On September 7th, the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremonies took place in Rio, de Janeiro. On that same day, Edgemont students began their exploration of Paralympic sport.
In the past month, students have taken a look at Boccia, Seated Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball, and Athletic events. While we may not have necessarily played in an identical way to the given Paralympic Sport, we engaged in each game with an emphasis on the fundamental skills required to play and also attention to the adaptations or changes necessary to accommodate various abilities.
The end-learning goal was for students to recognize that all people, regardless of ability, can participate in physical activities and sport in meaningful ways. Throughout their learning, debriefing with students was ongoing. Questions such as: “If my mobility is limited how can I still throw or catch a ball?”; “How can I include someone in a game of tag if they have a visual impairment?”; “How do I guide a person who is blind during a game of strategy and not just do everything for them?”; or “How easy or hard do you think it would be in your daily life if you had an artificial limb or no limb at all?” These types of questions provoked students to make connections to themselves about how their own bodies work and move. Experience and questioning gave voice to their reflections, thoughts, and ideas. Lastly, engagement in activities with limitations built empathy for others, developed knowledge of disability, and also allowed us to celebrate each person’s abilities.
As one student stated, “everyone is born with different abilities and we should not make anyone feel bad about that”
In the past month, students have taken a look at Boccia, Seated Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball, and Athletic events. While we may not have necessarily played in an identical way to the given Paralympic Sport, we engaged in each game with an emphasis on the fundamental skills required to play and also attention to the adaptations or changes necessary to accommodate various abilities.
The end-learning goal was for students to recognize that all people, regardless of ability, can participate in physical activities and sport in meaningful ways. Throughout their learning, debriefing with students was ongoing. Questions such as: “If my mobility is limited how can I still throw or catch a ball?”; “How can I include someone in a game of tag if they have a visual impairment?”; “How do I guide a person who is blind during a game of strategy and not just do everything for them?”; or “How easy or hard do you think it would be in your daily life if you had an artificial limb or no limb at all?” These types of questions provoked students to make connections to themselves about how their own bodies work and move. Experience and questioning gave voice to their reflections, thoughts, and ideas. Lastly, engagement in activities with limitations built empathy for others, developed knowledge of disability, and also allowed us to celebrate each person’s abilities.
As one student stated, “everyone is born with different abilities and we should not make anyone feel bad about that”