Henning students learn about visible, invisible disabilities

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

As the old saying goes do not judge until you walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. 

Henning fourth and eighth graders had the opportunity over the past two weeks to do just that as they completed a variety of exercises and experiments to see what it is like to walk in the shoes of people who may have a disability, both visible and invisible. In the Henning School Library, and just outside the library doors, students worked with Henning School staff members and representatives from Freshwater Education District to see the challenges some people with disabilities face on a daily basis. 

The goal of the exercises was to teach the students how to show empathy, help when needed and see first-hand the challenges that some classmates, friends and family members may face when trying to complete everyday tasks with a disability. 

“The goal in this entire experience was to have students ‘walk in the shoes’ of a person with a visible or invisible disability. We wanted the students to see the difference between being a bystander, being sympathetic and being empathetic,” said Henning elementary teacher Christina Wohlwend. “This experience is focusing on the ‘whole child’ teaching approach. Teaching these children how to be a good human and have and show empathy to others. My belief is that children and people don’t know how to respond in uncomfortable situations unless they are taught the right way to do so.”

Having the students complete the exercises came about after a professional staff development that staff members at Henning School completed last spring. After the staff development, Wohlwend said she wanted to share the experience with students at the school to show them what challenges some people in the region need to work through on a daily basis, even if the challenges are invisible to the naked eye.

“We actually completed this as a professional development last spring as a staff. I enjoyed it so much and felt that it hits home for what we are looking for in our students and in our community. So, after the experience I went to Paula Petersen, the occupational therapist at Freshwater Education District. I asked if it would be possible to do the activity with my upcoming fourth grade students,” said Wohlwend. “The ball got rolling and we collaborated our ideas on how to best suit the students and what questions we could ask to deepen their understanding. At first we had it as a fourth grade activity, Mr. Williams suggested including our eighth grade group and making it so that each year, our students get to have this experience.”

Over two Fridays in January, the students worked through a number of exercises with school staff and FED staff members to learn more about what kind of challenges people go through with disabilities. Since not all of the disabilities are visible, for example of the exercises had students sit in a wheelchair and attempt to open the door without a handicap door opener nearby, the students had to use their brains and be immersive with the more mental aspect of the experiments. 

Wohlwend said the students did a great job of taking the experience seriously and hopes the students took home a few things about the challenges that other people may face doing everyday activities. 

“The students were attentive and determined in all activities. They enjoyed a wheelchair scenario and felt that it was the most challenging and frustrating emotionally. We had quite a few students speak up about how a certain activity ‘hit home’ with them and it made them even more receptive to the activity,” she said.

Moving forward, Wohlwend said the plan is to continue to partner with FED each year to have students in both fourth and eighth grade complete the exercises until every class goes through the program. The idea is to teach students that even though people may be different, people with disabilities both visible and invisible deserve a voice and opportunity to feel included.

“Our number one goal was giving those that are visibly or invisibly disabled a voice and provide awareness to our students at Henning so that they are prepared with the tools to be inclusive and empathetic humans,” said Wohlwend.