Personal Narrative: The Last Great Disgrace

The first lecture that struck me was Willowbrook and Geraldo. I had no prior knowledge of Geraldo Riveras expose on the terrible conditions at the Willowbrook state school on Staten Island in 1972. The expose, Willowbrook: The Last Great Disgrace featured deformed and mentally-ill children (and adults) held in appalling conditions. The expose prompted mass outrage and calls for change. It broke my heart to see people treating others like nonentities instead of people who just need a little love, understanding and kindness. I learned that we have to look out for disabled people and speak up for those who cannot literally speak for themselves. The lesson is crucial for our classrooms because we need to be our student’s advocates and report any suspected …show more content…
Nelson is the father of an autistic child, author of Through Fisher’s Eye’s and a retired music teacher. I personally learned some key practices for working with children with autism. I personally learned some key practices for working with children with autism, such as the qualities of the best teachers are those that have a lot of patience fused with a ton of energy and knowing when to step in and help students. Furthermore, the importance of listening carefully and observing, to love and be passionate about what you’re doing, perseverance, and to always look out for your students as if they were your own. I am going to utilize this information in my classroom to establish an effective, nurturing, safe environment for all of my students. It is so incredible of Nelson to take the time out to speak with us and even have Michael present! Nelson was extremely engaging, open, and honest. He presented the class with a lot of insight and knowledge about what it’s like having a child with autism. I would love to be able to follow up with both Paul and Michael in a few years and find out how their lives are once Michael completes high