new possible ways to connect with special needs pupils.

Spotlighted!

Every month the Yahoo! Contributor Network (Y! CN) hands out Spotlight Awards, one to a writer and then five honoring “five exceptional pieces of content.” I’m excited to share my Yahoo! Health piece “Living with It: Student Life with Cerebral Palsy in Mainstream Classrooms” received a Spotlight Award for March 2013. In the monthly Spotlight Award winners blog announcement Y! Jelena writes the following about my chosen article.

“Often, the stories of students with disabilities are told by their parents and teachers. Zachary sheds a first-person light on his experiences in school as a young man with CP, including his fight for an identity beyond his visible disability and his mother’s struggle to keep therapy from interrupting his academic education. This Yahoo! Health piece is a matter of fact, frank look at life as a ‘special education’ student who is integrated with able-bodied students while straddling the line between mainstream classes and an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Parents, teachers, therapists, school administrators, and fellow young people with CP could benefit by reading Zachary’s take.”

Y! CN spotlights five exceptional pieces of content every month. Photo: Andrew Hurley/Wikimedia Commons

Now I feel privileged the Yahoo! Contributor Network spotlighted “Living with It: Student Life with Cerebral Palsy in Mainstream Classrooms.” Y! CN produces much content monthly so to stand out as exceptional proves no easy task. Personally I believe the fact my article accomplished this challenging act emphasizes the importance held by Off Balanced, my blog here, and ultimately firsthand accounts documenting lives with disabilities.

Bottom line people with disabilities possess insights which can help everyone better understand handicaps. Certainly the takes from parents, teachers, therapists, and other appropriate professionals deserve consideration. However a comprehensive dialogue will not emerge until people with disabilities offer their perspectives.

Ability Starts with Attitude

Yes, I know I’m a little tardy writing this week’s post but sometimes inspiration’s schedule clashes with deadlines. Saturday afternoon I enjoyed a pleasant change in pace from my usual routine, tagging along to watch friends play paintball. Their chosen battlefield ended  up a rough terrain woods. While a rough terrain the average person can navigate the landscape rather easily. As you know though, I’m not average. I have cerebral palsy and my balance issues turn a hike through the woods into a team effort.

With the right attitude, cerebral palsy and the woods equal a surprising good combination. 🙂 Photo: Ewan Munro (Wikimedia Commons)

One person walked ahead to discover exactly how much mud laid on the horizon. At times another person cleared large twigs and other obstructions from the path. Hand holding remained a constant. Throughout the adventure my one friend remarked on multiple occasions,

“Zach is going through the woods. He’s a trooper!”      

Honestly I found the comment a little silly yet amusing. I mean the thought to stay back didn’t occur to me. Why should I sit out on the day’s events? I’m just another member of our group. If my friends maintain a willingness to step up and lend assistance where needed, no reason exists to why I shouldn’t join them.

Upon deeper reflection however, I can appreciate the whole “He’s a trooper” mentality. After all I take my “just another member of the group” attitude for granted. Other people with disabilities may not exhibit such a demeanor. They might quickly play the handicap card or complain their friends pick activities too hard on them. Sure my legs felt like rubber by the time we left the woods, but a little soreness proves a worthwhile sacrifice in exchange for excellent bonding opportunities

Bottom line, ability starts with attitude. Keep an open mind. Try before you quit or complain. True friends will help you out. Reconsider that friendship label for anyone who gives you a legitimate hard time. Forget them losers. You deserve better. 😀

Film Review: Certain Proof A Question of Worth

Thought provoking, revealing, and emotional all accurately describe Footpath Pictures Inc.’s documentary Certain Proof: A Question of Worth. The film explores Kay (12 years old), Colin (nine years old), and Josh’s (five years old) lives in the American education system as students with severe cerebral palsy. All three children move around in wheelchairs and face incredible communication challenges, causing some ill-conceived assumptions regarding intelligence level.

Teachers at Josh’s school hold doubts about his cognitive ability.

Now I’m honestly struggling to pick specific details to begin addressing because Certain Proof: A Question of Worth offers so much to discuss. Kay, Colin, and Josh’s age differences works well to capture a comprehensive look at educating students with cerebral palsy. Comparing Colin and Josh’s experiences illustrates exactly why society needs to avoid assumptions. An unaware person may carry the same expectations for Colin and Josh due to both being young boys in wheelchairs with next to no verbal communication skills. Yet Certain Proof: A Question of Worth displays a sizable contrast within their abilities.

Meanwhile Kay can speak but only in a slow, drawn out manner. Don’t mistake her speech though as a sign of lower intelligence. Selected classmates interviewed for the film admitted making such a mistake until the teacher posted the students”with straight A’s and they saw Kay’s name listed. Personally I connected to this since I carried straight A’s through high school freshman year. I believe in my book Off Balanced I partly credit my academic success to my social isolation, an isolation Kay also appeared to encounter.

The fact somebody with mild cerebral palsy like me can relate to the much more intensive cerebral palsy cases featured demonstrates two points. First, filmmakers Ray and Susan Ellis deserve props for their film making talents. Secondly, Kay, Colin, and Josh possess powerful personal stories which could touch many lives. Ultimately I consider Certain Proof: A Question of Worth a must watch for students with cerebral palsy, their family members, teachers, and classmates. If your television package includes STARZ, I encourage you to find the next television air times here. Or, order the DVD online at www.certainproof.com.

*Disclaimer- I received Certain Proof: A Question of Worth at no cost after interviewing filmmaker Ray Ellis for The Mobility Resource. Read that interview.     

Introducing Special Education Guide

If you need answers to special education related questions, consider visiting www.specialeducationguide.com. Special Education Guide launched this week and features content written by talented scribes knowledgeable in the special ed realm, me included. The site comprehensively covers the topic at hand, containing sections on everything from the disability categories defined under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to the parent-teacher partnership and individual education plans (IEPs).

Now I hope the above doesn’t come across as too much self-promotion. I always try to respect the line between sharing projects I’m involved in and obnoxiously touting such works. After all, do you really like someone who blabs on about his or her self-declared greatness? I think not. 😉

PrtSc capturing Special Education Guide’s homepage.

However, I am incredibly excited to see Special Education Guide up and running. As I previously mentioned the site maintains a comprehensive look at special education. Tailored to parents and mainstream educators, Special Education Guide possesses the potential to positively impact lives.

For example, a general education teacher might experience uncertainty on how to handle a student with an emotional disturbance. Too embarrassed to express anxieties to a co-worker, he or she can alternatively seek  a few pointers by browsing Special Education Guide. This will relax the educator and create a better learning environment for the student.

Or, take parents overwhelmed by how their child’s learning disability will influence their son or daughter’s academic pursuits. Rather than surfing several websites to piece together information, Special Education Guide allows the mother and father to garner helpful knowledge all by visiting one cyber destination.

Overall a major motivation behind why I write so much about disabilities involves the chance to meaningfully guide a reader’s life. Let me assure you I know the amazing affects words can carry due to the feedback I continue to receive on my book Off Balanced. I sincerely believe Special Education Guide can collect similar reader responses.

Three Disability Related Stories Worth Checking Out

Over the past week a few stories really captured my attention, stuff you may enjoy too. Take a look and give your feedback with a comment below. Also feel free to make your own recommendations.

New Travel Show Armed & Ready
Sunday while watching an episode of Man Versus Food I saw the following TV promo.

Armed & Ready, which premiered this past Tuesday, follows the legless Kevin Michael Connolly as he embraces his thrill seeking desires. I believe Armed & Ready possesses great potential to get people to rethink rigid disability perceptions. Admittedly I missed the series debut this week but I do plan to hunt down the reruns.

Sportsmanship Reigns Supreme in High School Basketball Game
A friend shared this link on my Facebook timeline Tuesday. Aiming to honor student manager Mitchell Marcus’ dedication to the team, Coronado High School basketball coach Peter Morales decided to offer Marcus something probably previously unthinkable, action on the floor. You see Marcus’ mental disability kept him on the sidelines. However Coach Morales insisted on providing the student a moment to shine. Certainly what occurred next seemingly left everyone involved beaming with pride.

Marvel Comics Creates Hearing-Impaired Superhero
The final story I wish to mention in today’s post I actually came across Thursday by accident. Searching through Fox 8’s Facebook page for a news story I saw broadcasted Wednesday night, I became diverted. A piece titled “Hearing-Impaired Boy Inspires Superhero” intrigued me. After reading the article I felt incredibly moved. Honestly I can’t justifiably sum up the news story in a few sentences. I will say the coverage resonated with me because it reminded me why I wrote Off Balanced.

The Essence Behind Inclusion

When discussing cerebral palsy or other disabilities, you will almost certainly come across the term “inclusion.” However, the word gets thrown around so much the essence behind inclusion can get lost. John W. Quinn, fellow author (Somebody Like Me An Unlikely Story of Challenge and Triumph Over Cerebral Palsy) and familiar name to my long-time followers, explores inclusion’s meaning in a recent video blog.

Quinn hits on a point I feel well worth emphasizing. “I’m not asking for a lowering of standards in order to fit a certain need.”  His statement I believe addresses a misconception which provides a barrier to successful inclusion.

The misconception, inclusion involves lowering standards. I imagine this faulty thinking makes some people hesitant towards embracing inclusion. Ironically proper inclusion thrives off everyone pursuing/meeting the same expectations. Take as an example, The Bellingham Herald‘s news story “Olivier’s Drive, Determination Help Him Cope with Cerebral Palsy On, Off the Mat.”

Reporter Andrew Lang pens the piece sharing how high school freshman Dewald Olivier pinned his competition at a varsity level wrestling tournament last weekend. Olivier stood the ultimate underdog because he lives with cerebral palsy and uses a walker to walk. What makes his pin especially newsworthy; Dewald Olivier met the same standards as his teammates and earned the victory.

The idea for Dewald Olivier to wrestle, an Olympic sport, began as a joke amongst friends.

In fact Dewald Olivier stands an ideal example because he declined lower standards offered to him. Certain routines done during wrestling practice Olivier can’t perform, or at least not in the traditional manner. His coaches suggested to Olivier he could use the time spent on these routines to either stretch or take a break. Lang documents the freshman’s thoughts regarding the latter option.

“I didn’t feel right. I didn’t think I deserved it, because everyone else is pushing themselves. No matter what, they don’t get breaks. So I thought to myself, ‘Why should I?'”

Now I’ll wager a guess and say Olivier’s work ethic led him to pinning an able-bodied opponent. His determination to reach the same standards as his teammates enabled him to get stronger physically. Overall that’s what inclusion presents, the opportunity to grow as a person. Bottom line, the essence behind inclusion entails providing equal opportunity and allowing one’s abilities to judge where one belongs.

Do you agree? Share your thoughts on inclusion by commenting below!

Trick-or-Treating with Cerebral Palsy

With Halloween fast approaching now seems an ideal time to discuss trick-or-treating with cerebral palsy, and disabilities in general. The topic came to my mind’s forefront after seeing Cerebral Palsy Family Network post some really cool Halloween Facebook pictures featuring handicap friendly costumes. For example, the Darth Vader below.

I’m not big on Star Wars but what an awesome costume! Photo: Originally posted by Kevin Tostado to Flickr

Following the initial “Wow! How cool is this?” reaction, what comes to your mind next? I start to wonder about trick-or-treating accessibility. If this kid went trick-or-treating around his neighborhood, how many houses can he actually go up to? I remember encountering some hassles when I went trick-or-treating as a child, mostly ascending and descending front stairs without a banister. Steep steps also caused me to take my time. Overall though the small setbacks never ruined my fun.

Then again I did stop trick-or-treating probably before most children. I don’t believe I did any door-to-door candy shopping as a teenager. Yet I’m sure several 13 and 14-year olds get dressed up, gather together, and go free sweet hunting. If I did so, I speculate a similar situation to the 2003 Auto Show, which I recall in my book Off Balanced, might’ve occurred. Fearing falling behind, I would rush and consequently not enjoy myself so much.

Anyways, enough about what never happened. 🙂 Ultimately, my CP didn’t stop me from enjoying trick-or-treating. I am however rather intrigued to learn how disabilities affected others’ Halloween night experiences, especially those who use wheelchairs. Please captivate me by sharing your insights via a comment below.

Disability Awareness Amongst Teenagers

Heartwarming to deplorable accurately describes the emotional range created by news articles about teens with disabilities. Take yesterday for example. Going through the daily Google Alert emails for “cerebral palsy” still in my inbox, I came across a NBC Local 15 (AL/FL news station) report which appalled me.  14-year-old Austin Stokes ended up going to the hospital after getting seriously assaulted on school grounds. He explains the incident.

“I was walking out in the breezeway and I threw the coke can at the boy because he called me a retard. Then, the next thing out of the blue he punched me and lift me off the ground and I became airborne.”

While possessing the ability to throw a soda can, Stokes doesn’t maintain a good chance at victory in a fight. According to the news report, his cerebral palsy leaves him partially blind and paralyzed. Also note Stokes’ assailant, a high school senior, holds a size and age advantage.  A 17-year-old should display the maturity to walk away after a can gets hurled his way. I assume the student to be 17 or 18 years old given his class rank.

Yet again I want to think a 17-year-old knows better than to call somebody with a physical disability “retarded.” Such behavior stems from ignorance. Overall the news story further motivates me to engage able-bodied individuals and get them to read my book Off Balanced. I believe Off Balanced can open eyes, getting ordinary students to see their peers with disabilities as kids sharing similar wants and needs.

Thankfully some individuals out there already own this perspective. Let me demonstrate by returning to the emotional range I previously mentioned. I went from disgust reading the Austin Stokes story to delight when I checked out a Fox 8 (N.C.) report about high school freshman Brionna Miller. Impressed by her positive attitude Miller’s peers voted her onto the Homecoming Court. Her classmates allowed themselves to see Miller’s personality first rather than her wheelchair. Ultimately this stands as any disability advocate’s goal.

*Author’s Note: I know personally my goal writing and publishing Off Balanced involves helping to cultivate more stories where teenagers celebrate their peers with disabilities as people first.Currently I’m seeking advice on how to reach more able-bodied teenagers. Please leave any suggestions via commenting below or through emailing contact@zacharyfenell.com.   

Update on Cyber Reading, Plus More

As you might notice I still need to post the Off Balanced Cyber Reading/Q & A. I originally planned to post the video to Youtube Monday, September 17th. Unfortunately, I fell behind on my to-do list so I currently remain at work on the video’s production. However, I’m almost 100% certain the Off Balanced Cyber Reading/Q & A will get posted before the week’s end. In the meantime I invite you to checkout my latest articles for The Mobility Resource.

EXCLUSIVE: The Desktop Desk Increases Accessibility Inside the Classroom and Beyond

I interview special education teacher and Desktop Desk inventor Robert Mayben. The Desktop Desk enables greater table accessibility for individuals with disabilities. While I could describe how the assistive technology device helps people with disabilities, I’m probably best off recommending you read the product’s testimonials at desktopdesk.com.

The Desktop Desk increases people with disabilities’ abilities to use laptop computers. Photo provided by Robert Mayben.

Robert and I discuss the origin behind the Desktop Desk and how the device assists building  stronger communities through sponsorship programs. The article also includes an exclusive $400 discount for Mobility Resource readers (valid throughout September). If the Desktop Desk sounds like something which could enhance the life of someone you know, make sure to read my article and learn more about the deal.

Children’s Author Zach Wood Aims to Increase Disability Awareness

Imagine my book Off Balanced but geared to young children rather than teenagers. You now hold the core concept behind Zach Wood’s Carlos Goes to Preschool and Carlos Rides the School Bus. I greatly admire Zach for his mission to raise disability awareness amongst kids in preschool and elementary school. In our Skype interview we talk about his goals with the Carlos Series, future writing projects, and other ambitious disability awareness goals. I  especially advise the read for preschool/elementary school teachers and parents with young children who have disabilities.