[blindkid] Stupid is as stupid does

[Carrie Gilmer]

Sally, please do not feel stupid asking the question. This is the place to
get the answers on the stupid things these professionals sometimes tell us!

We have all thought "well they know more about it than I do". And sometimes
they may. But Sally you know more about blindness, and likely as much about
educating a blind kid and more about your own son as many T B/VI's.

I have about a million "I wish I had responded differently", it is their
failure, they should know better not yours! We have to not be afraid to
question them when things don't seem to make sense. Trust your instincts
Sally, they are always right on!

I remember one of my "experts" said to me when sewing was coming up, "You
will need to buy high contrasting fabric and thread." I was like, "Huh?
Blind people wear clothes with high contrasting fabric and thread?" She was
stunned for a moment--she had never thought about it! She just had this one
"solution" and it didn't even make any sense!

This is why it is our strength to know blind people. By then I knew a bunch,
and I knew no one who wore high contrasting fabric and thread. I also knew
totally blind people who were expert at sewing-I knew it could be done
non-visually. All I said was that, "Well, I know a bunch of blind people and
they don't wear high contrast fabric and thread and they can sew. I'm going
to find out how they do it and that is what I expect we will do for Jordan."

It ended as one of our three big horror stories-giving me cause for a
lawsuit--as she refused to do the non-visual techniques. But that is another
story...the point is that had I not known blind people I likely would have
excitedly gone to buy high contrast fabric and thread so he could have
participated in sewing.

 Forgive yourself!
 
Carrie Gilmer, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
Home Phone: 763-784-8590
carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
www.nfb.org/nopbc

-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Andy & Sally Thomas
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 12:08 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!

I feel kind of stupid asking the question.  I was sitting in a room with the

director of special education, 2 other special ed "officials," a couple of 
TVI's, 2 braillists and who knows who else.  The trainer from TSBVI tells me

to think about the one handed instrument.  In the moment I'm thinking that 
certainly she knows more about this than I do.  I wish I'd responded 
differently to her since I really was considering it.

The good side is that the school district is buying Goodfeel and introduced 
the band and choir directors in the middle school to the concept that blind 
kids can be musicians.  The directors are excited about the possibilities 
and are anxious to teach music to a couple of blind kids!  While I agree 
that training your ear is a good thing, understanding music if you are in an

ensemble does have advantages.

Sally
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carrie Gilmer" <carrie.gilmer at gmail.com>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 10:47 AM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!


> Well Sally, I am sorry but your post provided me with a great laugh this
> morning. Just when I think I have heard every excuse or myth or artificial
> limit, I learn a new one. So we either scream, cry or laugh-I went for
> laughing this morning.
>
> Let's see, how many instruments can be played with one hand only? I guess
> there is the CAN be like if you only physically had one hand, and then 
> there
> is the typical. Anyway, blind people play all kinds of instruments and 
> make
> the choice as does everyone else by desire, ability to blow and use air (I
> can't spell am-be-shure) and often the choice is made because the parents
> have an instrument or the school and this is what you get-that is how my
> husband became a tuba player. My husband is a high school band director.
>
> Many blind musicians do not even know Braille music. But it is very good 
> if
> you can. Blind musicians have to memorize and it will actually cause him 
> to
> have to rehearse more and be a better player because of it. The new 
> software
> called "Smart Music" will be really helpful too.
>
> Jordan has loved the trombone and also played the baritone this year. I 
> know
> blind piano, trumpet, cello, percussion and many other instruments. They 
> all
> compete. The cellist is a music professor at a prestigious university 
> here.
>
> No one can really play an instrument and read Braille music well at the 
> same
> time. Learning Braille music he will read ahead a few measures and then
> play/practice...just like someone sighted might read ahead a few measures
> and practices. The difference is he will have to memorize. Debby's 
> daughter
> is in band too right now-I think Winona is trumpet, maybe Debby can share
> what they do with a "sight reading" exercise on the spot. He will have to
> learn to play some by ear.
>
> I saw an interesting show on PBS with James Taylor and Yo Yo Ma, James can
> not read one note of music--really not one-he is all by ear. Yo Yo is of
> course a classically trained musician who can read music. Yo Yo actually
> said that he thought James the better musician and that he had a freedom
> that classically trained musicians struggle to get--they discussed how 
> music
> education could improve to contain more playing by ear and feeling and not
> so in the box by the note read. My husband agreed and the profession is
> leaning/exploring that way.
>
> Jordan would love to welcome David into the bonehead society-and feel free
> to have David call him with questions about the trombone.
>
>
> Carrie Gilmer, President
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
> NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
> Home Phone: 763-784-8590
> carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
> www.nfb.org/nopbc
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Andy & Sally Thomas
> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 6:59 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!
>
> Hey Carrie,
>
> I have a question for Jordon.  David wants to play the trombone in 
> band--we
> even HAVE a nice trombone so that is a plus.  Yesterday I was told that
> blind kids should consider playing instruments that can be played with one
> hand so they can read music and play at the same time.  This is important
> for competitions, I'm told.  It appears that Jordon has been successful
> enough with the trombone that he wants to continue playing into adulthood.
> Does he have any regrets about not playing a one handed instrument?
>
> Sally Thomas
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Carrie Gilmer" <carrie.gilmer at gmail.com>
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 9:01 PM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!
>
>
>> Hey Kassondra, thanks! He is currently most interested in Constitutional
>> Law. He just finished his first course focused on Politics and Law and 
>> the
>> teacher told him the last day that in her 35 years he was the most
>> passionate student about the subject she had ever had. He got a very easy
>> "A" in it. He has been bouncing around--he was planning on becoming a
>> lawyer-scientist-chemist-who is a Spanish translator who teaches band and
>> plays the trombone on the side-smile. I told him to decide by looking in
>> his
>> heart for the passion and what set him on fire the most.
>>
>> Now it looks like he has narrowed it to here come de judge (who can also
>> translate Spanish, understand scientific data and environmental law, 
>> stand
>> up for human rights, plays trombone for stress relief, and reinstates the
>> white British wigs to the court)!
>>
>> We shall see, smile.
>>
>> It is so hard to believe this is the last half of his last year...time
>> just
>> flies. It seems like just so short ago that we sat on the picnic table
>> outside BLIND, Inc. in the summer and you and Shawn were not even married
>> yet and Jordan was just 8 years old!
>>
>>
>>
>> Carrie Gilmer, President
>> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>> A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
>> NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
>> Home Phone: 763-784-8590
>> carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
>> www.nfb.org/nopbc
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Kasondra Payne
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 5:33 PM
>> To: 'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!
>>
>> Carrie,
>>
>> Congratulations, from my family to yours!  I am glad he got in.  What 
>> will
>> he study?
>>
>> Kasondra Payne
>>
>>
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> t.net
>
>
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