Eileen O'Toole
Sep 6, 2018 · 2 min read

Hi there, my name is Eileen, I’m writing from Ireland.

My reason for writing has little to do with your current topic on the page “The neglect of probability bias”.. ( and thank you, I certainly hope to remember to say this phrase out loud as the multitude of occasions arise..)…what has sparked my response is the sentence “ Be extraordinary” because I use this word to describe a segment of society that has been allocated the term “ Special Needs” when in fact the word “extraordinary” fits much better.

Over the past twenty years this term Special Needs has elasticated itself to cover a broad range of behaviour. It follows nicely on the heels of a somewhat over medicated need to have everything from puberty to adult growing pains medically justified. Everybody and their dog has ADHD. Everybody’s got “special needs”. Everyone tell you so. And ya know, that’s okay. If one chooses to walk that road then so be it. It’s it’s unkind of me to be flippant about lives I know nothing about.

BUT…..as a drama teacher for those adults who are severely disabled, I prefer to approach my clients knowing that their lives and needs are more than merely “special”.. .they are in fact “extraordinary”.

I should very much like to re-calibrate this term and place it where the pendulum swings.

“Be Extraordinary”- Yes, certainly, give much .

“Extraordinary Needs”- Yes, certainly….their needs are much.

The distinction is obvious. And the parallels are fine.

I do extraordinary work because I work with those with Extraordinary Needs.

Thank you for allowing me to click in and comment.

Cheers

Always,

Eileen