I feel that the home visit that I took part in was one of the most valuable experiences that I have had since deciding to become a teacher. What I learned from this visit was genuine and raw information about the struggles, accomplishments, and joys of children and the families of children with disabilities. The family that I visited introduced me to an entirely new way of thinking about the importance of inclusion in schools.

As my classmate and I drove to our participating family’s house, my mind was full of questions and assumptions about the student that I was going to visit. I wondered what his actual disability was, what kind of needs he had, how old he was, if he attended school, etc. As soon as I walked in the family’s front door, all of those thoughts disappeared. I didn’t see a child with a hindering disability; I saw a happy young man, in his comfortable environment, with a smile extending from ear to ear to have visitors over to meet him! It was great getting to introduce myself to him, and though he needs assistance to speak, he was fully able to express his excitement about us being there.

The child, his mother, my classmate, and I, began our visit by sitting down and looking at the pictures of their family at the dining room table. The mother began telling us about her four children, two of which have disabilities. The older of her two boys was born with Cerebral Palsy and the younger son was born with Down Syndrome. She described to us the intimate experiences she was faced with when she learned that her sons were both born with disabilities. The up and down struggles that she dealt with mentally, physically, and emotionally as a young mother were very intense and emotional to listen to. Hearing her stories not only touched me as a future educator, but also as a mother and a member of society as well.

When her first son started school, she described herself as a woman “who didn’t know a whole lot of anything” about the rights that her child had as a student of the public education system. She entered her first IEP meeting with a room full of people who acted as if they knew what was best for her son. She explained how she felt lied to because not a single one of these men and women personally knew her child, yet they were telling her what his needs and strengths were. She explained how she sat quietly throughout the meeting, nodding her head yes as they superficially discussed her son and his academic future. She had a hard time following the discussions and comprehending the terminology because at this point she possessed very little knowledge about the IEP process. As a parent of a child with a disability, this experience left her feeling powerless and unable to take part in her son’s academic success.

As her son advanced in school, she was faced with him being subjected to extremely appalling and negative situations. Having to deal with difficult teachers and learning environments which were not suitable for her son academically, physically, or emotionally, pushed her towards learning more about his right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). She began asking questions and discussing her opinions with the teachers of the daycare that both of her sons attended. These professionals taught her about her children’s rights, along with her rights as a parent. She obtained many resources and to this day continues to educate herself about the rights of her children. After years of uncertainty and fear that her sons were not being provided the education that they deserve, she can now proudly say that she took the initiative to become the number one advocate for her children.

This experience was life changing for me. I think that every educator should be given the opportunity to take part in such a rich experience. Now that I have heard a parents first hand experiences with advocating for a disabled child, I have so much more insight on the importance of classroom inclusion. I will never look at having a disabled student in my class as a disadvantage; instead I will look at it as a unique opportunity.