[blindkid] School cane O/M Issues

[Jess]

Lauren,
I've only been using a cane for about 13 years now. And, all three 
techniques  the diagonally, two tap and constant contact techniques. It 
really depends on the situation that Joli's in to which technique will work 
best for her at a given time. The O&M  specialist has got to realize that 
the use of the cane is a foreign item to Joli at this point in time. Just, 
be glad that she's not trying to use it as a weapon or a toy. I believe that 
Joli's intelligent enough to realize that the cane can be useful to her when 
she is trained how to use it appropriately enough. If you would like to 
email me off list and give me more details I can see if I can help you out 
more.  If you would put in the subject line Assistance for Joli and  I can 
help you out. here is my email  address jessica.trask.reagan @ gmail.com 
just tale out the spaces.
Jessica

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "L W" <mama2sally at yahoo.com>
To: <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 9:01 PM
Subject: [blindkid] School cane O/M Issues


> Thanks all for the advice. You guys rock. Today I got a phone call from 
> the O/M instructor. Basically she didn't want Joli using the cane because 
> Joli wasn't using it "properly" and it was "more of a hindrance than a 
> help." She didn't want her using it because she was using a touch 
> technique (tap, step, tap, step) and the O/M teacher wants her to use the 
> diagonal (dragging?) technique & the Staff shepherd style carrying 
> position. The O/M was concerned because Joli doesn't know how to store her 
> cane or how to hold it while sitting. The O/M instructor said that the 
> touch technique that Joli was shown at the NFB was only supposed to be 
> used outdoors. I told her that it might be true but I had never heard that 
> before. The O/M instructor wants me to get somebody from the NFB to put in 
> writing that the touch technique Joli was shown there is suitable for 
> indoor use in a familiar environment like a small elementary school. I
> don't know who to ask for this, and I don't think it should be necessary. 
> The O/M did not want Joli using her cane till after she had learned the 
> diagonal technique. I am not familiar with this technique. Is it a good 
> technique? Right now, after some discussion, she said she would allow Joli 
> to use the touch technique until she learns the diagonal technique for 
> indoor use. At one point she said that for now Joli could carry her cane 
> but shouldn't use it indoors. So I am wondering if I should resist this 
> diagonal technique and insist that she learn the technique she was shown 
> at the NFB or is the diagonal style useful indoors? She also said Joli 
> would be using her cane more in middle & high school. And that right now 
> she wants her to learn to use her vision to learn to trust her body so 
> that she becomes more aware of her environment. The O/M teacher said that 
> she herself when blindfolded could detect how close she was to wall by
> paying attention to sounds and because of awareness training. Not sure I 
> see the point of that.
> I am so looking forward to the upcoming Maryland convention. I hope Joli 
> can do some cane training there.
> Thanks for any advice.
> Lauren Wibbe
>
>
>
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