Helen Keller
By: Lindsey Dutson, Malia Mack,
Rachel Penningjack
Basic Facts About Helen
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Born: June 27, 1880
Town: Tuscumbia, Alabama
Parents: Arthur H. Keller and Katherine
Adams Keller
Helen was became blind and deaf after she
fought a high fever when she was only 18
months old.
Rowdy Young Girl
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Because of her inability to communicate normally,
Helen acted out, and was a very hard child to
control.
She showed her emotions physically and found
ways to let others know what she needed.
Anne Sullivan, who became her teacher, had to
have lots of patience and understanding to calm
Helen down so she was able to teach Helen; so
Helen could understand.
It was a slow start, but they succeeded! After just
one month, Anne had taught Helen the word,
“water.” She did this by writing the letters of the
word into Helen’s hand!
Helen Keller’s Education
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In 1888, Helen went to the Perkins Institution for the
Blind in Boston.
During 1980, was the first time Helen learned how
to speak. With the assistance of Sarah Fuller
principle of Horace Mann School.
Around 1982, Helen leaves Perkins Institution on
account of being accused of plagiarism.
In 1894, Helen attended Wright-Humason School
for the Deaf in New York City. Studied arithmetic,
physical geography, French and German.
Helen’s Education History
continued
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Helen entered Cambridge School for Young Ladies in preparation for
Radcliffe. Her first of studies composed of English Literature and
history, German, Latin, arithmetic, Latin composure and others.
Helens preliminary exams started around June 29 to July 3, 1897.
Passing all and obtained honours in German and English.
The second year at Cambridge her studies were: physics,
algebra, geometry, astronomy Greek and Latin. Helen got ill around
mid November, her mother withdrew her out of college for awhile.
Had a tutor, so Helen would not lack behind in her studies. Took the
final exam 29 and 30 of June 1898.
She entered Radcliffe in the fall of 1900. Her first year’s studies
were French, German, History, and English composition and
literature. Second year’s studies were English composition, the Bible
of English literature, American and English governments, the Odes of
Horace and Latin comedy. In 1904, Helen graduated from Radcliffe
with Magna Cum Laude.
Writing Books and essays
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Helen was able to write many essays that
expressed the way that she felt about
certain situations at that time. Also she was
able to write many books about her life as a
deaf and blind person. She wrote around
12 books that were published and many
articles for newspapers. She started writing
at age 11 and continued until she died. She
wrote The Story of My Life written at age
22, also she wrote Out of the Dark which
focused on socialism.
Awards Helen won:
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Helen Keller was awarded the Presidential Medal of
Freedom in 1964 during the last years of her life.
She was given the award by President Johnson.
This award is known as one of the highest civilian
honor awards in the United States. Also was able to
be elected into the National Women’s Hall of Fame
in 1965. She was able to devote much her time and
life raising funds for the American Foundation for
the Blind. She also honored as Gallup’s Most Widely
Admired People, she was put on Alabama’s Quarter,
The Helen Keller Hospital in Alabama is dedicated
to her, and many more honors.
Purpose
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Helen Keller was able to complete her education with the help of
Anne Sullivan.
Helen also helped to make it possible for women to get the right to
vote.
She wrote many books and stories. She was also able to write for
magazines and news papers. She mostly wrote about her life as a
deaf and blind person.
“Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield
to it we can never do anything good in the
world.” – Helen Keller.
She of all people would have a reason to stop and pity themselves.
She’s a great example because she didn’t pity herself, she didn’t put
herself down and tell herself that she couldn’t do it. That, right there,
shows how determined she was in creating a normal life for herself.
Argument
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In the time period of when Helen was growing up, public schools
didn’t have special programs for kids who had disabilities. So she
couldn’t go to the same schools as other kids because she was deaf
and blind. There were schools for deaf kids or blind kids, but not
schools for children who were both; as Helen was. Because of this,
she needed her own teacher. Anne Sullivan was her teacher.
Public schools should introduce programs for kids with disabilities
and special needs. The programs should include: individual attention
and special smaller group classes.
Individual attention for every student poses some problems: there’s
not enough teachers for every student and it’s too costly to
implement across the nation.
A solution to avoid those problems is to develop a criteria to find out
which students do need extra help.
Also, schools need to develop within that criteria which student need
different/specialized classes, and which students need “one-on-one”
attention.
Argument continued
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Also, schools need to develop within that criteria which student need
different/specialized classes, and which students need “one-on-one”
attention.
To make sure the programs are helping the students, teachers can
make charts to measure the progress the student is making.
The charts should be personalized to each student. The progress
chart tracks the progress goals in the specific subjects (math,
reading, etc…) of the student. The charts are monthly; that way they
can literally see the progress of the student.
This is beneficial for everyone involved!
Malia’s Relation
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Helen Keller is such a great example to me.
She didn’t let anything or anyone stand in her
way. When she set her mind on something,
she didn’t stop until she finished it.
She went through school and was able to
complete her education. That makes me want
to work harder to get through school and
other challenges that life throws at me.
She made an impact in the world among the
people that she met. I only hope that I can
do the same!
Lindsey’s Relation
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Better medicine that’s available to more people helps prevent high
fevers like Helen had. Also, doctors help babies who are sick. They
helped me when I had RSV.
Our culture now is more aware of, and sensitive to understand
people with disabilities. Society wants to do its part to help people
with those hardships. Instead of excluding people, society has taken
a more caring approach; so they feel included.
Helen Keller’s example has a very big influence on my attitude of
completing my education. I have my own challenges, even though
they’re minor compared to her challenges, that I have to work
through to receive my own education. Her story inspires me to work
harder. I know that I can still do great in school, because Helen
worked through her trials in life; and she did it!
Her story gives me courage and faith that, just as she succeeded in
school with her challenges, I can succeed with mine!
Rachel’s Relations
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I was in elementary when first heard of Helen Keller. All I
knew is that she was deaf and blind, I never knew of her
struggle and perseverance she went through to get her
education. Who knew she would go on to inspire people
around the World?
Like Helen, I also struggled. It was during my senior year
in high school. I was lacking a semester behind my
graduating class and I consider dropping out of school. I
talked with the counselor and secretary about what I could
do to make up the missing credits. From the beginning I
had people telling me that I would have to repeat a year.
In the end, I proved them wrong and graduated on time.
Works Cited
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Pictures of Helen Keller:
<http://www.google.com/>
the one when she was older:
Original source: <http://www.visionaustralia.org.au>
6 Dec. 2011
Where I got it from: <http://www.aboutmyway.com/7-lessons-from-helen-keller/>
image of her in her cap and gown:
6 Dec. 2011
<http://www.cpsd.us/tobin/directory/Dahill/08_09projects/HelenKeller.htm>
Article by: Ellen Forrest
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“Helen Keller Biography.” Encyclopedia of World Biography.
Nov. 2011
<http://www.notablebiographies.com/Jo-Ki/Keller-Helen.html>.
Works Cited continued
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“Helen Keller Biography.” American Foundation for the Blind.
American Foundation for the Blind.
Oct. 2011 and 30 Nov. 2011
<http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=1&TopicID=129>.
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“Helen Keller. Biography.” bio. true story .
A+E Television Networks, LLC.
Nov. 2011
<http://www.biography.com/people/helen-keller-9361967>.
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http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Helen_Keller
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller
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The Online Book Page. Mary Mark Ockerbloom.
November 2011.
<http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/keller/life/life.html>.