The A word

Accommodations

That's the A word I'm referring to

Providing reasonable and necessary accommodations to students with disabilities is a vital teacher responsibility. Sometimes this responsibility can become burdensome when there are fifteen students in one classroom all acquiring an accommodation of some sort. At one point or another we might scratch our head and wonder why must we accommodate when in the real world the likelihood of them receiving the same accommodations as in the classroom is slim. 

I believe one of the many reasons accommodations are offered and provided for students in a school setting is to help them become their own advocate. Without providing these accommodations to students with disabilities they may never develop a system to successfully maneuver hurdles that their disabilities will present themselves in the real world. We must teach them 'tricks' on how to deal with their disability. If students with disabilities are shown ways to manage challenges they face with their disability then they will start accommodating themselves. In order for them to learn how to accommodate themselves we must first show them by providing accommodations in the classroom. Eventually, they will naturally start accommodating for themselves and will learn how to compensate for their disability. 

Will every student become their own advocate and accommodate for themselves, no. But I'd rather show students how to accommodate for their disability than complain that I have to provide accommodations for my students in the classroom. They have to be shown that their ability out shines their disability. If I was not given accommodations when I was in school I am 87% sure that my disability would drown me. Thankfully, I had teachers that provided me with accommodations that lightened the load. Without my teachers showing me ways to cope with my disability I might not have made it to where I am today.