Parents of kids with Down syndrome-please help me understand

[dzorn]

WWJD?

A strong youth choir with unchristian attitude does not serve God. Callie should sing. Obvious if she cannot read the word and needs to have outside practice they just need to let her mother know since she is a professional singer and could I'm sure help her with the words. If Callie truly loves to sing I'm sure her mom would be more than willing to work with her. She may never be a perfect singer to anyone but God, but in the end that is all that matters.

It's all for His glory not for our benefit.


Denise in MI

 

[dimimi]

Who says she's in an "uncomfortable position"? You? You don't have a daughter with Downs. I personally think you are too involved with something that's none of your beeswax. It's a church choir, for pete's sake. Let the girl sing!

DITTO!!!! I still can't get over the fact that this is an open choir...everyone can join...if they can sing or not!...right?

Let the girl sing...or anyone else, no matter how they sing, look, how much they weight, how they look in their robe...etc. Remember, church choir, open to all!

Now...if the choir was an ability choir, with tryouts...then it's a different story. In this situation I'll be there a lot of "typical" kids who are in choirs who can't sing.

 

[FSUDisneyGirl]

As a future music educator (have my first job teaching elementary music in the fall- yay!) one of my main goals for my students is not tolerance, but acceptance. it is one thing for kids to tolerate a student singing off-key standing next to them, but it is another thing entirely for a kid to say "callie, you are getting better! next time maybe sing a bit softer, and then our voices will blend together, okay?" public school, church choir, any situation- i think by accepting everyone, and working so each child learns as much as possible, everyone benefits. op, you might not realize it now- of course you want your own daughter to have the best performing experience possible. i would look for another choir, outside church, for her to maybe perform in also. i think this experience with callie is a great example of "character" education- and something the kids will remember for the rest of their lives.

sorry this is so long- just something i feel strongly about! in my advanced high school choir, we had a severely disabled girl- yes she was in a wheelchair, and yes her voice stood out and was not always on key. one of my favorite memories of high school choir was when that girl felt accepted enough to try out for a solo in front of the other 80 kids in her class. when she was done, the entire class erupted in applause! gives me chills just thinking about it. yes, we competed, and yes, we received great ratings with her in our choir. maybe your director can write to whomever runs the competitions- and let them know about your situation. just like a student in a wheelchair in a marching band, or a student with a physical disability in a color guard (i've seen both), good judges can see past one student and take in the whole picture. and if they can't, maybe that rating isn't so important, after all. i have a high level of musicianship, went to one of the best colleges of music in the country, and i would rather see a girl with DS singing her heart out than sitting out any day.

op, just another view, not meaning to attack you or anything. good luck with your situation.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

sorry this is so long- just something i feel strongly about! in my advanced high school choir, we had a severely disabled girl- yes she was in a wheelchair, and yes her voice stood out and was not always on key.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have to ask. I was in advanced choir all through high school. We had to audition to remain in the choir each year. How on earth did someone off-key make it into advanced choir? Disabled or not, my choir director would not have stood for that. We performed in many competitions, and a loud off-key voice would not have been an asset.

I certainly would not have wanted to be accepted into the choir out of pity.

This is opinion brought to you by a paraplegic who has been injured since age 6, in case anyone wants to call me insensitive.

 

[Andy B]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have to ask. I was in advanced choir all through high school. We had to audition to remain in the choir each year. How on earth did someone off-key make it into advanced choir? Disabled or not, my choir director would not have stood for that. We performed in many competitions, and a loud off-key voice would not have been an asset.

I certainly would not have wanted to be accepted into the choir out of pity.

This is opinion brought to you by a paraplegic who has been injured since age 6, in case anyone wants to call me insensitive.

The choir was said to be a youth choir with some advanced singers which by inference means some not advanced and therefore a mixed ability group. As this is a church choir it would seem to have a christian attitude and be in praise of god not for ambition or achievement. I think that is good and am glad there is space for that type of choir.

 

[BillSears]

in my advanced high school choir, we had a severely disabled girl- yes she was in a wheelchair, and yes her voice stood out and was not always on key. one of my favorite memories of high school choir was when that girl felt accepted enough to try out for a solo in front of the other 80 kids in her class. when she was done, the entire class erupted in applause! gives me chills just thinking about it. yes, we competed, and yes, we received great ratings with her in our choir. maybe your director can write to whomever runs the competitions- and let them know about your situation. just like a student in a wheelchair in a marching band, or a student with a physical disability in a color guard (i've seen both), good judges can see past one student and take in the whole picture. and if they can't, maybe that rating isn't so important, after all. i have a high level of musicianship, went to one of the best colleges of music in the country, and i would rather see a girl with DS singing her heart out than sitting out any day.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have to ask. I was in advanced choir all through high school. We had to audition to remain in the choir each year. How on earth did someone off-key make it into advanced choir? Disabled or not, my choir director would not have stood for that. We performed in many competitions, and a loud off-key voice would not have been an asset.

I certainly would not have wanted to be accepted into the choir out of pity.

This is opinion brought to you by a paraplegic who has been injured since age 6, in case anyone wants to call me insensitive.

The choir was said to be a youth choir with some advanced singers which by inference means some not advanced and therefore a mixed ability group. As this is a church choir it would seem to have a christian attitude and be in praise of god not for ambition or achievement. I think that is good and am glad there is space for that type of choir.

Actually Lindsy was talking about the Advanced High School choir group. In her experiences you have to audition for these spots and placing someone in the choir who cannot sing at the level needed is pandering to their disability. I know that if I get into a choir I want it to be because I earned it not because I use a wheelchair. If I do a solo I want applause at the end because I was fantastic not because I'm inspirational. I want to be judged on my abilities not my disabilities and if my abilities aren't good enough then that's just the way it is. Not everyone sings well enough to be in the advanced choir. I find it offensive when I'm treated special because of my disability.

 

[Andy B]

Actually Lindsy was talking about the Advanced High School choir group. In her experiences you have to audition for these spots and placing someone in the choir who cannot sing at the level needed is pandering to their disability. I know that if I get into a choir I want it to be because I earned it not because I use a wheelchair. If I do a solo I want applause at the end because I was fantastic not because I'm inspirational. I want to be judged on my abilities not my disabilities and if my abilities aren't good enough then that's just the way it is. Not everyone sings well enough to be in the advanced choir. I find it offensive when I'm treated special because of my disability.

I was commenting on the original post situation.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

The choir was said to be a youth choir with some advanced singers which by inference means some not advanced and therefore a mixed ability group. As this is a church choir it would seem to have a christian attitude and be in praise of god not for ambition or achievement. I think that is good and am glad there is space for that type of choir.

Thank you for helping, Bill.

Andy B, did you even SEE the post I quoted? My reply had NOTHING to do with the original post concerning the church choir. Hence, why I began with "sorry to hijack the thread."

 

[Andy B]

Thank you for helping, Bill.

Andy B, did you even SEE the post I quoted? My reply had NOTHING to do with the original post concerning the church choir. Hence, why I began with "sorry to hijack the thread."

You seemed to be commenting on a post by FSUDisneygirl and and not totally in isolation so I contributed. Sorry you seem to take such easy offense.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

If I do a solo I want applause at the end because I was fantastic not because I'm inspirational. I want to be judged on my abilities not my disabilities and if my abilities aren't good enough then that's just the way it is. Not everyone sings well enough to be in the advanced choir. I find it offensive when I'm treated special because of my disability.

I knew a guy with CP. He used a wheelchair but could walk on crutches. He was telling me he walked across the stage when he graduated from college and got a 2.5 minute standing ovation. I was like Ooooook? He really thought he was hot stuff. I was embarrassed for him.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

OK Folks

This thread was on its way to dying a quiet death. I think FSUDisneyGirl's comments were very well thought out.

However, some of the comments following were discussing different subjects and getting a little acrimonious. I think it is time to look back and realize there is a difference between an all-volunteer church choir and a competitive choir.

The original topic was about a church choir. Some of the recent comments have been getting a bit hot and heated.

Maybe it is time for the thread to be closed, and if things don't calm down it will be.

 

[SueM in MN]

I was trying to think of a good way to state what I was thinking and Cheshire Figment beat me to posting.

Besides what he wrote,
I think we all need to remember the saying (well, I can't remember it exactly, but here goes what I think it is), "Opinions are like noses, everyone has one"

And everyone's opinion is valid, when looked at from their viewpoint. Argueing about someone's viewpoint is not going to change their opinion, because from where they stand (or sit), it looks just fine.

Trying to explain your own viewpoint may help others to see where you are coming from and how that influences your opinion. Trying to make others see your viewpoint will only make this thread close.