Module 2: What is normalcy and how does it relate to disability?
“You are normal if you fit into this culture and are therefore deemed normal by the school, the church, the town, the doctor, the professor. Normal is what works in society’s norms. This is a whole new tautology—normal is what is called normal by people who are considered normal.” (Mooney, 2019, p. 37)
Overview
A Message From Shaheen
Where did the concept of normalcy come from and whose purpose(s) does it serve? It may seem counterintuitive, but understanding normalcy is the first step in understanding disability. And, defining disability is not as simple as it may seem at first.
Musical Moment
Dame Evelyn Glennie performs Corelli’s La Folia (Insufficient Captions)
Transcript of Evelyn Glennie performs Corelli’s La Folia
|
Component |
Estimated Time to Complete |
|---|---|
|
Engage |
25-40 mins |
|
Reflect |
1 hr |
|
Chat |
1-2 hrs |
|
Self-Assess |
10-15 mins |
Engage
|
Source |
Summary |
Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|
|
Normal Schools (Intro Section only) By Wikipedia |
This Wikipedia page provides background information about Normal Schools, institutions that prepared teachers to teach normally. |
6-10 mins |
|
The End of Average!? Disrupting the Green of Education! By Shelley Moore |
This video focuses on how standardizing education does not effectively serve students. |
3-6.5 mins |
|
Demystifying Disability: Introduction By Emily Ladau |
Read the introduction chapter to learn more about the author, Emily Ladau, and her book. |
6-8 mins |
Reflect
Use the prompts below as a jumping off point. Do not let the prompts confine your reflection.
- Who got to decide what normal was back in the day? What purpose did the concept, as they defined it, serve for them?
- Who gets to decide what normal is today and who benefits from that definition? Who is harmed by today’s definition of normal?
Chat
Use the prompts below as a jumping off point for a conversation with others in your class or community.
- Mooney shares the historical contexts in which the word normal was developed and used. In what contexts have you seen the word normal used in the last 5-15 years?
- In what school contexts have you noticed the concept of normal showing up?
Self-Assess
- What idea/concept from this module was the CLEAREST to you?
- What idea/concept from this module was the MUDDIEST to you?
- Rate your knowledge on the ideas discussed in this module
- Expert
- Mastered
- Competent
- Still Developing
- Undeveloped
FAQ
Q1: So, is the idea of normal good or bad?
A1: Well, what do you think? I (Shaheen) think what is important is that you spend time pondering what normal is, what purpose the concept serves for different kinds of people, and the value our society (and each of us individually) puts on “being normal.” I also think it is important to understand the ways that normalcy has and continues to shape schools in the U.S. Finally, I think continuing to notice how the concept of normal shows up in your world will help you decide the extent to which you value the idea of normal.
