--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In special education, there's too much…" description: "\"In special education, there's too much emphasis placed on the deficit and not enough on the strength.\" — Temple Grandin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/temple-grandin-1219_deficit_in-special-education-there-s-too-much-em_1086973.png" --- # In special education, there's too much emphasis placed on… ![“In special education, there's too much emphasis placed on the deficit and not enough on the strength.” quote by Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/temple-grandin-1219_deficit_in-special-education-there-s-too-much-em_1086973.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/temple-grandin-1219_deficit_in-special-education-there-s-too-much-em_1086973.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/temple-grandin-1219_deficit_in-special-education-there-s-too-much-em_1086973.png) > “In special education, there's too much emphasis placed on the deficit and not enough on the strength.” [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Special education should focus on strengths, not just deficits, to empower learners. **In simple terms:** Focus on strengths, not just problems. Key Takeaway Emphasize abilities in education. Themes education disability strengths Mood empathetic hopeful Type educational advocacy When to use this quote - classroom teaching - special programs - parent support Key Concepts strength-based approach inclusive pedagogy Questions to Reflect On - How can educators identify hidden strengths? - What policies support strength-based curricula? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic barriers that limit strength development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Special education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-education/) ## Related quotes > [My being a black woman is not a deficit. It is a strength. Because I could not be where I am had I not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-abrams/my-being-a-black-woman-is-not-a-deficit-it-is-a-strength-because-i/) [Stacey Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-abrams/) > [There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child CAN do, instead of what he cannot do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-needs-to-be-a-lot-more-emphasis-on-what-a-child-can-do-instead/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [It is better for the heart to break, than not to break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/it-is-better-for-the-heart-to-break-than-not-to-break/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“The Tragedy isn't Autism - The Tragedy is the lack of understanding of Autism, Lack of resources, Interventions not being met with the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-isaacs/the-tragedy-isn-t-autism-the-tragedy-is-the-lack-of-understanding-of/) [Paul Isaacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-isaacs/) > [Still, what I want in my life is to be willing to be dazzled---to cast aside the weight of facts and maybe even to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/still-what-i-want-in-my-life-is-to-be-willing-to-be-dazzled-to-cast/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“He doesn't have so much learning...or any special education either; he's silent, and he grins at you silently--that's how he gets by.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-doesn-t-have-so-much-learning-or-any-special-education-either-he-s/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [What gunpowder did for war, the printing-press has done for the mind; and the statesman is no longer clad in the steel of special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-phillips/what-gunpowder-did-for-war-the-printing-press-has-done-for-the-mind/) [Wendell Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-phillips/) > [I'd like to work with kids in special education - younger kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/i-d-like-to-work-with-kids-in-special-education-younger-kids/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [With demands for special education or standardized test prep being shouted in their ears, public schools can't always hear a parent when he says:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/with-demands-for-special-education-or-standardized-test-prep-being/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [An entrepreneur cannot be trained. A man becomes and entrepreneur by seizing an opportunity and filling the gap. No special education is required for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/an-entrepreneur-cannot-be-trained-a-man-becomes-and-entrepreneur-by/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [I pledge to you today that as president, in my first budget, I will introduce the largest increase in special education ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-pledge-to-you-today-that-as-president-in-my-first-budget-i-will/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Ten times a day something happens to me like this - some strengthening throb of amazement - some good sweet empathic ping and swell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/ten-times-a-day-something-happens-to-me-like-this-some-strengthening/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“Sline: (1) In Fluccish of the late Praxic Age and early Reconstitution, a slang word formed by truncation of baseline, which is a Praxic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/sline-1-in-fluccish-of-the-late-praxic-age-and-early-reconstitution-a/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [I decided to study special education and fell in love with working with individuals with autism. That's what I planned to do with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-aiken/i-decided-to-study-special-education-and-fell-in-love-with-working/) [Clay Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-aiken/) > [Anyone who is honestly trying to be a Christian will soon find his intelligence being sharpened: one of the reasons why it needs no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/anyone-who-is-honestly-trying-to-be-a-christian-will-soon-find-his/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More by Temple Grandin > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Language just gradually came in, one or two stressed words a time. Before then, I would just scream. I couldn't talk. I couldn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/language-just-gradually-came-in-one-or-two-stressed-words-a-time/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Animals do have emotion. But fear tends to be one of the most primal emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/animals-do-have-emotion-but-fear-tends-to-be-one-of-the-most-primal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [People can live up to high standards, but they can't live up to perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/people-can-live-up-to-high-standards-but-they-can-t-live-up-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“There's a point where anecdotal evidence becomes truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-s-a-point-where-anecdotal-evidence-becomes-truth/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [here's certain things that are similar to cats and dogs. Dogs are just hyper social and they have a want to please you way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/here-s-certain-things-that-are-similar-to-cats-and-dogs-dogs-are-just/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [People talk about curing autism. But if you got rid of all those traits, who's going to make the next computer?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/people-talk-about-curing-autism-but-if-you-got-rid-of-all-those/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [It is important that our relationship with farm animals is reciprocal. We owe animals a decent life and a painless death. I have observed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/it-is-important-that-our-relationship-with-farm-animals-is-reciprocal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [In a dog social cue from a master can override where he saw the being placed. That won’t happen unless we have bred a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/in-a-dog-social-cue-from-a-master-can-override-where-he-saw-the-being/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Well the dog that is the most is the a Labrador retrievers because they tolerate kids tugging on them and things better than other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/well-the-dog-that-is-the-most-is-the-a-labrador-retrievers-because/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) [Explore all 271 Temple Grandin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) ## More Deficit quotes > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. 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It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/i-cannot-conceive-of-a-politically-feasible-solution-to-this-problem/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [The deficit crisis is real and must be addressed. But it cannot be solved on the backs of the weak and vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-deficit-crisis-is-real-and-must-be-addressed-but-it-cannot-be/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [You know, dramas are much more expensive to do than say a comedy, so any kind of deficit like that is picked up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-guilfoyle/you-know-dramas-are-much-more-expensive-to-do-than-say-a-comedy-so/) [Paul Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-guilfoyle/) > [The major cause for American Negroes intellectual and social deficits is hereditary and racially genetic in origin and thus not remedial to a major…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shockley/the-major-cause-for-american-negroes-intellectual-and-social-deficits/) [William Shockley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shockley/) > [Back in those days, in the fifties and sixties, countries had balance of payment's deficits or surpluses, those were reflected much more than today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-solomon/back-in-those-days-in-the-fifties-and-sixties-countries-had-balance/) [Robert C. Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-solomon/) > [I am a deficit hawk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-am-a-deficit-hawk/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [What sets black people apart is not some deficit in personal responsibility. It's the weight on our shoulders. That is what's actually different. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/what-sets-black-people-apart-is-not-some-deficit-in-personal/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [I will bring our energy companies back. They'll be able to compete. They'll make money. They'll pay off our national debt. They'll pay off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-will-bring-our-energy-companies-back-they-ll-be-able-to-compete/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The company must be profitable. Preferably it will have increased its earnings for the past five years and there will have been no deficits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cundill/the-company-must-be-profitable-preferably-it-will-have-increased-its/) [Peter Cundill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cundill/) > [No industry or country can reach its full potential until women reach their full potential. This is especially true of science and technology, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/no-industry-or-country-can-reach-its-full-potential-until-women-reach/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) Browse all 585 Deficit quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In special education, there's too much emphasis placed on the deficit and not enough on the strength.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Temple Grandin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/in-special-education-there-s-too-much-emphasis-placed-on-the-deficit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deficit" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/in-special-education-there-s-too-much-emphasis-placed-on-the-deficit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/temple-grandin-1219_deficit_in-special-education-there-s-too-much-em_1086973.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/temple-grandin-1219_deficit_in-special-education-there-s-too-much-em_1086973.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/temple-grandin-1219_deficit_in-special-education-there-s-too-much-em_1086973.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In special education, there's too much emphasis placed on the deficit and not enough on the strength.” — Temple Grandin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Temple Grandin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In special education, there's too much...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/in-special-education-there-s-too-much-emphasis-placed-on-the-deficit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/in-special-education-there-s-too-much-emphasis-placed-on-the-deficit/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```