Ask an Advocate: Women’s History Month

Q: I am a teacher planning for Women’s History Month. I want my students to see a wide range of powerful women in history, including people with disabilities. Any suggestions?

A: Thanks for asking! Here are some ideas other teachers have tried:

• There are many women who shaped our history who had disabilities—Temple Grandin, Harriet Tubman, Hellen Keller, Dorothea Lange, Melissa Stockwell, Bethany Hamilton, and many more. Try having students pick a woman and do a research project on how they changed history.
• Try having students write down adjectives that describe women they look up to.
• Find a panel of successful women of different backgrounds, including women with disabilities, to speak to your class and answer questions.
• Ask the students to write down a dream or goal. Then, have them research someone who is similar to them who has accomplished that dream. Ask them to describe how the person did it.