A Teacher's Story: Caregivers

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, January 13 and March 2, 2008
Show 502

People have a lot of opinions about mainstreaming a child with a disability, but it can be an enriching experience for everyone. In Cindy Janke's class, interaction between Caleb, a boy with physical challenges, and the other students serves as a lesson to everyone. Caleb's classmates don't single him out or discriminate; instead, they're more than willing to pitch in and grab his crutches or push his wheelchair in the halls or on the playground. "They know that there's something different; I've never heard them once talk about it or make fun of it. They really just accept him for who he is," Mrs. Janke says. Mrs. Janke's work with her class is a great example, say Leeza and Dr. Jamie Huysman. They discuss mainstreaming and the benefits it brings for not only those with challenges, but their classmates as well. It teaches them, without necessarily being told directly, to be a part of everything as opposed to the center of everything.