Created by Stephanie Close
EDU 1153 - Assignment 3.1 Disability Display
Angelman Syndrome
What I Learned
Prior to my research into AS I would have wondered why would someone, with severe disabilities, want to be in school, and why would a parent of a child with severe disabilities, like AS, want their child to go to a mainstream school? Reading through the massive amounts of data on AS I came to the conclusion that children of all disabilities and abilities benefit from being in school, especially the social aspect. Children learn so much through socialization with their peers. Children with disabilities may not follow most of the same curriculum as the majority of the kids, but what they will learn (communication, learning life skills, forming bonds, etc.) are life changing and have lasting effects. This project has helped me realize that all children have the ability to learn and it’s up to us as Educational Assistants to foster these accomplishments.
Why I Chose This Topic
I chose Angelman Syndrome off the top of the list and quickly Googled the syndrome. I found a moving YouTube video (See video below) of the Rivard family trying to gain awareness for the syndrome. Looking at this young family (real, ordinary, everyday people) and listening to what they had to say moved me and made their daughter, Hannah, more than a disability and more than a statistic. I’m grateful to have learned about Angelman Syndrome. I’m still far from being an expert on the subject, but I feel that what I do know will help me in my career as an Educational Assistant to better help children with varying disabilities.
watch this video of the rivard family and their daughter, hannah
(Sarah Rivard, 2014)