Introduction

This guide was created to provide teachers with a tool to assist students with disabilities to: learn about themselves, including how to accept themselves and their disability; understand how to combat Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) and change what students think about themselves; learn how to have a voice through self-advocacy and personal empowerment; and to create a vision for their future goals.

We asked Wisconsin youth in high schools and colleges how they felt about themselves and their disabilities when they were in middle and high school. These are the results we received:

1. I’m stupid
2. I’m not normal
3. I won’t have friends because of my disability
4. I’ll never be popular and no one will ever like me
5. Everyone is looking at me because of my disability
6. I will never go to college
7. My teachers do not understand me
8. Life is not fair, it’s hard
9. I will never amount to anything
10. I am not as important as my peers
11. I wish I was smart
12. Everyone thinks I’m dumb anyways, why try
13. I can’t do anything right, I’m stupid
14. I read too slow to be smart
15. There is no point
16. I am a loser
17. I am a disappointment
18. I am not meant for school
19. Life sucks, why me
20. Just let me be

Many of the surveyed students reported they still have high anxieties and continue to have these feelings in their lives past high school. We realized there needs to be a new way of thinking. Youth reported if we can get students with disabilities in middle school to understand their disability and abilities while their transition is beginning, then change can begin. This is why the guide has been developed. Middle school students and teachers must begin to understand the importance of transition by age 14 (or younger).

We hope you will find the guide easy to use. Remember, this is only a guide. Please change it to meet the needs of your students, school, and community! Our hope is also that you will share your thoughts and ideas with us to continually build a document usable for all middle school educators.

We appreciate your time and effort to continually make transition a priority in your students’ lives!