was this speech self centered?
blondieblue227
Posts: 4,509
after i gave this speech somebody told me it was self centered.
please be honest. don't put this lady with a disability on a pedestal.
if you want to talk about inclusion, fine but answer.... was is self centered?
to my local school board:
I spoke at the last meeting on my experience with inclusion. I'll read a condensed version of what a few of my peers had to say about sharing the classroom with me. I have left their comments in their entirety with the clerk.
Joseph - If it wasn't for "Inclusion", I would not have had the chance to meet and work with such a wonderful person. Ivy was not the only person that had a disability or mental challenge that I attended classes with. It is amazing how well she got along with her fellow students, what she had learned and with her disability.
Joshua - I know having you in my life has affected the way I've treated disabled folks up to this point in life, and will for the rest of my life.
Danita - You showed and continue to show me a life full of friends, activities, education! Now as a parent of a child with a disability I look at (Ivy) as an example of how full my own disabled daughter's life can be.
Katie - Having you in class was beneficial to me, in that I did not look at you as being different from my other peers, which in turn, helped to mold my opinion of disabled people that I would meet later in life. You were part of the class, while you might have had different learning obstacles than I did, so did a lot of people in class.
Shannon - As I was growing up, I've always let what people say about my differences shadow my confidence. I am so glad that Ivy and I shared a couple of classes, lunch tables and graduated together. She has shown me that no matter what our differences, we can take the opportunities we've had and make them blossom in our own way.
Brandie – Others.... mainly adults viewed her as having a disability but not us! Being friends taught me life skills that not even the best college could have taught me … to have compassion and not turn a blind eye to those with a disability.
Stephanie - Just because people are in a wheelchair or are different doesn't mean they aren't awesome people. In fact most of these folks just as Ivy taught me are way cooler and more awesome than most other folks!
Christopher - No mater how bad of a day I had, seeing Ivy smile and the way she tackled life. Always made my day better.
Bertelle - (because of Ivy) I was inspired me to go into the career field of Rec. Therapy. My favorite part of that job is showing others with disabilities that they can do anything they want if they put their mind to it, just like (Ivy) showed me.
Billy - (Her disability) was no big deal to her...always positive. That positivity transcended through me and the rest of my classmates in ways immeasurable. She essentially provided me with the social gift of equality that I now use on a daily basis as an adult.
my previous speech:
Hello. It's a pleasure to be here tonight. My name's Ivy Kennedy. I live here now but grew up in Williamsburg James-City County. I was included in class with my non-disabled peers Kindergarten through 12th grade. I had an assistant write for me and handle my books in class. I graduated with a regular diploma.
I believe if you're included in school, you will stay included throughout life. Inclusion is not impossible. I am proof.
Many of my friends with disabilities have told me they were not challenged in Special Ed. To quote they were given, “Busy work”. The bar of expectation needs to be raised for students with disabilities. All children in public schools deserve a quality education. I believe by including kids with disabilities it will benefit all kids.
Schools are mirrors of our community. By not including students with disabilities you are saying it's ok to segregate. This has to end. We as a society can do better.
The disability employment rate is horrible and will remain horrible until students with disabilities are included with their peers in school.
I had lots friends in school. I'm sure that I would not have had as nearly as many of them if I had been kept in a Special Ed classroom. Friends are the most important in life if you ask me and by keeping children in Special Ed you are depriving them of that gift. Young kids are so opened minded. If you start inclusion young bonds will develop. These bonds will protect kids from bullying and build a strong community.
I realize every child is different. I believe we have the brain power to be creative so every child can be included in the classroom. In the inclusion process adults will be challenged to give their best and that effort will positively benefit every child in the school.
People with disabilities have been around since the beginning of man. It's way pass time to stop segregating them. …..and it starts with our children.
please be honest. don't put this lady with a disability on a pedestal.
if you want to talk about inclusion, fine but answer.... was is self centered?
to my local school board:
I spoke at the last meeting on my experience with inclusion. I'll read a condensed version of what a few of my peers had to say about sharing the classroom with me. I have left their comments in their entirety with the clerk.
Joseph - If it wasn't for "Inclusion", I would not have had the chance to meet and work with such a wonderful person. Ivy was not the only person that had a disability or mental challenge that I attended classes with. It is amazing how well she got along with her fellow students, what she had learned and with her disability.
Joshua - I know having you in my life has affected the way I've treated disabled folks up to this point in life, and will for the rest of my life.
Danita - You showed and continue to show me a life full of friends, activities, education! Now as a parent of a child with a disability I look at (Ivy) as an example of how full my own disabled daughter's life can be.
Katie - Having you in class was beneficial to me, in that I did not look at you as being different from my other peers, which in turn, helped to mold my opinion of disabled people that I would meet later in life. You were part of the class, while you might have had different learning obstacles than I did, so did a lot of people in class.
Shannon - As I was growing up, I've always let what people say about my differences shadow my confidence. I am so glad that Ivy and I shared a couple of classes, lunch tables and graduated together. She has shown me that no matter what our differences, we can take the opportunities we've had and make them blossom in our own way.
Brandie – Others.... mainly adults viewed her as having a disability but not us! Being friends taught me life skills that not even the best college could have taught me … to have compassion and not turn a blind eye to those with a disability.
Stephanie - Just because people are in a wheelchair or are different doesn't mean they aren't awesome people. In fact most of these folks just as Ivy taught me are way cooler and more awesome than most other folks!
Christopher - No mater how bad of a day I had, seeing Ivy smile and the way she tackled life. Always made my day better.
Bertelle - (because of Ivy) I was inspired me to go into the career field of Rec. Therapy. My favorite part of that job is showing others with disabilities that they can do anything they want if they put their mind to it, just like (Ivy) showed me.
Billy - (Her disability) was no big deal to her...always positive. That positivity transcended through me and the rest of my classmates in ways immeasurable. She essentially provided me with the social gift of equality that I now use on a daily basis as an adult.
my previous speech:
Hello. It's a pleasure to be here tonight. My name's Ivy Kennedy. I live here now but grew up in Williamsburg James-City County. I was included in class with my non-disabled peers Kindergarten through 12th grade. I had an assistant write for me and handle my books in class. I graduated with a regular diploma.
I believe if you're included in school, you will stay included throughout life. Inclusion is not impossible. I am proof.
Many of my friends with disabilities have told me they were not challenged in Special Ed. To quote they were given, “Busy work”. The bar of expectation needs to be raised for students with disabilities. All children in public schools deserve a quality education. I believe by including kids with disabilities it will benefit all kids.
Schools are mirrors of our community. By not including students with disabilities you are saying it's ok to segregate. This has to end. We as a society can do better.
The disability employment rate is horrible and will remain horrible until students with disabilities are included with their peers in school.
I had lots friends in school. I'm sure that I would not have had as nearly as many of them if I had been kept in a Special Ed classroom. Friends are the most important in life if you ask me and by keeping children in Special Ed you are depriving them of that gift. Young kids are so opened minded. If you start inclusion young bonds will develop. These bonds will protect kids from bullying and build a strong community.
I realize every child is different. I believe we have the brain power to be creative so every child can be included in the classroom. In the inclusion process adults will be challenged to give their best and that effort will positively benefit every child in the school.
People with disabilities have been around since the beginning of man. It's way pass time to stop segregating them. …..and it starts with our children.
*~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*
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The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill
A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
So often, parents hear opinions from everyone BUT the people it concerns most: the students.
"I need your strength for me to be strong...I need your love to feel loved"
I will say this. For most of my career I have been an educator and have also done a lot of public speaking. I often use myself and my own experiences as examples and try to incorporate humor when it's appropriate. Talking about myself in a self-deprecating way tends to put people at ease, especially since it looks like I'm making fun of myself and not somebody else. But occasionally somebody doesn't get it. I've gotten back evaluations where someone in the audience complained that all I did was "talk about myself."
You were speaking about a subject that was important to you and that you had firsthand knowledge of. It is natural that you would speak from your own experiences and the feedback that others had given to you. I think sometimes it's important that others hear personal testimonials like yours. When you do that, unfortunately, you run the risk that some people won't hear your message and will accuse you of simply "talking about yourself." That doesn't mean you shouldn't give your testimony. It takes some courage to get up in front of other people and give them a perspective they wouldn't otherwise hear. So I say, good for you!
- Christopher McCandless
yeah, that would've been a better strategy.
thank you for all the supportive comments.
i suppose advocacy is tricky because there's always going to be some level of self-centeredness to it.
before i gave the speech with everybody's comments i felt unsure. i'm used to telling my personal story but these were others words. then to hear afterwards that it was self-centered, i was mortified.
three minutes wasn't long enough to read everybody's entire comment. i should've just mailed them in.
yes i agree. a few people have also told me i should've added stats. i've looked on the net. it seems people tweak inclusion stats to their bias, which makes it hard for me to use.
thanks again for all your support, it means a lot!
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
I agree. Ivy, you said you looked online....did you try going online on your local library's website to find any books on the subject? If you don't already have an account there at the library, you may have to sign up.
Did you know the person who called you self centered?
8/08 - Ed solo in DC, 6/09 Ed in B'more,
10/10 - Brad in B'more
You do walk a fine line with advocacy but personal testimony is important, especially when used to support facts or counter stereotypes.
I think the person who said it was self-centered did not hear what you were trying to say.
my mother.
her generation .... you're not suppose to call attention to yourself. so that might explain it.
and she didn't say self-centered but that was the gist of it. "what was the point of that? to let everybody tell how wonderful you are?"
ahhhh, why do i let her get to me after all these years? :roll:
yeah.
Yes, it's partly her generation and partly the fact that she's your mom and feels like she's free to critique you. :roll:
can't she see it has ruined our relationship?
i like the way you are "out there" ivy! you are trying to do good for your fellow human being and then there she is making comments.
does she hate EV too like my mom? she used to say he was so handsome and then she criticized his looks (when she lived with us in 2008) and said he has not aged well. she needs to look in the mirror or shut up.
8/08 - Ed solo in DC, 6/09 Ed in B'more,
10/10 - Brad in B'more
mom rehab
my mom's in her late 50's. thou i think age means little with mother daughter relationships.
one of my favorite books ever is You're wearing that? http://www.amazon.com/Youre-Wearing-Tha ... t_ep_dpt_2
it's good. hits the nail on the head!
(and her parents had her late so that even makes it worse for me. way old fashion)
men are so much simpler i almost was i was one. ALMOST!
yes, all i am doing to is steer change in the direction in the good for others.
the least she can do is keep her mouth shut! lol. or rephrase. because she did have some good points she told me later on. but that first comment was ringing in my ears still so don't know how much got thru. the whole way women treat each other is wrong! i have plenty of girlfriends thou. i'm just saying.
as for EV i could kill my mom for that one. of course she didn't like the teen agent in the 90's, but she loves PJ and EV now! i wonder how much is partly because me and my bro play their music constantly.
i could kill her because 10c offered to send a limo for me in 94 and my parents said NO.
hehehe on ed aging.
Your comment is self-centered.
my mom acts like EV is 80 or something and he should be at the golf course and not in public
at least EV had fun in the sun while earning his wrinkles.
8/08 - Ed solo in DC, 6/09 Ed in B'more,
10/10 - Brad in B'more
LMAO!!!!!!!!
yeah that's the only thing about Ed. he should/should've used more sunblock.
smoking turns your skin to leather too.
I hardly find celebrating one's accomplishments self-centered!! Very fine speech indeed!! Bravo..
Ok, now.. I've got a ten hour drive to prepare fo,r later on tonight,I to go retrieve my Kitty and other belongings!! Have a great day!!
thank you for your kind words.
see you can attest to it too. fighting to stay in Reg Ed. I'm glad you did because from what i hear they don't teach anything in Sp Ed. just give them busywork and babysit them. Sp Ed is a service not a place. kids should try all types of resources to stay in Reg Ed.
i go horseback riding every week. i love it!