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REVOLUTIONARY COMMON SENSE LIBRARY
Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are,
and doing things as they ought to be done.
John Billings
Welcome!
If you're ready for more new ways of thinking,
you've come to the right place!
Good day! I gave a staff training yesterday on "behavior is communication," and used your What's a 'Behavior'? article. I personally enjoyed the article and felt I had to share it with my staff. We took turns reading a paragraph and it was a great opening for the training. I also used it to close the training. As a result of your article, I've instructed staff to no longer say, "He had a behavior," but to say instead, "He was trying to communicate something." Your article was very concrete, informative, and brief (which is great for my staff). Everyone was able to understand it and relate to it. Thank you, and keep your beautiful words of wisdom coming! Lauren Donato Applied Behavioral Science Specialist Young Adult Institute National Institute for People with Disabilities Brooklyn Regional Psychologist |
We hope you'll enjoy the Revolutionary Common Sense Library---a variety of articles which can lead to positive change. Articles are changed on a regular basis, so check back often to see what's new!
The Newsletter Library also includes a variety of thought-provoking articles to move us in a new direction.
Click on any of the links below and the PDF of the article will open. Please be patient, as some articles have artwork and/or are large files, and some browsers are faster than others.
Please contact me (kathie@disabilityisnatural.com) if you have difficulty opening any article or if you need a plain text version for screenreaders.
If you're interested in using these articles (for personal use or in newsletters), see the information below.
Beyond Two-Dimensional
Thinking
Either/or, yes/no, all/nothing are symptoms of two-dimensional thinking, which
can be a recipe for conflict, stress, and other less-than-desirable outcomes.
We can embrace a new recipe for thinking—we can stretch our minds—and
change our world.
Beneficial Services; Dangerous Messages
People with disabilities and their families may be able to access a variety
of "helpful" disability services, but these same services can send
dangerous messages.
Curriculum Modifications 104: I LOVE Math!
When math is difficult, kids hate it! But when we put the appropriate modifications
in place, all kids can learn math and love it! (And these same strategies
can be used for adults who need help with math.)
Developmental Age vs. Chronological Age
"He's 18, but he functions at the level of a 10-year-old." So how do
we treat him? Like a 10-year-old, and then we wonder why he doesn't "make
progress." It's time to dump the "developmental age" model, and
treat people with disabilities with the respect they deserve!
The Dangerous DSM-IV
Is it possible you might have "mathmatics disorder" or even the dreaded "noncompliance
with treatment disorder"? We're treading treacherous waters when we embrace
all the nonsense in the DSM-IV.
Goals: Meaningful and Relevant or Garbage?
We're great at writing goals. But how good are the goals we write? Let's stop
writing garbage and make sure goals are meaningful and relevant to the person!
Whose goals are they, anyway?
Home, Sweet Home and Other Welcoming Environments #1: Physical Access
People who use mobility devices, people of short stature, and others may experience
significant physical barriers in the home or school environment. These barriers
can lead to helplessness, dependence, and lack of opportunities. But this
situation can be easily remedied, and we can create welcoming environments
for all!
Humor to the Rescue! What Do You Say When...?
Nosy Nellie accosts you in the grocery store with personal questions about
the person with a disability you're with. It happens all too often. But there's
no need to respond with anger or run away in tears. Instead, we can let humor
come to the rescue!
The Ticket to Inclusive Schools
Many parents work their behinds off to get their child included at school,
only to watch the door slam shut behind their child...then the next parent
has to start all over again. We can keep trying to make changes from the
bottom up or we can think bigger and work from the top down!
Memories: Testimonies About the Living, Not Just the Dead
When someone we care about dies, we etch positive memories in our minds, ignoring
negative recollections. This practice is beneficial
to the living, not to the dead. So what if we applied this practice to the
present—today, here and now—to the living, breathing people with
disabilities who are part of our lives?
Why Choose Separation?
Some believe people with disabilities won't be part of the mainstream until
society changes. But to place the blame on society is to forget that we—people
with disabilities, family members, and others who care about people with
disabilities—are part of the society that has created separation. Let's
not choose separation anymore!
A Time for Thanks
As the Thanksgiving holiday nears, it's time to reflect on the many things
for which we're thankful, and the importance of expressing our thanks. What
are you thankful for?
Meaningful Gift-Giving
Ahhh, the joy of sharing during wonderful gift-giving times: holidays, birthdays,
and more! Your friends and loved ones will be happy with the gifts you give.
But did you know you can even even more without spending a penny?
The Case Against "Special Needs"
Like other words in Disability World, this term is so commonly used we seldom think about what it means. Have you considered that it promotes pity, negative attitudes, and segregation? It's time to throw this descriptor into the junk heap!
President Bush signed the Combating Autism Act into law in December 2006, the American College of Obstreticians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is recommending that all pregnant women be tested for Down syndrome, and "growth attentuation treatment" was performed on Ashley, the "pillow angel." What do these issues have in common and where are they taking us?
Don't forget to check out the article for children, "Same and Different: Respect for All." It's a two-page document which parents, teachers, and others can use with children, and it's accompanied by ideas and suggestions to facilitate interactive discussions. Click here to download the article. You can also download the article from the bottom of the People First Language page. I'd love to hear your thoughts about the article, and I thank you for helping children learn new ways of thinking!
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Interested in more articles? Check out:
101 Reproducible Articles: Revolutionary Common Sense for a New Disability Paradigm
Two versions of this extraordinary book are available:
The "book only" version ($25.00) allows the purchaser to make copies of the articles, as individual handouts or multiple copies for a training.
The "book/CD" version ($40.00) includes the book and a CD with all the articles in PDF format. This version allows the purchaser to make copies to share as handouts, upload the articles to websites, and/or include the PDF versions in newsletters (using the PDFs "as is" without reformatting).
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Can't find what you're looking for? Articles are changed on a regular basis, so if you visited this page before, read an article, and can't find it now, contact me (kathie@disabilityisnatural.com) with the name of the article, and I'll send you the hand-out version (PDF). See below for information regarding personal use and republication use.
FOR PERSONAL USE OF ARTICLES OR TO SHARE AN ARTICLE AS A HANDOUT:
You may use the PDF version(s) of the article(s) to:
- print for your own personal use,
- make copies to share with others as a handout at meetings,
- share as E-mail attachments and/or on listserves.
You do not need permission to use any article for these purposes (but see below if you're interested in using an article in a newsletter, website, and/or for other purposes). Any article must be copied/shared in its entirety, maintaining all copyright information, and may not be used commercially (e.g., for money-making purposes).
As a courtesy, please tell me when you share with others: contact us (kathie@disabilityisnatural.com) and provide the name of the article, how it's helpful, who you're sharing it with (parents, educators, professionals, etc.), and any other pertinent information. Your information helps me know which articles are the most beneficial and how they're being used.
TO REPUBLISH AN ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER:
You can purchase one or more of Kathie Snow's articles ($5.00/each) for republication in your newsletter. Upon receipt of your purchase, we will send an Email to confirm your newsletter info, followed by an Email with instructions and a plain text (MS Word) version of the article which can be cut and pasted in its entirety into your newsletter. We also require that you send us a copy of the newsletter when it's published. To order one or more articles and to see the titles of Kathie's articles, visit the Disability is Natural Store (scroll down to the "Articles for Newsletters" section). NOTE: Republishing an article without authorization is a violation of federal copyright law.
TO USE AN ARTICLE ON A WEBSITE:
For permission to include an article on a website, contact me (kathie@disabilityisnatural.com), and provide the name of the article, the website address, and other pertinent information.
To stay on top of the latest articles and products, sign up for the free
Disability is Natural E-Newsletter, at the bottom of this page!
Click here for Adobe Acrobat Reader, needed to open PDF files.
Terms of Use All material of this website is protected by U.S. copyright law and may not be reproduced, transmitted, displayed, or published in other websites, blogs, newsletters, or other media without the prior written permission of Kathie Snow. However, you may print the pages of this site, and/or the PDF articles on various pages of this site, for your own personal use and/or to share with others as a handout (non-commercial use). All pages of this website are also protected by Copyscape, which searches other websites to track plagiarism and unauthorized use of material from this site. Contact |
8/6/08
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Our words reflect the way we think, so let's get rid of descriptors like "handicapped, physically disabled, mentally retarded, learning disabled" and other words that focus on the condition instead of the person. People First Language promotes dignity and respect for all!
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