Craigslea Sensitivity Unit

In Week 4 of the unit, we visited the Sensitivity Unit at Craigslea State School. This opportunity was highly valuable and provided us with an unforgettable experience in uncovering the challenges that a student with a disability faces in their daily lives. The unique and thought provoking activities enabled us to put ourselves in the shoes of a person with a disability and really understand the challenges that they face, which might go unnoticed and be regarded as small to a person without a disability. The basic purpose of the visit was to sensitise us to become aware of the needs of people with a disability, and it did just this. 

Throughout Jane's initial discussion, she spoke about the daily challenges a student with autism can face throughout the school day and how small and insignificant (to us) details can impact upon their routine. This part of the visit expanded my personal knowledge on the daily behaviour and attributes that a student with autism can experience and/or exhibit. One particular example Kathy gave resonated with me and I later reflected upon it further and discussed it with my family members. The example was about a mother giving a stern talking to her son who has autism and, thinking she was doing all the right things, the child was not focusing on what she was saying throughout the whole talk, but concentrating entirely on two lines on her forehead that shaped an '11'. This example allowed me to realise how quickly and easily a student with autism can lose focus or attention on a topic being discussed in class due to their fixation upon certain things that require their full attention at that particular time. Further, I realised I will need to be well aware of the interests, attributes, routines and behaviours of any students with autism in my class in order to teach them accordingly. 

The day then lead to partnering up and completing some hands on activities, using equipment to place ourselves in the shoes of a person with a disability. All the activities concentrated on different senses and parts of the body and each was unique in assisting in understanding different disabilities and what challenges come with each. I found the wheelchair exercise particularly difficult and found myself wondering how on earth a student in the younger years could cope with maneuvering a wheelchair up and down ramps and hills, as I found it extremely difficult! Consequently, in order to best cater for students in my class with a disability, I will utilise the information and knowledge I gained from the visit to the Sensitivity Unit. I found this visit stressed the use of resources as an important learning tool for students with a disability and in turn, I will need to ensure I have the resources to cater for the students in my class. Overall, the most valuable thing I took away from this visit is the feelings, struggles and daily challenges a student with a disability faces throughout a school day and how, by using this knowledge, I can empathise with students and ensure I cater to their needs to the best of my ability. I cannot stress how valuable and helpful this visit was and the knowledge I gained will remain indented and doubtlessly assist me considerably in my classroom through my planning, teaching and in particular use of resources.