The Virginia Transition Forum 2012

The Beautiful Hotel Roanoke

On March 12 - 14, 2012 I attended the Virginia Transition Forum, held at The Hotel Roanoke in beautiful Roanoke, VA. I could not have asked for better driving weather, and when I arrived, the crepe myrtles were in full bloom (and peak aromatic funkiness). The theme for this year's Forum was Technology for Transition: Making the Connection. It had been several years since I last attended a Forum, but I was excited to be back in that environment. Surrounded by like-minded people, all with an interest in improving and maximizing the transition to life beyond high school for students with disabilities, I was looking forward to attending some of the many sessions offered.

Eric McGehearty and his art

The opening general session was kicked off with a stirring rendition of The National Anthem, sung by Farris Hallaj, a senior at the Virginia School for the Blind. The Keynote Address was given by Eric McGehearty, CEO of Globe Runner SEO. Eric spoke about the impact dyslexia had on his journey through the educational system. During his presentation he showed examples of his artwork, primarily sculptures, describing how having dyslexia motivated his artistic choices. One example was a grid of books that had been entombed in concrete blocks, expressing his feelings regarding the inaccessibility of knowledge through traditional print forms. Eric has since gone on to start a company that specializes in Search Marketing, a field that is focused on understanding the words people use in on-line searches. The example he used from his own life concerned Curious George, the mischievous monkey of children's literature. For someone with dyslexia the words curious and George can both be troublesome. When having to write these words he would have to search to find how to spell them, but because neither word is spelled the way they sound, the old 'sound it out' trick did nothing to further his efforts. So, he searched for words that he knew he could spell, that when entered in a search engine, would lead him to the information he was seeking. The words he used? "The man in the yellow hat." Using this premise, his company is interest in the words people use to get to what they are looking for, either directly or indirectly.

Over the course of the three days I attended a total of nine sessions. Although I feel like I got something out of each session, there were three items that really stood out for me. First is the I'm Determined Project. This project of the Virginia Department of Education focuses on self-determination for students, which is shop talk for students taking control of their educational programs, advocating for what they want, and expressing their strengths, needs, and desires. The second session to really raise my interest centered around an individualized, inclusive model being implemented at Virginia Commonwealth University for students with intellectual disabilities. I am really excited about the possibility of there being a local college-based program that some of my students may be able to access in the future. The more opportunities available for my students, the better, and I am looking forward to this being a viable option for some students. Finally, I attended a session centered around the 'I Want to Work' workbook and partner guide. Although these items are not in their final format, when completed I foresee them having a great impact on my classroom. I think they are going to be great tools in helping students identifying the type of job the want, create a support page that tells others how to best support them, and build a resume to use when looking for a job.

The Roanoke Star

While there, I was excited to see that my good friend Katie Jo, who is a first year teacher in another county, was in attendance. I find it promising to see teachers that are new to the profession taking every opportunity to increase their breadth of knowledge. On Tuesday evening we took advantage of the amazing weather. We found a nice little Irish pub where we enjoyed some potato soup, fried cheese curds, and fish & chips. Finally, we drove up to see the famous Roanoke Star. My trip to Roanoke and the Virginia Transition Forum was a great experience, and I am looking forward to attending again next spring.

My Mother's Day Tribute

My mom, in front of her last
captive audience, speaking
at her retirement party.

For my entire life, up until her retirement last June, my mother was an educator, professionally speaking.  I say "professionally speaking" because my mom is one of those few people that you will meet in life who are education.  Education is them.  She eats it.  She breathes it.  And even though she is a southern lady, she sweats it from every pore.  Peggy Early is the reason that I became a teacher.  Plain and simple.  I was lucky enough to have it bred into my genetic make up.  However there is example after example of students who were forever impacted by the education they received under her tutelage, and as a result, pursued a career teaching.  She connected with children in a way that is seldom seen.  For the animal lovers she had rabbits, iguanas, and hatched chicken eggs year after year, even though it meant driving back to school every night for the 10:00PM turning.  For future engineers she did an egg drop, climbing to the highest point of the school to test student-built contraptions.  If you were into drama there was always the Thanksgiving play and puppets to look forward to.  And if it was tough love or a soft place to fall that you were seeking, consciously or not, she had plenty of that to go around as well.  She was able to extract every last drop of potential out of her students, and after all was said and done, her students were grateful.  And so am I.


My mom is the reason I have this opportunity to travel abroad.  The opportunity to further my education and broaden my horizons.  She set the ball in motion by nominating me for an R.E.B. Award, provided by The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia.  She made this nomination as a former award winner herself.  When I was in elementary school she won her R.E.B. award.  Teaching fourth grade at the time, the focus of her social studies curriculum was Virginia history.  For this reason, she used her grant money to expand her knowledge of all things Virginia.


It was the summer of 1992 when we embarked on our adventure, visiting nearly every county in the state.  See, she took me along on her trip, and we built some of our greatest memories over the course of those two months on the road.  We started by driving to the western part of the state where we saw things like the natural springs of Bath County, the deep inner workings of a coal mine, and cattle auctions.  It was also in south western Virginia where the infamous claw-foot-tub incident took place, but that is another story for another day.  (Let's just say that it ends up with me naked, folded in half like a taco wrapped in a shower curtain, hands and feet waving in the air, pinned between the wall and tub, just narrowly missing the opportunity to use a fire extinguisher as a cork.  Yeah, good luck erasing that image from your minds eye.)  We ended up watching the ponies swim from Assateague to Chincoteague and nearly brought home a colt.  There was the beach, national forests, Civil War reenactments, wax museums, Natural Bridge, the Arlington Cemetery, and so much more.

Business in the front, party in the rear.

The things we saw were amazing, but the times I really remember came from inside the car.  This was where my mom and I really connected.  The soundtrack of our summer included cassettes of Dirty Dancing, Good Morning Vietnam, and America's favorite line-dancer: Billy Ray Cyrus, who was still in his mullet and white high-tops days.  Remember, this is the summer of 1992, the summer of "Achy Breaky Heart."  To this day I still know every word to every song on each of those albums, and despite not having listened to them again since our mini van pulled back into our driveway at home, whenever I hear a song from one of those track lists I am disappointed when it is not followed by the next song on the cassette.  I mean hearing Patrick Swayze sing "She's Like the Wind" leaves you feeling empty when it is not followed by "Hungry Eyes."  As we drove from hotel to hotel we bonded through song, conversation, and impromptu dance breaks.  Sure, our life was in jeopardy when we were behind a truck in the fog on Afton Mountain when it started shooting it's treads at us, or when we were directed to be on the look out for low flying aircraft (like there was anything that we could have done about it), but those near death experiences really strengthen the bond between mother and child.


Unfortunately, my mom will not be able to go with me to England and Ireland this summer.  I can only imagine what stories we would have if she had to drive on the wrong side of the road.  But, fortunately for me, like the thousands of other students she impacted over her 42 year teaching career, I know that she will be with me in spirit.  And while I am driving through the Irish countryside, I will make sure to blast "I've Had the Time of My Life," with my hand flying out the window, just for her.  Thank you mom.  I love you.  

People First Language

People First Language is a way of thinking and speaking about people with disabilities in a manner that accurately describes the individual, while positively focusing on their abilities.  I know this may sound like a delicate way of trying to enforce political correctness, however People First Language is more of a humanistic ideology than a politically motivated one.  It is based more around good manners and respect than anything else.  There are two words in this explaination that I think are very important: Accurately and Positively.  When I talk to students about People First Language I review words and phrases that we have all heard used at one time or another to describe individuals with disabilities, then have them think about each word in very simple terms, "Does this word/phrase make you think about what the person can do, or what the person cannot do?"  Using these parameters, it is often easier to begin the process of changing the words we use when talking about individuals with disabilities. 


People First Language:

- Puts the Person before the Diagnosis.

- Values Ability over Disability.

- Focuses on the person as an Individual, not as a member of a homogenous group.

- Describes what a person HAS, not who a person IS.

I think it is important to add something that Kathie Snow, creator of the website DisabilityIsNatural.com, says on the subject.  “Words are powerful.  Old and inaccurate descriptors, and the inappropriate use of these descriptors, perpetuate negative stereotypes and reinforce an incredibly powerful attitudinal barrier.  And this invisible, but powerful, attitudinal barrier is the greatest obstacle facing individuals with disabilities.  When we describe people by their medical diagnoses, we devalue and disrespect them as individuals.”  Also, there is a difference between TO BE and TO HAVE.  It is suggested that to have may imply possession while to be implies identity.  Thus, it is less stigmatizing to have something than to be something.

People First Language does not rely on terms that convey an unnecessary negative connotation.  Here, a lot of emphasis is placed on the words “unnecessary” and “negative.”  Some of these unnecessary and negative terms include: Suffers From, Afflicted, Crippled, Disabled, Wheelchair bound, Confined to, Victim, Invalid, Handicapped, Special needs, etc. 

This is an issue that is very near and dear to me.  As someone who teaches students with intellectual disabilities, I feel that part of my responsibility is to also educate people beyond the confines of my classroom, or even school walls.  Since I began volunteering at a respite camp for adults with disabilities at the age of 15, I have worked to advocate for their equal and appropriate treatment.  This has come in the form of staff trainings, classroom lessons in English classes to facilitate the discussion of characters with disabilities, to the curbing of behaviors and language of friends, aquaintences, and random people in public who are using insensitive and hurtful language.  Although he was not speaking of People First Language at the time, Mark Twain made a pretty summitive arguement for the cause when he said "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightening and the lightening bug."

I'm feeling some kind of way

Finally things are happening that are making me realize just how close my trip is.  6 weeks, 4 days.  Up to this point it has felt more like a dream than a reality.  The thought of having never traveled abroad, to now preparing to spend a full month overseas, has me feeling... well it has me feeling some kind of way.  I'm not exactly sure what this saying even means.  It is a term that my wife has picked up, and has begun to interject into our household lexicon.  For us, it seems to encompass a plethora of emotions: anxiety, excitement, pensiveness, fits of laughter, etc.  For this trip though, it just seems to fit.  I am making progress in my preparations, but with each item that I mark off  of my to do list, I add three more.  This week I have secured my airfare and reserved all of my hotel rooms.  This was not a small task, I tell you.  Trying to ensure that you are getting a good rate on hotels in eight cities, all while sticking to my budget took a ton of internet searches, cost comparisons, and currency conversions, but it was a necessary step in ensuring that things go smoothly while in London and Ireland.  Every now and then, when I think about it for too long, a grin takes over my face, and I let out this little giggle of joy/disbelief. Tee-hee.