You are not your label - Learning from the mistakes of generations past.
[If I use a term that is not PC (and it's not in quotations), please forgive, I am still learning!]
So I am taking some summer classes this summer to get through my program in a more expeditious fashion. One of those classes is called Music in Special Education. This class is designed to not only make the music therapist in training and the educator in training more aware of opportunities for advocacy and ways to better serve the disabled or handicap, but also to be aware of the history surrounding the issue of "special education". The point of this post is me working through my feelings on what I have learned thus far. I came into this class with little knowledge on the history behind the laws passed that allow for those with special needs to get the education and care they both deserve and need from trained professionals/specialists. I just had no book knowledge on the matter, whatsoever! In my ignorance, I was unaware of the horrors families had suffered because they had a child that was "different". When I think of the separation of parents and children or siblings...I just can't imagine the amount of pain, guilt, shame, sadness that plagued each and every person. My heart breaks.
The past three lectures in Music in Special Education have consisted of a guest speaker, Dr. Kimberly VanWeelden, a documentary called "Unforgotten: 25 Years After Willowbrook", and today a video called "Where's Molly?". I think today's video, "Where's Molly?" was the breaking point of me being fed up with the, for a less than sparkling term, ignorance and stupidity of generations past. At the end of the movie, I was happy that Jeff and his sister had been reunited, but I was just so angry at their parents generation who chose to put their "imperfect children" in institutions. I am aware that the at the time, the majority of families really didn't know that sending their child to an institution (that was supposed to take care of them) was actually sending them to a living hell. (I am basing this off of my limited experience and the two institutions represented by the above mentioned films.) However, I can not think about the "trained" professionals who not only labeled and diagnosed these children/individuals as being "profoundly retarded" or handicapped...really whatever term they deemed for a diagnosis, without getting angry and feeling a profound sense of injustice. As a music therapist in training, I feel this blow quite personally. These doctors and psychologists were supposed to represent the more "educated" and "compassionate"; they were trained professionals. In my mind, their job, at its most basic level, was to help others. How then did so many suffer such horrible treatment?! At Willowbrook, over 250,000 (if I remember correctly) were institutionalized, and the institution Molly Daly was sent to just before her third birthday, over 3,000 individuals (once again not sure how accurate my memory is being...). In the case of Molly Daly, many children had been sent that institution by court order; if I remember correctly for Willowbrook it had come in the form of a doctor recommendation. At the time people did not know how to "handle" a child with a mental or physical handicap, so to them an institution that had been recommended by a trusted physician, designed for those with special needs, was the only option they had for giving their child their best chance.
[Respecting the confidentiality of our class] We have talked in class about First Person "What's in a name?" and by doing so addressed times in our own lives when we had been labeled something that we didn't appreciate, based on the misperception of others or an intentional insult, whatever.We discussed how that made us feel at the time, how it affected us, and how we think back on it now that we're older/it's in the past. Labels have a way of affecting the way not only others view us, but we view ourselves. How much more does it affect those who have been diagnosed with one thing or another (because that is a label!) and the families of those who are diagnosed? We all have our problems, our quirks and idiosyncrasies, so what gives anyone the gall to label or judge? If you have a diagnosis, that is NOT who you are! To make it a little more real, without getting into anything "deep" (but for me it's still personal): I am not "introverted" or "shy". I am Kylie and I love to make music and read and enjoy sunny days on the beach. I happen to be more quiet and introspective, or an extroverted introvert :) But being an introvert - that is not who I am.
Things I have learned from this class thus far:
To continue to learn from history. Being aware of a problem means nothing if you're not willing to address it. When you see something that's not right, inaction is just as powerful as action, so choose to act on what you see. See the person, not the diagnosis or the label. Respect and appreciate the person, treat the diagnosis, but don't let that define how you view the individual. Grow from every experience.
I could go on...
If you have suffered from a label (or someone you know has), I am so very sorry that you had to experience that. BUT - take that negative experience, and find the "silver lining" or turn it around. How have you grown from that experience? Did you let it drag you down and "mess you up"? OR did you look that label/that experience in the face and say "Screw you, you do NOT define who I am and what I can or can not do!"?
I would encourage those that have suffered from situations like those experienced by those in the Willowbrook documentary or the "Where's Molly?" film, to find healthy ways to work through, express, and find healing. For those who have suffered from labels, the same suggestion. Not all psychologists are quacks; as a trained individual I have a deep respect for my "brother's and sister's" in the mental health profession and I see the good that comes from what we do. ALSO, as an up-and-coming music therapist, I will advocate the use of music therapy or any other creative arts therapy (but mostly for the music therapy - because that is my bias & my soon-to-be profession!). It is not healthy to sit on those feelings. Also, speaking for music therapy - we are trained to work with special needs, hospice, mental health, medical, PT/OT, etc.
Finally, if you see something that's wrong, find an appropriate way to call attention to it and make a change.
But most of all: You are not alone, and your label does not define you!
[The links below are in case you are interested in learning more about the films mentioned at the beginning of this post: http://wheresmolly.net/main.html AND Check Out Unforgotten: Twenty-Five Years After Willowbrook on Hulu. http://www.hulu.com/watch/194496 ]
[If you'd like more information on the laws regarding IDEA, IEP's, etc. please let me know via comment, I have a link that has all the information thanks to Dr. VanWeelden.]
So I am taking some summer classes this summer to get through my program in a more expeditious fashion. One of those classes is called Music in Special Education. This class is designed to not only make the music therapist in training and the educator in training more aware of opportunities for advocacy and ways to better serve the disabled or handicap, but also to be aware of the history surrounding the issue of "special education". The point of this post is me working through my feelings on what I have learned thus far. I came into this class with little knowledge on the history behind the laws passed that allow for those with special needs to get the education and care they both deserve and need from trained professionals/specialists. I just had no book knowledge on the matter, whatsoever! In my ignorance, I was unaware of the horrors families had suffered because they had a child that was "different". When I think of the separation of parents and children or siblings...I just can't imagine the amount of pain, guilt, shame, sadness that plagued each and every person. My heart breaks.
The past three lectures in Music in Special Education have consisted of a guest speaker, Dr. Kimberly VanWeelden, a documentary called "Unforgotten: 25 Years After Willowbrook", and today a video called "Where's Molly?". I think today's video, "Where's Molly?" was the breaking point of me being fed up with the, for a less than sparkling term, ignorance and stupidity of generations past. At the end of the movie, I was happy that Jeff and his sister had been reunited, but I was just so angry at their parents generation who chose to put their "imperfect children" in institutions. I am aware that the at the time, the majority of families really didn't know that sending their child to an institution (that was supposed to take care of them) was actually sending them to a living hell. (I am basing this off of my limited experience and the two institutions represented by the above mentioned films.) However, I can not think about the "trained" professionals who not only labeled and diagnosed these children/individuals as being "profoundly retarded" or handicapped...really whatever term they deemed for a diagnosis, without getting angry and feeling a profound sense of injustice. As a music therapist in training, I feel this blow quite personally. These doctors and psychologists were supposed to represent the more "educated" and "compassionate"; they were trained professionals. In my mind, their job, at its most basic level, was to help others. How then did so many suffer such horrible treatment?! At Willowbrook, over 250,000 (if I remember correctly) were institutionalized, and the institution Molly Daly was sent to just before her third birthday, over 3,000 individuals (once again not sure how accurate my memory is being...). In the case of Molly Daly, many children had been sent that institution by court order; if I remember correctly for Willowbrook it had come in the form of a doctor recommendation. At the time people did not know how to "handle" a child with a mental or physical handicap, so to them an institution that had been recommended by a trusted physician, designed for those with special needs, was the only option they had for giving their child their best chance.
[Respecting the confidentiality of our class] We have talked in class about First Person "What's in a name?" and by doing so addressed times in our own lives when we had been labeled something that we didn't appreciate, based on the misperception of others or an intentional insult, whatever.We discussed how that made us feel at the time, how it affected us, and how we think back on it now that we're older/it's in the past. Labels have a way of affecting the way not only others view us, but we view ourselves. How much more does it affect those who have been diagnosed with one thing or another (because that is a label!) and the families of those who are diagnosed? We all have our problems, our quirks and idiosyncrasies, so what gives anyone the gall to label or judge? If you have a diagnosis, that is NOT who you are! To make it a little more real, without getting into anything "deep" (but for me it's still personal): I am not "introverted" or "shy". I am Kylie and I love to make music and read and enjoy sunny days on the beach. I happen to be more quiet and introspective, or an extroverted introvert :) But being an introvert - that is not who I am.
Things I have learned from this class thus far:
To continue to learn from history. Being aware of a problem means nothing if you're not willing to address it. When you see something that's not right, inaction is just as powerful as action, so choose to act on what you see. See the person, not the diagnosis or the label. Respect and appreciate the person, treat the diagnosis, but don't let that define how you view the individual. Grow from every experience.
I could go on...
If you have suffered from a label (or someone you know has), I am so very sorry that you had to experience that. BUT - take that negative experience, and find the "silver lining" or turn it around. How have you grown from that experience? Did you let it drag you down and "mess you up"? OR did you look that label/that experience in the face and say "Screw you, you do NOT define who I am and what I can or can not do!"?
I would encourage those that have suffered from situations like those experienced by those in the Willowbrook documentary or the "Where's Molly?" film, to find healthy ways to work through, express, and find healing. For those who have suffered from labels, the same suggestion. Not all psychologists are quacks; as a trained individual I have a deep respect for my "brother's and sister's" in the mental health profession and I see the good that comes from what we do. ALSO, as an up-and-coming music therapist, I will advocate the use of music therapy or any other creative arts therapy (but mostly for the music therapy - because that is my bias & my soon-to-be profession!). It is not healthy to sit on those feelings. Also, speaking for music therapy - we are trained to work with special needs, hospice, mental health, medical, PT/OT, etc.
Finally, if you see something that's wrong, find an appropriate way to call attention to it and make a change.
But most of all: You are not alone, and your label does not define you!
[The links below are in case you are interested in learning more about the films mentioned at the beginning of this post: http://wheresmolly.net/main.html AND Check Out Unforgotten: Twenty-Five Years After Willowbrook on Hulu. http://www.hulu.com/watch/194496 ]
[If you'd like more information on the laws regarding IDEA, IEP's, etc. please let me know via comment, I have a link that has all the information thanks to Dr. VanWeelden.]
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