Final Project Reflection

I chose to do my final project on children’s literature that focuses on characters with developmental disabilities. This topic is especially important to me because my mother is a special education teacher, and as a future teacher I will also have many students with special needs in my classroom. From doing this project I was able to see how children with developmental disabilities are represented in literature. All three books that I used in my final project feature characters that are portrayed as being “different” from their siblings or peers. While all the books focused on developmental issues that are somewhat different, including autism and Down syndrome, the messages that each book presented were very similar.

The main focus of the books was not on the developmental disability itself, or how these people are different, but how important it is to accept people for who they are, recognizing their similarities and seeing the good in their differences. Some of the books, such as “Ian’s Walk” and “My Brother Sammy,” begin by pointing out these characters differences in order to express the frustration that some people, such as siblings, may encounter when forming relationships with people who have special needs. The struggle of others to come to understand and accept their peers with developmental disabilities is a common theme throughout all the texts. By the end of the book, however, the message is clear that it is important to try and understand the differences and accept that person for who they are. Many times throughout the texts other characters struggle to accept that a person with developmental disabilities may not do things the way everyone else does. These characters sometimes express feelings of frustration and embarrassment with these character’s actions. These are realistic feelings that one might have when accepting someone with developmental disabilities into their life, but once those people are able to accept others differences and try to see things from their perspective, they see the benefit of having that person in their life. In “Ian’s Walk” and “My Brother Sammy,” siblings come to accept each other for their differences and realize how much they care about having that person in their life. In “Me and Rupert Goody,” Jennalee comes to realize the special influence that an outsider, Rupert, has had on her life and the life of her Uncle Beau. Each book sends a positive message of understanding and acceptance.

Trying to find children’s books that include characters with developmental disabilities was somewhat difficult. I wanted to find books that included positive representations of characters with these disabilities and in my search I found out about the Dolly Gray Award. This award is given to authors and illustrators that positively portray characters with developmental disabilities. Each of the books I chose to read had received this award, and even still I was unable to find many of them at the local library. I finally was able to find the three I reviewed at the library in my home town. The fact that it was so difficult to find books that included characters with developmental disabilities, even award winners, opened my eyes even further to the importance of including diverse literature in the classroom. Every student deserves to be represented in the classroom, especially when they are a part of a group that is commonly over looked. Whether students with developmental disabilities are present in the classroom or not, it is always important to relay messages of understanding and acceptance of all people.