What a MAGNIFICENT life that I lead. There is not a challenge that I can not handle!
Saturday, July 31, 2004
Facing a Challenge
How did I face my disabilities and overcame the difficulties of life? One of the most challenging goal was to get receive regular education and then proceed to college. As I entered seventh grade, I was transferred to a new middle school called Southwest middle school. There was this remarkable teacher, Ms. Hackett, who realized that I was as smart as anybody else without a disability. Therefore she gave me a chance and integrated me in two classes to see if I could handle those classes with an aide to assist me in the classroom.
Then after a month or more, I met some friends who were very willing to assist in taking notes, getting books out of my books bag and so on. If I needed to read a book in class, a friend took off my communication device from my metal stand attached to put my tray and put the book the in its place. My head-stick that I use to type with was left on me head. Therefore, I could turn the pages of the book. Worksheets were put into the plastic swivel paper holder attached to the right side of my communication device, called the Liberator. Therefore, all of my friends took the place of an aide.
Now I had the confidence to succeed in the classroom with the help of my peers and the teachers. Also, I had more determination and more confidence to pursue my dreams as well as my goals in my life. So, Ms. Hackett realized that I did not need an aide and pushed her out. However, one of the regular education teachers did not agree with her and so, she send one of her students to get the aide. It caused an uproar between Ms. Hackett and that teacher who felt uncomfortable with me in her classroom without an aide because she said “What if she gets sick or choke during class, then I don’t know what I am supposed to do!” She never had a student with a disability before, and so, she was frightened that something would happen to me during class. That same day after school, Ms. Hackett and I had meeting with her to reassure her that everything will be alright with me and that I can handle everything that all of the other students handle without physical challenges, but at much slower rate than other students. Therefore, all of my other teachers allowed me to have extension on my assignments, especially my writing assignments and tests. Also, the teachers reduced my work load from forty problems to twenty problems, or all of the even problems or odd problems on a particular page that the assignment was on. Lastly, they always allowed me to have two books. That way, I had one book at home to study from and the other the book in the classroom to read along or work in, if needed. Ms. Hackett-Waters and I slowly convinced her that I could make it all year in her class without an aide. This same teacher had one more question to ask. She asked, “Well, how will Faye let me know if she has a question?” I answered with a simple solution to the problem. Whenever I had a question, I got somebody else to raise my arm for me, or better yet, raise their hand or go and get the teacher.
From that day on, Ms. Hackett and I didn’t have any more problems with that teacher, but we did learn a great lesson in this. The lesson is that everyone is afraid of what is different and even the teachers. However, we can change all of their fears toward people with disabilities or others who are dissimilar by educating them concerning different kinds of disabilities and how we can help people with disabilities gain respect.
During the same year I was included in regular classes, I developed scoliosis and had to have an operation. At that time, I realized I needed more help than my mother could give me in daily care as well as some assistance in doing my homework. Therefore, I decided to hire this particular aide, Barbara Hunter, who assisted Ms. Hackett in mainstreaming me in my first regular education class. She still is my personal Home Health Aide and became my close friend to this very day.
Before I had the operation, I was still behind in some of my academics because the city my family moved from, the teachers didn’t really teach me at my appropriate grade level as an elementary student. Therefore, I had a lot of holes in my education. When I came back to school after my operation, I had to work extra hard to catch up in all academic classes. Ms. Hackett was willing to help me to catch up everyday after school for three hours until I caught up in every class completely. I proved to her that I was so serious about being mainstreamed completely, even determined to go to my neighborhood high school along with my peers, that I wouldn’t give u p until all of my work was completed and on her desk at sundown. Most importantly, I wouldn’t give up until my wish or my prayers were answered to go to my neighborhood high school.
When I began eighth grade at Southwest Middle School, I prepared to go to my neighborhood high school, Dr. Phillips, which had no Physically Impaired Unit or an aide to assist me in “powdering my nose”. Ms. Hackett had the nurse work with me on being able to hold my urine everyday until I got home throughout that year. The nurse limited the liquid intake to my body. Therefore, I could handle holding my urine through the whole school day without having a big problem. Everyday for lunch, I had a milkshake that my mother made for me and put into a thermos. Later, in high school, I replaced this by just taking a can of “Ensure”. My friends poured my drink into my cup and I drank it from a long flex straw cut the right length so that cup sat in front of me on the tray. I had this drink instead of solid food because I didn’t have enough time to eat in forty minutes. It takes me longer than that to eat a proper meal. Also, since I need full assistance in eating considering my lack of hand use, I had no aide and couldn’t always be sure the same friends would be at school. By coming home one class period before everyone else, I was able to eat lunch and use the bathroom facilities at home. I took five classes per semester to everyone else’s six classes a day. This is why it took me four and a half years and two separate five week summer school sessions to graduate from high school.
I usually worked on my homework assignments at lunch or anytime I didn’t find myself doing anything else or before school started in the very early morning to wake myself up. This way, I avoided staying up all night long doing my homework most of the time. Sometimes I needed to ask my teachers for extra time to complete an assignment. Also, if didn’t finish a test or quiz, sometimes they were understanding and let me bring it home to finish. However, if it was an exam, then I had to take it in the library or in their back room or office. Therefore, I could take as long as I want and it wouldn’t be as noisy when the students left to go to their next exam. Most of my teachers were very understanding of me and my condition. I didn’t have any problems with them. However, when a teacher had a big problem with me having more time, I did all of their assignments before I started doing the rest of the other assignments that I had to do.
I went to summer school at Dr. Phillips before I became a freshman there and took a Personal Fitness class with a group of students with physical challenges who were attending Dr. Phillips in their ninth grade year as well as me. The principal hired a special education teacher to teach the summer school course along with an aide to assist her to set up games to learn about our bodies as well as sports to make us realize what our bodies can or cannot do; what rate we can function at without having problems with our energy level going down and so on. We had to do the same things as all of the other students did in their regular physical education classes, but the teachers were very creative and allowed us to have extra time while we did our requirements for that class.
During my ninth grade year, most of my classes that I took required group activities and projects especially science classes. I was the person who gave ideas and told my group what to do as well as how to do it. If it was a written part of the project assignment, I was always left to do the written part of the project since nobody ever wanted to do the written part of it. Friends held the microscope down low so I could see the samples on the slides. Also, my biology teacher made sure I had a microscope at home so she could send slides home with me for observation.
After I had gotten a feel for what high school was all about, I began to adventure out and get involved with my school activities by signing up for all different kinds of clubs such as: the Beta Club, Honor’s Society, Christian Activities, and Student Council. All of these clubs consisted of a lot of activity outside of school as well as in school and hard work in which I had to keep my grades up and still achieve a certain number of points for each month to remain in these clubs. Every other week, I went to different nursing homes and group homes throughout Orlando with a group of my friends to cheer up the elderly people by telling my sick jokes to them on my communication device, playing around with them, or even talking with them about anything that they wanted and getting anything that they needed. We also went to Head Start Programs to give kids presents; serve them pizza or cookies, little snacks and be their buddy for a day. I had no problems with sharing my ideas with everybody or planning upcoming school events like the blood drive, Homecoming and, Prom. I always took action and did what needed to be done on campus without having anybody ask me to do it.
I usually caught a ride with my mother whenever we went on a school field trip or to do service work after school. She dropped me off and would pick me up after the activity. That is because I believe if I would have made a stink and complained about not having a bus with a lift every time I wanted to go on a field trip with my class, either they would give in and get a bus with a lift or they would have just not provided the transportation. Dr. Phillips has over four thousand students and only one out of two in a powered chair. Experience from others had shown that transportation for a student in a powered chair was not always reliable. Therefore, my mother was willing to make sure I always was reliable when I said I’d be somewhere at a certain time. Whenever I look back at all of the wonderful things I did throughout my high school years and all of the strategies that the teachers and I worked on together as a team to make it as easy and pleasant as possible for me to handle my work load and go to high school at Dr. Phillips, I commend all of the teachers who were willing to do their very best at teaching me and thought of me as one of their students without a disability who was willing to learn. Also, I have admiration for all of them for being more than willing to help me with my assignments before and after school.
I must say I had no teachers to offer me any kind of help at any other schools I have attended in the past except for a few of my teachers at Southwest Middle School as well as many teachers at Dr. Phillips High School. Therefore, I felt I belonged at my neighborhood high school. That is because I know the teachers care about teaching our students by trying to give our students the best education that there is.
For further information, please contact me.
How did I face my disabilities and overcame the difficulties of life? One of the most challenging goal was to get receive regular education and then proceed to college. As I entered seventh grade, I was transferred to a new middle school called Southwest middle school. There was this remarkable teacher, Ms. Hackett, who realized that I was as smart as anybody else without a disability. Therefore she gave me a chance and integrated me in two classes to see if I could handle those classes with an aide to assist me in the classroom.
Then after a month or more, I met some friends who were very willing to assist in taking notes, getting books out of my books bag and so on. If I needed to read a book in class, a friend took off my communication device from my metal stand attached to put my tray and put the book the in its place. My head-stick that I use to type with was left on me head. Therefore, I could turn the pages of the book. Worksheets were put into the plastic swivel paper holder attached to the right side of my communication device, called the Liberator. Therefore, all of my friends took the place of an aide.
Now I had the confidence to succeed in the classroom with the help of my peers and the teachers. Also, I had more determination and more confidence to pursue my dreams as well as my goals in my life. So, Ms. Hackett realized that I did not need an aide and pushed her out. However, one of the regular education teachers did not agree with her and so, she send one of her students to get the aide. It caused an uproar between Ms. Hackett and that teacher who felt uncomfortable with me in her classroom without an aide because she said “What if she gets sick or choke during class, then I don’t know what I am supposed to do!” She never had a student with a disability before, and so, she was frightened that something would happen to me during class. That same day after school, Ms. Hackett and I had meeting with her to reassure her that everything will be alright with me and that I can handle everything that all of the other students handle without physical challenges, but at much slower rate than other students. Therefore, all of my other teachers allowed me to have extension on my assignments, especially my writing assignments and tests. Also, the teachers reduced my work load from forty problems to twenty problems, or all of the even problems or odd problems on a particular page that the assignment was on. Lastly, they always allowed me to have two books. That way, I had one book at home to study from and the other the book in the classroom to read along or work in, if needed. Ms. Hackett-Waters and I slowly convinced her that I could make it all year in her class without an aide. This same teacher had one more question to ask. She asked, “Well, how will Faye let me know if she has a question?” I answered with a simple solution to the problem. Whenever I had a question, I got somebody else to raise my arm for me, or better yet, raise their hand or go and get the teacher.
From that day on, Ms. Hackett and I didn’t have any more problems with that teacher, but we did learn a great lesson in this. The lesson is that everyone is afraid of what is different and even the teachers. However, we can change all of their fears toward people with disabilities or others who are dissimilar by educating them concerning different kinds of disabilities and how we can help people with disabilities gain respect.
During the same year I was included in regular classes, I developed scoliosis and had to have an operation. At that time, I realized I needed more help than my mother could give me in daily care as well as some assistance in doing my homework. Therefore, I decided to hire this particular aide, Barbara Hunter, who assisted Ms. Hackett in mainstreaming me in my first regular education class. She still is my personal Home Health Aide and became my close friend to this very day.
Before I had the operation, I was still behind in some of my academics because the city my family moved from, the teachers didn’t really teach me at my appropriate grade level as an elementary student. Therefore, I had a lot of holes in my education. When I came back to school after my operation, I had to work extra hard to catch up in all academic classes. Ms. Hackett was willing to help me to catch up everyday after school for three hours until I caught up in every class completely. I proved to her that I was so serious about being mainstreamed completely, even determined to go to my neighborhood high school along with my peers, that I wouldn’t give u p until all of my work was completed and on her desk at sundown. Most importantly, I wouldn’t give up until my wish or my prayers were answered to go to my neighborhood high school.
When I began eighth grade at Southwest Middle School, I prepared to go to my neighborhood high school, Dr. Phillips, which had no Physically Impaired Unit or an aide to assist me in “powdering my nose”. Ms. Hackett had the nurse work with me on being able to hold my urine everyday until I got home throughout that year. The nurse limited the liquid intake to my body. Therefore, I could handle holding my urine through the whole school day without having a big problem. Everyday for lunch, I had a milkshake that my mother made for me and put into a thermos. Later, in high school, I replaced this by just taking a can of “Ensure”. My friends poured my drink into my cup and I drank it from a long flex straw cut the right length so that cup sat in front of me on the tray. I had this drink instead of solid food because I didn’t have enough time to eat in forty minutes. It takes me longer than that to eat a proper meal. Also, since I need full assistance in eating considering my lack of hand use, I had no aide and couldn’t always be sure the same friends would be at school. By coming home one class period before everyone else, I was able to eat lunch and use the bathroom facilities at home. I took five classes per semester to everyone else’s six classes a day. This is why it took me four and a half years and two separate five week summer school sessions to graduate from high school.
I usually worked on my homework assignments at lunch or anytime I didn’t find myself doing anything else or before school started in the very early morning to wake myself up. This way, I avoided staying up all night long doing my homework most of the time. Sometimes I needed to ask my teachers for extra time to complete an assignment. Also, if didn’t finish a test or quiz, sometimes they were understanding and let me bring it home to finish. However, if it was an exam, then I had to take it in the library or in their back room or office. Therefore, I could take as long as I want and it wouldn’t be as noisy when the students left to go to their next exam. Most of my teachers were very understanding of me and my condition. I didn’t have any problems with them. However, when a teacher had a big problem with me having more time, I did all of their assignments before I started doing the rest of the other assignments that I had to do.
I went to summer school at Dr. Phillips before I became a freshman there and took a Personal Fitness class with a group of students with physical challenges who were attending Dr. Phillips in their ninth grade year as well as me. The principal hired a special education teacher to teach the summer school course along with an aide to assist her to set up games to learn about our bodies as well as sports to make us realize what our bodies can or cannot do; what rate we can function at without having problems with our energy level going down and so on. We had to do the same things as all of the other students did in their regular physical education classes, but the teachers were very creative and allowed us to have extra time while we did our requirements for that class.
During my ninth grade year, most of my classes that I took required group activities and projects especially science classes. I was the person who gave ideas and told my group what to do as well as how to do it. If it was a written part of the project assignment, I was always left to do the written part of the project since nobody ever wanted to do the written part of it. Friends held the microscope down low so I could see the samples on the slides. Also, my biology teacher made sure I had a microscope at home so she could send slides home with me for observation.
After I had gotten a feel for what high school was all about, I began to adventure out and get involved with my school activities by signing up for all different kinds of clubs such as: the Beta Club, Honor’s Society, Christian Activities, and Student Council. All of these clubs consisted of a lot of activity outside of school as well as in school and hard work in which I had to keep my grades up and still achieve a certain number of points for each month to remain in these clubs. Every other week, I went to different nursing homes and group homes throughout Orlando with a group of my friends to cheer up the elderly people by telling my sick jokes to them on my communication device, playing around with them, or even talking with them about anything that they wanted and getting anything that they needed. We also went to Head Start Programs to give kids presents; serve them pizza or cookies, little snacks and be their buddy for a day. I had no problems with sharing my ideas with everybody or planning upcoming school events like the blood drive, Homecoming and, Prom. I always took action and did what needed to be done on campus without having anybody ask me to do it.
I usually caught a ride with my mother whenever we went on a school field trip or to do service work after school. She dropped me off and would pick me up after the activity. That is because I believe if I would have made a stink and complained about not having a bus with a lift every time I wanted to go on a field trip with my class, either they would give in and get a bus with a lift or they would have just not provided the transportation. Dr. Phillips has over four thousand students and only one out of two in a powered chair. Experience from others had shown that transportation for a student in a powered chair was not always reliable. Therefore, my mother was willing to make sure I always was reliable when I said I’d be somewhere at a certain time. Whenever I look back at all of the wonderful things I did throughout my high school years and all of the strategies that the teachers and I worked on together as a team to make it as easy and pleasant as possible for me to handle my work load and go to high school at Dr. Phillips, I commend all of the teachers who were willing to do their very best at teaching me and thought of me as one of their students without a disability who was willing to learn. Also, I have admiration for all of them for being more than willing to help me with my assignments before and after school.
I must say I had no teachers to offer me any kind of help at any other schools I have attended in the past except for a few of my teachers at Southwest Middle School as well as many teachers at Dr. Phillips High School. Therefore, I felt I belonged at my neighborhood high school. That is because I know the teachers care about teaching our students by trying to give our students the best education that there is.
For further information, please contact me.
Who Are you?
Who Are you?
Who are you?
Underneath all of this
Hunk of metal
Surrounding your body
And yet, not your soul?
Perhaps, is it?
Why are you so sad?
For you are as free as a dove
Who wanders the earth like a poor, old soul who
Is lost forever and
Can not find his way home
Trying his way home
Pitiful, perhaps?
Depressed, that might be?
Sometime, my friend, someday
You will find the answer and someday, my friend,
You will find yourself
And I will lead you home
For all shall discover your
True Self
And that lies underneath the flesh.
The shell will be unlocked
Once more by hidden angels
Who walk the earth by
Night
The answer is locked within
Your soul
So I asked gently
Who are you
While we slept
Soundly
Into the night.
This poem reminds us that in life, we may not know who we are from deep within with or without disabilities. Everyone feels lost from time to time. Therefore, we go on a search to seek the truth out. For the truth lies from deep within you, but if you don’t face your challenges or yourself, then how can you live life? Don’t fear it, but live it! I am here to help and solve these everyday challenges.
Who are you?
Underneath all of this
Hunk of metal
Surrounding your body
And yet, not your soul?
Perhaps, is it?
Why are you so sad?
For you are as free as a dove
Who wanders the earth like a poor, old soul who
Is lost forever and
Can not find his way home
Trying his way home
Pitiful, perhaps?
Depressed, that might be?
Sometime, my friend, someday
You will find the answer and someday, my friend,
You will find yourself
And I will lead you home
For all shall discover your
True Self
And that lies underneath the flesh.
The shell will be unlocked
Once more by hidden angels
Who walk the earth by
Night
The answer is locked within
Your soul
So I asked gently
Who are you
While we slept
Soundly
Into the night.
This poem reminds us that in life, we may not know who we are from deep within with or without disabilities. Everyone feels lost from time to time. Therefore, we go on a search to seek the truth out. For the truth lies from deep within you, but if you don’t face your challenges or yourself, then how can you live life? Don’t fear it, but live it! I am here to help and solve these everyday challenges.
The Gate Keepers Visiting People in Heaven
Who are we anyway?
A Bunch of human beings
Seeking for an
Owner.
Then the Warm feet of the
Visitors walked upon the
Glassy, smooth, cool
Tiles they quietly entered
The house without
Expecting anything slowly,
They crept toward the
Dim light at the narrow
Hallway as if they entered
Another dominion.
The war zone
An old, worn out, wooden chair that
Looked like it would crack at any moment
And fall to pieces, whenever, someone
Sat upon it as if
An earthquake has
Erupted from the ground
Knocking the visitors off of
Their feet with one blow
Another wooden chair that looked
Like it had been through
The war with the
Gorgeous cushions ready to give
Way at the seams and
On the floor,
A beautiful carpet,
Appearing to be
The road map of
The world that
Represents
The past of
Our live.
This poem helps us to realize each one of us has a purpose in life with disabilities or without no matter how disable or how difficult life. Live life each day like there is no tomorrow. When life is Tough, fight back! I did and I have won!Please contact me. I would love to help you through the battles of hardships. There is HOPE! You are not alone.
A Bunch of human beings
Seeking for an
Owner.
Then the Warm feet of the
Visitors walked upon the
Glassy, smooth, cool
Tiles they quietly entered
The house without
Expecting anything slowly,
They crept toward the
Dim light at the narrow
Hallway as if they entered
Another dominion.
The war zone
An old, worn out, wooden chair that
Looked like it would crack at any moment
And fall to pieces, whenever, someone
Sat upon it as if
An earthquake has
Erupted from the ground
Knocking the visitors off of
Their feet with one blow
Another wooden chair that looked
Like it had been through
The war with the
Gorgeous cushions ready to give
Way at the seams and
On the floor,
A beautiful carpet,
Appearing to be
The road map of
The world that
Represents
The past of
Our live.
This poem helps us to realize each one of us has a purpose in life with disabilities or without no matter how disable or how difficult life. Live life each day like there is no tomorrow. When life is Tough, fight back! I did and I have won!Please contact me. I would love to help you through the battles of hardships. There is HOPE! You are not alone.
My Thoughts in Poetry Form
“The Power of friendship”
As I sat in my chair,
crying my eye balls out as if they were
going to fall out into a pool of water
growing bigger and bigger with each
moment that goes by.
Tears of confusion and disappointment
Were cluttering my mind as if somebody
Knocked me out,
for I didn’t know what on earth was wrong
with the old computer.
Thinking about what to do,
Wanting to throw the moldy decrepit pieces
Of the computer out of my window
To see if it would fly away like a wild,
Unruly pigeon
That is possessed by the devil,
And watch it fly into the sunset never to
Return again,
Before I lose my sanity.
Ideas forming in my mind
Like wild flowers growing in a garden
As I walk toward the computer.
Looking at it slowly like I was ready
To fight another human being
Running my fingers across the keyboard,
Like a blind child trying to find her way
through life in this
World.
Suddenly, it comes on with a touch of a
Button,
For it spoke with a gruff voice,
Scaring me half to death
As if it is ready to jump out at of me,
Like a tiger hunting his prey.
Reaching out for the mouse,
Moving about all over the blue screen.
But, it then decided to kick the bucket on me
And
Stopped working altogether.
“A battle of Wits is it?”
Gosh darn your Moldy Hide!
“Aye, I’ll show you.”
Yelling as I pulled every grain of hair out of
My head.
Yelling like a banshee who has gone mad.
Hearing a little, gentle voice trying to
Calm me down as I was wiping my tears
away from my red,
Flushed face quickly.
Smiling sweetly at him,
Trying to hide my emotions
“Don’t play with me, missy,”
Acting all innocent and cute,
“Come on missy, I saw your lip.”
“What is that lying on floor, playing
Dead?”
He said looking at me.
Finally, braking down and telling him
Everything that had happened to me.
Taking my hand and placing it in his.
Whispering softly,
“Cheer up, everything will be alright.
Hush now, I am here.”
This poem talks about the challenges that everyone with and without disabilities has to face in life. No matter who you are, everybody has challenges. Life would be boring without challenges. Life is a game with risks and many hardships. Don’t be afraid to face these challenges of life. Yet, later on in life, there will be great opportunities waiting for you, if you are determined to stand up to your challenges and your equal rights as an individual.
As I sat in my chair,
crying my eye balls out as if they were
going to fall out into a pool of water
growing bigger and bigger with each
moment that goes by.
Tears of confusion and disappointment
Were cluttering my mind as if somebody
Knocked me out,
for I didn’t know what on earth was wrong
with the old computer.
Thinking about what to do,
Wanting to throw the moldy decrepit pieces
Of the computer out of my window
To see if it would fly away like a wild,
Unruly pigeon
That is possessed by the devil,
And watch it fly into the sunset never to
Return again,
Before I lose my sanity.
Ideas forming in my mind
Like wild flowers growing in a garden
As I walk toward the computer.
Looking at it slowly like I was ready
To fight another human being
Running my fingers across the keyboard,
Like a blind child trying to find her way
through life in this
World.
Suddenly, it comes on with a touch of a
Button,
For it spoke with a gruff voice,
Scaring me half to death
As if it is ready to jump out at of me,
Like a tiger hunting his prey.
Reaching out for the mouse,
Moving about all over the blue screen.
But, it then decided to kick the bucket on me
And
Stopped working altogether.
“A battle of Wits is it?”
Gosh darn your Moldy Hide!
“Aye, I’ll show you.”
Yelling as I pulled every grain of hair out of
My head.
Yelling like a banshee who has gone mad.
Hearing a little, gentle voice trying to
Calm me down as I was wiping my tears
away from my red,
Flushed face quickly.
Smiling sweetly at him,
Trying to hide my emotions
“Don’t play with me, missy,”
Acting all innocent and cute,
“Come on missy, I saw your lip.”
“What is that lying on floor, playing
Dead?”
He said looking at me.
Finally, braking down and telling him
Everything that had happened to me.
Taking my hand and placing it in his.
Whispering softly,
“Cheer up, everything will be alright.
Hush now, I am here.”
This poem talks about the challenges that everyone with and without disabilities has to face in life. No matter who you are, everybody has challenges. Life would be boring without challenges. Life is a game with risks and many hardships. Don’t be afraid to face these challenges of life. Yet, later on in life, there will be great opportunities waiting for you, if you are determined to stand up to your challenges and your equal rights as an individual.
Friday, July 30, 2004
Monday, July 26, 2004
How I Stood Up for My Rights to be Educated!
How did I face my disabilities and overcame the difficulties of life? One of the most challenging goal was to get receive regular education and then proceed to college. As I entered seventh grade, I was transferred to a new middle school called Southwest middle school. There was this remarkable teacher, Ms. Hackett, who realized that I was as smart as anybody else without a disability. Therefore she gave me a chance and integrated me in two classes to see if I could handle those classes with an aide to assist me in the classroom.
Then after a month or more, I met some friends who were very willing to assist in taking notes, getting books out of my books bag and so on. If I needed to read a book in class, a friend took off my communication device from my metal stand attached to put my tray and put the book the in its place. My head-stick that I use to type with was left on me head. Therefore, I could turn the pages of the book. Worksheets were put into the plastic swivel paper holder attached to the right side of my communication device, called the Liberator. Therefore, all of my friends took the place of an aide.
Now I had the confidence to succeed in the classroom with the help of my peers and the teachers. Also, I had more determination and more confidence to pursue my dreams as well as my goals in my life. So, Ms. Hackett realized that I did not need an aide and pushed her out. However, one of the regular education teachers did not agree with her and so, she send one of her students to get the aide. It caused an uproar between Ms. Hackett and that teacher who felt uncomfortable with me in her classroom without an aide because she said “What if she gets sick or choke during class, then I don’t know what I am supposed to do!” She never had a student with a disability before, and so, she was frightened that something would happen to me during class. That same day after school, Ms. Hackett and I had meeting with her to reassure her that everything will be alright with me and that I can handle everything that all of the other students handle without physical challenges, but at much slower rate than other students. Therefore, all of my other teachers allowed me to have extension on my assignments, especially my writing assignments and tests. Also, the teachers reduced my work load from forty problems to twenty problems, or all of the even problems or odd problems on a particular page that the assignment was on. Lastly, they always allowed me to have two books. That way, I had one book at home to study from and the other the book in the classroom to read along or work in, if needed. Ms. Hackett-Waters and I slowly convinced her that I could make it all year in her class without an aide. This same teacher had one more question to ask. She asked, “Well, how will Faye let me know if she has a question?” I answered with a simple solution to the problem. Whenever I had a question, I got somebody else to raise my arm for me, or better yet, raise their hand or go and get the teacher.
From that day on, Ms. Hackett and I didn’t have any more problems with that teacher, but we did learn a great lesson in this. The lesson is that everyone is afraid of what is different and even the teachers. However, we can change all of their fears toward people with disabilities or others who are dissimilar by educating them concerning different kinds of disabilities and how we can help people with disabilities gain respect.
During the same year I was included in regular classes, I developed scoliosis and had to have an operation. At that time, I realized I needed more help than my mother could give me in daily care as well as some assistance in doing my homework. Therefore, I decided to hire this particular aide, Barbara Hunter, who assisted Ms. Hackett in mainstreaming me in my first regular education class. She still is my personal Home Health Aide and became my close friend to this very day.
Before I had the operation, I was still behind in some of my academics because the city my family moved from, the teachers didn’t really teach me at my appropriate grade level as an elementary student. Therefore, I had a lot of holes in my education. When I came back to school after my operation, I had to work extra hard to catch up in all academic classes. Ms. Hackett was willing to help me to catch up everyday after school for three hours until I caught up in every class completely. I proved to her that I was so serious about being mainstreamed completely, even determined to go to my neighborhood high school along with my peers, that I wouldn’t give u p until all of my work was completed and on her desk at sundown. Most importantly, I wouldn’t give up until my wish or my prayers were answered to go to my neighborhood high school.
When I began eighth grade at Southwest Middle School, I prepared to go to my neighborhood high school, Dr. Phillips, which had no Physically Impaired Unit or an aide to assist me in “powdering my nose”. Ms. Hackett had the nurse work with me on being able to hold my urine everyday until I got home throughout that year. The nurse limited the liquid intake to my body. Therefore, I could handle holding my urine through the whole school day without having a big problem. Everyday for lunch, I had a milkshake that my mother made for me and put into a thermos. Later, in high school, I replaced this by just taking a can of “Ensure”. My friends poured my drink into my cup and I drank it from a long flex straw cut the right length so that cup sat in front of me on the tray. I had this drink instead of solid food because I didn’t have enough time to eat in forty minutes. It takes me longer than that to eat a proper meal. Also, since I need full assistance in eating considering my lack of hand use, I had no aide and couldn’t always be sure the same friends would be at school. By coming home one class period before everyone else, I was able to eat lunch and use the bathroom facilities at home. I took five classes per semester to everyone else’s six classes a day. This is why it took me four and a half years and two separate five week summer school sessions to graduate from high school.
I usually worked on my homework assignments at lunch or anytime I didn’t find myself doing anything else or before school started in the very early morning to wake myself up. This way, I avoided staying up all night long doing my homework most of the time. Sometimes I needed to ask my teachers for extra time to complete an assignment. Also, if didn’t finish a test or quiz, sometimes they were understanding and let me bring it home to finish. However, if it was an exam, then I had to take it in the library or in their back room or office. Therefore, I could take as long as I want and it wouldn’t be as noisy when the students left to go to their next exam. Most of my teachers were very understanding of me and my condition. I didn’t have any problems with them. However, when a teacher had a big problem with me having more time, I did all of their assignments before I started doing the rest of the other assignments that I had to do.
I went to summer school at Dr. Phillips before I became a freshman there and took a Personal Fitness class with a group of students with physical challenges who were attending Dr. Phillips in their ninth grade year as well as me. The principal hired a special education teacher to teach the summer school course along with an aide to assist her to set up games to learn about our bodies as well as sports to make us realize what our bodies can or cannot do; what rate we can function at without having problems with our energy level going down and so on. We had to do the same things as all of the other students did in their regular physical education classes, but the teachers were very creative and allowed us to have extra time while we did our requirements for that class.
During my ninth grade year, most of my classes that I took required group activities and projects especially science classes. I was the person who gave ideas and told my group what to do as well as how to do it. If it was a written part of the project assignment, I was always left to do the written part of the project since nobody ever wanted to do the written part of it. Friends held the microscope down low so I could see the samples on the slides. Also, my biology teacher made sure I had a microscope at home so she could send slides home with me for observation.
After I had gotten a feel for what high school was all about, I began to adventure out and get involved with my school activities by signing up for all different kinds of clubs such as: the Beta Club, Honor’s Society, Christian Activities, and Student Council. All of these clubs consisted of a lot of activity outside of school as well as in school and hard work in which I had to keep my grades up and still achieve a certain number of points for each month to remain in these clubs. Every other week, I went to different nursing homes and group homes throughout Orlando with a group of my friends to cheer up the elderly people by telling my sick jokes to them on my communication device, playing around with them, or even talking with them about anything that they wanted and getting anything that they needed. We also went to Head Start Programs to give kids presents; serve them pizza or cookies, little snacks and be their buddy for a day. I had no problems with sharing my ideas with everybody or planning upcoming school events like the blood drive, Homecoming and, Prom. I always took action and did what needed to be done on campus without having anybody ask me to do it.
I usually caught a ride with my mother whenever we went on a school field trip or to do service work after school. She dropped me off and would pick me up after the activity. That is because I believe if I would have made a stink and complained about not having a bus with a lift every time I wanted to go on a field trip with my class, either they would give in and get a bus with a lift or they would have just not provided the transportation. Dr. Phillips has over four thousand students and only one out of two in a powered chair. Experience from others had shown that transportation for a student in a powered chair was not always reliable. Therefore, my mother was willing to make sure I always was reliable when I said I’d be somewhere at a certain time. Whenever I look back at all of the wonderful things I did throughout my high school years and all of the strategies that the teachers and I worked on together as a team to make it as easy and pleasant as possible for me to handle my work load and go to high school at Dr. Phillips, I commend all of the teachers who were willing to do their very best at teaching me and thought of me as one of their students without a disability who was willing to learn. Also, I have admiration for all of them for being more than willing to help me with my assignments before and after school.
I must say I had no teachers to offer me any kind of help at any other schools I have attended in the past except for a few of my teachers at Southwest Middle School as well as many teachers at Dr. Phillips High School. Therefore, I felt I belonged at my neighborhood high school. That is because I know the teachers care about teaching our students by trying to give our students the best education that there is.
For further information, please contact me.
Sunday, July 25, 2004
The Introduction of Faye Warren
Faye E. Warren
Faye E. Warren
953 Chauncey Ct., Ocoee, FL 34761
407-877-1965 (HOME) 910-318-6355 (CELL)
Email warrenfaye@yahoo.com
As a proud Floridian, who attended and graduated from Orange County Public School System, and recently earned a BFA from St. Andrews Presbyterian College, I care about student performance and our next generation who will contribute to the our state’s economy base. In the era of “No Child Left Behind,” schools are working hard to assure that ALL students’ academic and personal development performance levels are progressing. But how is that achieved for students with disabilities or special health care needs? Are professional development opportunities in your area meeting these needs too? Do exceptional education students see people with similar needs making it in this world?
As a person who is disabled and has been a successful student both at the secondary and post secondary levels, my personal experiences and degree could be an asset to programs and projects seeking a qualified consultant, mentor, coach, and inclusion facilitator.
Through the use of on-line technology (emails and list serves) my skills and abilities lend themselves to assist in educator in-service programs and on a classroom basis in skill areas such as: improving students’ communication, language, socialization, survival and adaptation, developing mentoring programs and how to manage health and related needs that will maximize attendance and education performance. As you review the enclosed vitae you will note that my varied experiences make my talents and expertise truly “reality based.”
If you are an individual with disabilities or someone who works with people facing these challenges, I offer my skills and talents as a consultant to help fight these battles. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss via email potential services I can provide for people with disabilities, their families and/or their service providers. My consultant services can be on a one-on-one basis or in a team approach. It is my professional goal to assist others with physical challenges to become successful community participants who live fulfilling lives in the world.
Faye E. Warren
953 Chauncey Ct., Ocoee, FL 34761
407-877-1965 / 910 3186355 (Cell)
warrenfaye@yahoo.com / fsumario@aol.com
EDUCATION
BFA St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Laurinburg, NC, 2004
Major: Creative Writing
Diploma Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, FL, 1997
Major: College Prep
TECHNICAL MAC/PC; MS Word; Expert in Prentke Romich
Liberator/Pathfinder
CONSULTANT Disability, Self-Determination, Inclusion and AT Beta Tester
HONORS - Awards Finalist, Chap Book Competition, Creative Writing
St. Andrews College, Laurinburg, NC, 2001
- Distinguished Speaker Award, Prentke Romich Co., 1999
- First student who used an augmentative device to graduate from regular education, Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, FL, 1999
- Walt Disney World's “Dreamers & Doers” Award, 1993
EXPERIENCE
1999- present Consultant, Orlando, FL
TECHNOLOGY - Beta Tested communication devices and assistive technology for people with disabilities and severe speech impairments. Assisted providers and consumers in identifying assistive technology devices. Counseled individuals on tech applications and to feel comfortable about using their AT devices.
INCLUSION - Serve as an educational consultant, life coach/mentor, and inclusion facilitator for children and youth with disabilities.
Advised people with disabilities how to deal with people in general. Conduct motivational presentations to people with disabilities, parents of people with disabilities, teachers, speech therapists, and speech pathologists to maximize inclusive opportunities in the classroom, community and with family and friends.
1999-2004 Work Study, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Laurinburg, NC
DUTIES: Conducted staff in-service for college personnel on meeting the needs of students with disabilities (ADA compliance, classroom inclusion and attitudinal shifting), served as Guide for Open Houses and dormitory Security Guard, and provided peer to peer counseling.
May–July 1999 Journalist, Assistive Technical Education Network (ATEN)
Orlando, FL
DUTIES: Wrote articles for the ATEN Newsletter, distributed statewide to educators and therapists in Florida. Topics: Integrating students with regular education; AT Devices: Tips for Success, and Personal experiences as a person with disabilities, including a speech impairment.
CONSULTATIONS
Member, Healthy & Ready to Work National Center’s Wisdom Council, HRSA/MCHB Cooperative Agreement, Washington, DC, 2004-present.
Beta Tester, Self-Employed Orlando, FL., 1991-2001
Supervisor: Gail Van Tatenhove, Prentke Romich Company, Specialist of Augmentative Communication, Bachelor of Arts Degree
Technology Sales and Demonstrator, Prentke Romich Company, Wooster, OH. 1994-2001. (Internationally renowned augmentative communication hardware/software company)
Sold communication devices at national professional conferences held in Orlando, FL.
Beta Tester, Assistive Technology Education Network, Orlando, FL., 01-08/1998.
Supervisor: Cathy George, Specialist of Augmentative Communication, Bachelor of Arts Degree.
PRESENTATIONS
“Speaker”, ATEN (Assistive Technology Education Network) Winter Institute Conference; Journalist for “ATEN Newsletter,” Orlando, FL, May, 1999-July, 1999.
“Session Speaker/Presenter”, FATIC (Florida Adaptive Technology Impact Conference), Tampa, FL, February 1993
“Session Speaker/Presenter”, FLASHA (Florida-American Speech Hearing Association), Orlando, FL, February 1992
“Beta Tester”, Assistive Technology Education, Orlando, Florida, January 1998-August 1998, Ref: Cathy George, Supervisor, Specialist of Augmentative Communication, Bachelor of Arts Degree.
“Technology Demonstrator”, Prentke Romich Company at various professional conferences, Orlando, FL, 1994-2001
“Distinguished Speaker/Presenter”, ASHA (American Speech
Hearing Association) Conference, San Francisco, C.A. November 1999, Ref: Gail Van Tatenhove
“Technology Demonstrator”, FLASHA (Florida-American Speech Hearing Association), Orlando, FL, 02/1992.
"Severely Disabled and Not Labeled: Maximizing LRE," Keynote, Florida Federation of Council for Exceptional Children/Florida TASH Annual Conference, Jacksonville, FL, 10/1991.
VOLUNTEER
Volunteer Experience Companion, Mariner Nursing Home, Orlando, FL, 02-04/1997.
Faye E. Warren
953 Chauncey Ct., Ocoee, FL 34761
407-877-1965 (HOME) 910-318-6355 (CELL)
Email warrenfaye@yahoo.com
As a proud Floridian, who attended and graduated from Orange County Public School System, and recently earned a BFA from St. Andrews Presbyterian College, I care about student performance and our next generation who will contribute to the our state’s economy base. In the era of “No Child Left Behind,” schools are working hard to assure that ALL students’ academic and personal development performance levels are progressing. But how is that achieved for students with disabilities or special health care needs? Are professional development opportunities in your area meeting these needs too? Do exceptional education students see people with similar needs making it in this world?
As a person who is disabled and has been a successful student both at the secondary and post secondary levels, my personal experiences and degree could be an asset to programs and projects seeking a qualified consultant, mentor, coach, and inclusion facilitator.
Through the use of on-line technology (emails and list serves) my skills and abilities lend themselves to assist in educator in-service programs and on a classroom basis in skill areas such as: improving students’ communication, language, socialization, survival and adaptation, developing mentoring programs and how to manage health and related needs that will maximize attendance and education performance. As you review the enclosed vitae you will note that my varied experiences make my talents and expertise truly “reality based.”
If you are an individual with disabilities or someone who works with people facing these challenges, I offer my skills and talents as a consultant to help fight these battles. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss via email potential services I can provide for people with disabilities, their families and/or their service providers. My consultant services can be on a one-on-one basis or in a team approach. It is my professional goal to assist others with physical challenges to become successful community participants who live fulfilling lives in the world.
Faye E. Warren
953 Chauncey Ct., Ocoee, FL 34761
407-877-1965 / 910 3186355 (Cell)
warrenfaye@yahoo.com / fsumario@aol.com
EDUCATION
BFA St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Laurinburg, NC, 2004
Major: Creative Writing
Diploma Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, FL, 1997
Major: College Prep
TECHNICAL MAC/PC; MS Word; Expert in Prentke Romich
Liberator/Pathfinder
CONSULTANT Disability, Self-Determination, Inclusion and AT Beta Tester
HONORS - Awards Finalist, Chap Book Competition, Creative Writing
St. Andrews College, Laurinburg, NC, 2001
- Distinguished Speaker Award, Prentke Romich Co., 1999
- First student who used an augmentative device to graduate from regular education, Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, FL, 1999
- Walt Disney World's “Dreamers & Doers” Award, 1993
EXPERIENCE
1999- present Consultant, Orlando, FL
TECHNOLOGY - Beta Tested communication devices and assistive technology for people with disabilities and severe speech impairments. Assisted providers and consumers in identifying assistive technology devices. Counseled individuals on tech applications and to feel comfortable about using their AT devices.
INCLUSION - Serve as an educational consultant, life coach/mentor, and inclusion facilitator for children and youth with disabilities.
Advised people with disabilities how to deal with people in general. Conduct motivational presentations to people with disabilities, parents of people with disabilities, teachers, speech therapists, and speech pathologists to maximize inclusive opportunities in the classroom, community and with family and friends.
1999-2004 Work Study, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Laurinburg, NC
DUTIES: Conducted staff in-service for college personnel on meeting the needs of students with disabilities (ADA compliance, classroom inclusion and attitudinal shifting), served as Guide for Open Houses and dormitory Security Guard, and provided peer to peer counseling.
May–July 1999 Journalist, Assistive Technical Education Network (ATEN)
Orlando, FL
DUTIES: Wrote articles for the ATEN Newsletter, distributed statewide to educators and therapists in Florida. Topics: Integrating students with regular education; AT Devices: Tips for Success, and Personal experiences as a person with disabilities, including a speech impairment.
CONSULTATIONS
Member, Healthy & Ready to Work National Center’s Wisdom Council, HRSA/MCHB Cooperative Agreement, Washington, DC, 2004-present.
Beta Tester, Self-Employed Orlando, FL., 1991-2001
Supervisor: Gail Van Tatenhove, Prentke Romich Company, Specialist of Augmentative Communication, Bachelor of Arts Degree
Technology Sales and Demonstrator, Prentke Romich Company, Wooster, OH. 1994-2001. (Internationally renowned augmentative communication hardware/software company)
Sold communication devices at national professional conferences held in Orlando, FL.
Beta Tester, Assistive Technology Education Network, Orlando, FL., 01-08/1998.
Supervisor: Cathy George, Specialist of Augmentative Communication, Bachelor of Arts Degree.
PRESENTATIONS
“Speaker”, ATEN (Assistive Technology Education Network) Winter Institute Conference; Journalist for “ATEN Newsletter,” Orlando, FL, May, 1999-July, 1999.
“Session Speaker/Presenter”, FATIC (Florida Adaptive Technology Impact Conference), Tampa, FL, February 1993
“Session Speaker/Presenter”, FLASHA (Florida-American Speech Hearing Association), Orlando, FL, February 1992
“Beta Tester”, Assistive Technology Education, Orlando, Florida, January 1998-August 1998, Ref: Cathy George, Supervisor, Specialist of Augmentative Communication, Bachelor of Arts Degree.
“Technology Demonstrator”, Prentke Romich Company at various professional conferences, Orlando, FL, 1994-2001
“Distinguished Speaker/Presenter”, ASHA (American Speech
Hearing Association) Conference, San Francisco, C.A. November 1999, Ref: Gail Van Tatenhove
“Technology Demonstrator”, FLASHA (Florida-American Speech Hearing Association), Orlando, FL, 02/1992.
"Severely Disabled and Not Labeled: Maximizing LRE," Keynote, Florida Federation of Council for Exceptional Children/Florida TASH Annual Conference, Jacksonville, FL, 10/1991.
VOLUNTEER
Volunteer Experience Companion, Mariner Nursing Home, Orlando, FL, 02-04/1997.
