[blindkid] Structured Discovery

Wed Oct 21 19:53:06 UTC 2009

The structured  discovery approach is much like the constructivists approach
to education. It is up to the student to direct instruction as we illicit
prior knowledge from life experiences, prior knowledge, whether accurate or
not, so as to understand where the child is at and where we as educators
need to take the lesson. So perhaps in order to further reach the teacher
and administration, you could ask about their position on constructivist
approaches to education and what carol so wonderfully offered are concrete
ways to approach educators on the subject of the cane in the school
environment.  I would think any educator would be hard pressed to argue such
quantifiable and qualified proven approaches such as these.

Albert J. Rizzi
CEO/Founder
My Blind Spot, Inc.
90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
New York, New York  10004
www.myblindspot.org
PH: 917-553-0347
Fax: 212-858-5759
"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
doing it."

-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Carol Castellano
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 3:40 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Structured Discovery

Hi Amber,

I would say the biggest differences between structured discovery and 
the conventional approach are the following:
    * Structured discovery used "leading questions" to get the cane 
learner to figure things out for herself whereas conventional 
training provides more information that the teacher receives VISUALLY.
    * The conventional approach uses more jargon; discovery uses more 
plain English.
    * Conventional relies more on teaching "route travel;" discovery 
aims for the learner to be able to go into new situations 
successfully because they have learned to figure things out.
When I used to go along on my daughter's lessons, there was a pretty 
big difference in how the teacher would operate--filling Serena up 
with a constant stream of visually received (by the teacher) 
information, versus how I would operate ("trained" by the NFB in 
discovery), asking questions like "What might that be?" or "What are 
you thinking?" in order to get the perceiving and processing of 
available information to be done by SERENA'S brain and not the teacher's.

Carol

At 11:39 AM 10/21/2009, you wrote:
>Hello everyone,
>
>I am having an issue with my daughter's local  public school with 
>getting a blind O&m instructor in to teach her.
>I went to the convention in Detroit this summer. At the time my 
>daughter ,7, was only receiving O&m 2
>x's a month, wasn't even using her cane outside of school. She would
>leave it in the car after school was out.( She was doing alot of hand
>holding when we were out in public).She wasn't tapping her
>cane, she
>would just scoot it directly in front of her. (She is missing things on
>both sides  of her body.)  At the convention,  I learned how important
>the cane was for her and that she needed good instruction, more
>often..I know she learned more in the 1 week we were in Detroit  than
>she learned all last year. But she still needs alot of work.  Since the
>convention,we take her cane  everywhere. No exceptions.
>She was receiving O&M
>last
>year,the old style,not structured Discovery. And griping  about using
>her cane the whole time. She is the only blind child at her school. And
>that bothered her. She doesn't have the confidence she needs right now.
>
>I found a Blind O&M instructor from the NFB and took him
>to our 1st case conference I called after school started.  I told the
>VI teacher  I wanted My daughter to receive O&M from this blind
>instructor I met at the convention. I wanted her to learn from the
>Structured Discovery Method.And I wanted her to start getting 2-3 times
>a week verses 2 times a month. I told them her skills were poor,
>because she wasn't receiving enough instruction. They said they
>couldn't do that. That at our state blind school they only do
>"intensive O&M"  for 6-9 weeks. She said that would be daily and Id
>have to get into a program 1 week out of the month and go to the Blind
>School. I wanted to get O&m at her public school,I shouldn't have
>to go to the blind for O&M, they don't even teach the Structured
>Discovery Method there.  I talked to her current instructor and he said
>the way they teach isn't really that different.
>The school thinks she should get intensive O&M  for 6 weeks at the 
>blind school  and then go back to 2 times a month.
>I
>want my daughter to learn with the Sructured Discovery Method ( like
>she's learning at home) by a blind man who lives it everyday.( 2 times
>a week at least ) And will help give her the confidence she needs to be
>and independent adult.
>Since the case conference, the VI teacher
>is having my daughter show her how she gets around.( My daughter uses
>it O.K. when she knows she's being watched, but all the other times
>shes scooting it along like its a chore to have it. ) The VI teacher
>leaves me notes and said she is doing great. I know she does the 5 min.
>shes around her. After that back to the scooting.
>The school
>agreed to let the O&m instructor I wanted to do  a 5 hr. assessment
>on my daughter.  Then they would go over the assessment and take it
>from there. But they said they couldn't do 2 or 3 times a week.  The
>assessment is complete and being written up. Soon I'll get a call to
>talk about it with VI teacher and want to have all my ducks in a row
>before the meeting.
>I need some advice on things to say when we go
>back for our case conference to talk about the assessment.  I want
>others expertice on saying Structured Discovery  Vs old O&M. Pro's
>Cons etc. The VI teacher wants to use the TAPS program(from the Texas
>school for the Blind  website ) to check her progress. Does anyone know
>if this will work with Structured Discovery?
>I'm going to go into
>this meeting and hear,"The Structured Discovery method is the same as
>the other O&M she gets" And " We cant give you 2 or 3 times a week
>,isn't 1 enough?"  Shouldn't I have the right as a parent to say I want
>a certain type of O&M? And have a decision who is the instructor?
>I know it's going to be a fight. Can anyone help with good advice?
>Thanks!
>
>
>
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Carol Castellano, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.nfb.org/nopbc 
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