No Offense
“Anthony, you are such a retard, learn how to walk in the hallway”. My English teacher, Mrs. Cambardella, once said to me, “Think before you speak”. This concept has been something that has stuck with me all through 11th grade, and continues to this day. Every time I heard Mrs. Cambardella speak, it was very motivational. When she said, “think before you speak”, I really thought about that. How many times have I possibly offended someone without knowing? Almost every person has said something is “retarded”, “stupid”, or “you play like a girl”, but when we say it, do we really understand who we are offending? When we say these terms, it is criticizing others. For example, when someone says “you play like a girl,” that is suggesting that all girls are bad at physical activity. I know that there are many females at Wilson High School that could beat guys in the same exact sport. Saying that phrase is more of an insult to female athletes, than the person it is directed towards.
During my junior year of high school, I volunteered at Whitfield Elementary School, through the Wilson School District. I was placed in the autistic support room to observe a child that I have known since he was an infant. Each day, I saw how every student learned…show more content… He is a tall, talented, young boy, with a comical personality who carries himself with great pride. This brown haired, blue eyed boy suffers from autism, but he does not let that stop him. He excels greatly when doing tasks he enjoys. However, he has certain downfalls: mathematics and reading. Each day, teachers worked with him in order to have him do better in these subjects. I was able to help him with learning spelling words. Watching him excel as the year progressed made me realize that he is very smart. Through my experience, I have realized that not everyone is talented in everything, but that is socially