The Importance of High Expectations
By Richard Chapman PhD
Recently, I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine that lives out of state and who is also a mom to a three-year-old son with autism. During this conversation, we discussed the future and what the future might look like for her son. I am not a fortune teller but I am a disability advocate who believes in the power of inclusion for all people regardless of level of support needed.
What I told my friend was that her son will find his way. We don’t know what the future holds, so why should we put limits on people. Why did I say what I said? I have high expectations for her son. I have the belief that her son would do great things, given the right environment. The right environment requires love and patience, and setting the appropriate expectations. I know that my friend is a wonderful person and a fierce advocate for her son and I know that she has high expectations for him as well.
Persons with disabilities need people to set high expectations for them. When people set high expectations for persons with disabilities they will rise to the occasion, and outperform our expectations. By setting high expectations with persons that have disabilities, they are able to exercise more control over their own lives.
We have to begin to set high expectations people with disabilities. We need to be able to give people with disabilities the opportunity to live self-determined lives. Living a self-determined life means that you have the ability to set your own goals and make stuff happen in your life. Self-determination is for everyone, including those with the most significant support needs.
We have to stop limiting people. We have to help persons with disabilities live self-determined lives. At The Partnership for People with Disabilities, I am helping to direct The Center for Disability Leadership. The Center for Disability Leadership believes in the power of self advocacy and self-determination for all persons with disabilities. We believe that we must set high expectations for everybody. I firmly believe that persons with disabilities can do anything if we provide them with the right support.
About Richard Chapman
Richard Chapman is the Associate Director for Disability Leadership at the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University. He completed a postdoctoral research Fellowship at the University of Kansas in Lawrence Kansas studying self-determination intervention and assessment. He considers himself a disability studies scholar. He conducts research in the area of self-determination. He is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Florida. He is also a certified rehabilitation counselor. He has a bachelors degree, master’s degree, and a PhD all from the University of South Florida in beautiful Tampa Florida. He currently lives in Richmond Virginia.