Our Teacher's in a Wheelchair

by Mary Ellen Powers

Handicapped teacher Brian Hanson serves as a positive role model for the children at the Upper Arlington, Ohio, Child Care program, as they learn to deal constructively with the special problems and skills of the disabled

Genres: Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1986

Reviews

[Kinlee Brown]

This book is a true story about a teacher named Brian who is in a wheelchair. When he was younger, a sports injury left his legs partly paralyzed. The story takes you through his life and what it looks like to be in a wheelchair. It shows his strengths, along with his weaknesses. By the end, the author points out that we all have to take care of ourselves in different ways.

I like this book because it shows that not everyone has it together all of the time, not even your teachers! It made me feel encouraged by someone like Brian who can do all kinds of things despite his paralysis. The book shows how the kids look up to him just the same and his disability does not make him any less of a person.

I think this book would be a good one to have in a classroom because more than likely in your teaching career, you will have a student with a disability. It is important for students to understand that physical disabilities should not make you feel any differently about a person. This book could be a huge encouragement to someone who needs physical help.

[Annie Behel]

Brian Hanson was injured in a lacrosse game in college. He landed on his head, which paralyzed his legs, so he would never walk or run again. Brian learned how to use a wheelchair for everything he did, and although he missed how his life used to be, he adjusted and grew stronger because of it. Eventually he began to teach at a daycare where he got to work with children. He impacted the lives of so many kids, and made an impact despite his disability. I could use this in my future classroom by reading the story and then discussing how Brian found the good in his life even if something was taken away from him. I would then ask the class about what good they see in their life around them. I really liked this book because it showed an empowering story that many students could feel inspired from. I did not see any problems with the book.

[Kyle Jorris]

Our Teacher is in a Wheel Chair, by Mary Ellen Powers follows the life of a teacher who is partially paralyzed from the waist down. The book travels through a flash back of how the man hurt himself during a high school lacrosse game. When he fell, he permanently damaged his spinal cord. The book clearly explains what a handicap is, why and how it happens, what will happen to them if they hangout with people that are handicap, and how handicap people are just like everyone else.

This book clearly breaks down what a handicap is for children to understand. It’s a short but fun read with intriguing black and white pictures on each page that can narrate what is happening just as well as the words on each page. The book is written for younger kids in preschool kindergarten, but tells an fantastic and heart warming story even adults can be touched by.

I think that this is an incredibly important book for our society, and for our future society. The book talks about how some kids seemed to be afraid of the teacher in the wheel chair, but there was obviously nothing to be afraid of, and that wall in kids minds needs to be torn down with a good story like this. There was a lot of important and vital information inside of this book that everyone should teach in some way in their classroom. It is a great book, with a clear title, and an even clearer message.

[Brian Breese]

What?: Teacher, Brian Hanson, uses a wheelchair. Brian grew up playing and loving sports. In college he was playing on the lacrosse team and fell, landing on his head. This accident damaged his spinal cord leaving his legs partially paralyzed. He eventually was able to stand and take a few steps, but would never regain the mobility he once had. This book focuses on his job at a daycare and his interaction with his students.

So What?: Students will learn that not all teachers have the same physical capabilities, but desire to teach anyway. Although one might have physical challenges, we can still pursue our dreams and do things we never thought possible.

Now What?: I would use this book to demonstrate to students that we might have certain challenges of our own, but there are many individuals who have already accomplished the same goals we might have for ourselves. We simply need to read about them and believe in ourselves to be able to accomplish the same goal.

[Katy Jean Vance]

It is a fine book, but it has a copyright date of 1986 and it looks like it's from even earlier. I would like an updated version of this book. Also, it falls into the basic "Introduction to someone who is disabled" category, which isn't a bad thing, but it might be nicer to demonstrate the same messages being sent through this story implicitly rather than explicitly.

[Nicole Bell]

Brian Hanson was “injured playing a ball game called lacrosse”. “With his wheelchair, Brian can do most of the things he needs to do.” The book illustrates with real photographs, his close relationship with the children of the daycare. I think this book will help child not to fear someone who uses a wheelchair.