[blindkid] ideas needed

Sat Oct 29 15:43:28 UTC 2011

She may be modeling the attitude at school - "best practice is to use her vision."     Our son doesn't like to use his cane either.  He is 8 years old and has used a cane since he was 3.   He has roughly 20/400 vision - he has albinism so his vision fluctuates and when outside he virtually has no sight due to photo phobia.   We do not allow him to choose whether to use his cane.  He knows he must take it with him wherever we go.   When we are walking and he is dragging his cane or holding it in the air I will ask him "what technique are you using?"  Then I make him choose one and start using it.    It is a constant reminder.

BTW, when he trips/stumbles/falls I tell him, "if you had used your cane that wouldn't have happened."  I also do not warn him if there is a drop off or a change in terrain as he needs to learn to do that himself - obviously I would warn if he was in danger of really hurting himself.

I have to ask, if you don't mind, what you mean by wanting to be more "collaborative" with the school?   Do you believe your daughter should be receiving Braille? 

Chantel L. Alberhasky
419 Boonville Avenue
Springfield, MO 65806
417.865.4444

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________________________________
From: Doreen Franklin <doreenproverbs3 at bellsouth.net>
To: NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>; Blindkid List <blindkid at nfbnet.org>; "Blindhomeschooler at yahoogroups.com" <Blindhomeschooler at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2011 1:16 PM
Subject: [blindkid] ideas needed

Hi to all ...

we are looking for some help with our 7-yr old, first grade daughter who is visually impaired. She needs a cane but refuses to use it with us. She will "use" it during her O&M instruction of 30-minutes, but I have no idea if she uses it, or uses it safely, during the rest of her time at school. Most times with us, she holds it off the ground, like a shephard's crook. She has also not accepted her visual disability and has told me "Mom, I can see." And the school has non-verbally told her that last year in kindergarten as well as this year -- she has a CCTV in class; she does not have Braille. She is being re-evaled this year and I have been told "best practice is to use her vision." I backed off to be more collaborative instead of being near the door to due process. It is killing me, but I want to be more collaborative. 

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how did you get around it? I can tell her about safety, but I know all she hears is "blah blah blah." She has said numerous times she HATES her cane, and I don't know how to get around it to make her see that she is safe with it and unsafe without it. She has gotten several bruises on her legs and her eye and all of those times have been because she has not used her cane. Again, she is hearing "blah blah blah." She did very well while at the national convention in July ... but within 2 weeks, she was not using her cane safely. There are no role models for her in school ... 

Any and all suggestions would be appreciated ....

Thank you!!!!

Doreen
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