A new, free digital platform, Through My Eyes, is available to teachers and parents who want to gain better insight into what it’s like to grow up with a learning disability. Developed by Understood.org, a nonprofit that supports people of all ages who think and learn differently, the platform includes personal stories, real-life simulations and tools from special education teachers and psychologists.
Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, MA, a Spanish language special education teacher, is one of the experts involved in developing the platform. Urtubey was the 2021 National Teacher of the Year and appointed by President Joe Biden to the President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. She has seen a significant shift in special education during her 15 years as an educator.
“We now see the child first,” Urtubey says. “It’s important to help them learn how their brain works and what their strengths are so that they can advocate for themselves. Forcing kids to learn in one way is not good for any child.”
She says the platform can help all educators who encounter students with special needs to dispel misconceptions, raise awareness and create empathy.
Special education teachers use different strategies to help students learn in whatever ways they can, Urtubey says. Children with dyslexia might need a buddy reader or an audio version of a story. They might struggle to understand the words in the written form, but can comprehend them when they hear them. It’s up to the teacher to set the goal: Is it for the students to read the printed words or comprehend the story?
Through My Eyes helps children understand how their brains work and how they can be different from other children’s. This can go a long way toward helping these students gain understanding and confidence, according to Urtubey.
“Children with disabilities don’t feel smart, but all my students were smart in certain ways,” Urtubey says. “All my students had incredible strengths. It was my job to help them develop empathy and patience about how their brains work.”
The platform offers help for parents, especially those who have just learned that their child has a learning disability.
“I’ve been in meetings with parents who have just learned about their child’s disability,” says Urtubey. “They want to know, ‘Will my child be labeled forever? Will it hold them back?’ In special education, we can design strategies and support to help the child be successful.”
Through My Eyes takes a deep dive into three disabilities with first-person accounts from Pedro, who has ADHD, Caris, who has dyslexia, and Francesca, who has dyscalculia, as they go through a typical day. Other resources include:
- lesson plans and tips for creating an inclusive classroom
- guides to help parents discuss disabilities with their children, their partner and their children’s teachers
- games to help students learn how to be a self-advocate and an ally
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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