Blog

Today was a very productive day in regards to understanding developmental disabilities. On Thursdays during the morning before I go to Riverside, I have a Social and Cognitive Development lecture. Today we discussed challenges in social and cognitive development – specially, autism and savants. This is review of a previous…

On October 15, I wrote on the interesting perspective of Anne Ruggles Gere, who writes on the visibility of disability in her own daughter, Cindy. During the lecture this week, we had the privilege of hearing three parents’ perspectives on their children’s disabilities. This lecture was certainly the most poignant…

This week’s lecture helped to resolve several questions I’ve had in the past few entries, notably the issues I raised on October 8th in regards to imitation. My conclusion that mimicry is used informally in the classroom as a means of normal social interaction was only partially true – equality…

I apologize for the delay in my posts. As it was fall break for the main ND campus, the London branch also enjoyed a week off; there was no Riverside trip on either the 22nd or the 29th of October, which was Riverside’s half-term break. This blog will address the…

Today we did further work on citizenship. Harry and Adam were assigned to bringing me around the school and introducing me to five or six administrative figures, then they were told to show me their three favorite places in the school. Even after four weeks, the school is a maze…

Unlike last week, it was a very hectic day in David’s classroom. One male student had an episode brought on by nothing apparent to the rest of us. In short, we were seated in a semi-circle as David lectured on the importance of understanding citizenship and being an engaged and…

It was a quiet day at Riverside today. Some students in the class went sailing in the morning and, due to a long traffic delay, did not return until late in the afternoon. Therefore, no formal activities were scheduled and I was given the chance to simply socialize with the…

We worked on photo booklets documenting a recent field trip the class took together. During crafts, I had to be separated from Mo, who touches strangers too often. He would sit a little too closely and repeat phrases, unthreateningly, but close to my face. I must say that I felt…

Today was my first day in the classroom at Riverside. I chose to work with older students because I have had some experience with teenagers from volunteering at The Logan Center in South Bend. I was placed in a classroom with sixteen-year-olds and am happy with my decision, though I…

My name is Mary McKeever and I am writing this blog as a way to reflect on my experiences and share my insights at the Riverside School for disabled adolescents. I am a junior studying English and Psychology on Notre Dame’s London campus this semester and this opportunity is unique to the London Program. As a psychology major, I am interested in understanding disability in a practical, day-to-day basis; as an English major, I am interested in the depiction of mental illness and physical disability in literature and its reception in society.