One of the most prominent experiences with special ed students I ever had was when I taught dance classes in high school. I was teaching a 3-4 year old basic creative dance class, and a few weeks in my boss told me that I would be getting two new students the next week. Both girls, one 3, one 4, had Downs syndrome. At first I was very nervous, thinking that I wouldn't know what to do with students so young that couldn't really communicate with me. It turned out to be such a worthwhile experience. The girls loved the class more than any of the others, and while they required a lot of attention, they taught me, my student teacher, and the rest of the girls in the class, that being different doesn't mean bad. In the two years I taught them, there was noteable improvement, which made me feel so proud. Their mothers and I formed a good relationship, and they were so appreciative of how accepting and accomadating I was of their daughters.

Something that always bothered me, however, was how the girls were treated by my boss and the secretary (her mother) at the studio I worked at. I always felt that both of them considered the girls to be more of a nuisance than an asset to the class. They would frequently refer to them negatively, and they expected more than was necessarily appropriate. For instance, on picture day, both of the girl's mothers wanted individual shots along with the group shot. Getting 8 three year olds to sit still long enough to take a picture in an itchy ballet costume is hard enough, but throw two kids with Downs in, and it takes a whole lot more effort. The secretary was visibly frustrated by how long it was taking, and she made a comment along the lines of that their mothers should have been more considerate and not gotten individual shots because they were such a pain to shoot. I responded immediately that those girls and their mothers were just as entitled to those pictures as all the other "normal" girls. Regardless of how much extra time it would take, even if it put the schedule behind, sometimes I think it's necessary to make those accomadations so those children and their parents do not feel like they are an inconvenience to anyone. When a child has a disablity, there is no one to blame. Especially the child. These special needs children have every bit as much right to success, and education, and fun as everyone else.