[nabs-l] Come to You or Go to It

[Nicole B. Torcolini]

Okay, having heard a few different stories, I will now tell mine, but I 
first want to say that I think that it is sad when parents do not know about 
the resources available or how to proceed.

1. a. I went to public school for all of my education. My mother was an 
advocate for me from the start. Were she got the resources or to whom she 
talked to get the information, I do not know. She was adamant that I would 
have an aide in school, which did happen. I am glad that I attended public 
school. I do not know if all of the opportunities, such as numerous AP 
classes from which to choose, would have been available at a school for the 
blind.  Also, I feel that growing up in and around sighted peers helps 
develop some of the skills that are critical for getting along in a sighted 
world. I do regret not having any blind academic friends near by, though.

2 and 3 are pretty much the same answer as 1. My mobility training started 
in--gosh--it seems like pre-school. The mobility instructors always came to 
my school district, and the last few years of high school, I had a local 
one.  One of the benefits of working in my own tow was that I got to learn 
routes that I knew that I would actually use.

As far as cooking and cleaning, I learned part from good old mom (cheers to 
the mothers) and part from a blind mentor.  It was always interesting to get 
two perspectives on things, the sighted way and the 
tactile/audible/smellable way. I did go to a summer program for life 
skills/job training once. I also attended a kind of college information 
program called DO-IT.

In retrospect, in spite of a few bumps here and there, things went quite 
well, and I do not think that I would change much, except for maybe trying 
to keep one mobility instructor (that was not my fault or something over 
which I or my parents had much control).

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "jonathan matte" <jmatte28 at comcast.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 8:08 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Come to You or Go to It


I think you've started up an interesting topic so I wanted to throw my 2
cents in to the discussion.
I had what I like to refer to as a split sort of education if you will.
Most of my elementary school through high school years I went to the Perkins
School For The blind for in Watertown Massachusetts.
But during my stint as a 2 year senior I also took some courses at Watertown
Public High School.
I think in a way I benefited from both.
While I didn't per say walk away from the public high school having really
made any friends per say I felt by the time my high school years were over
ready to try a public school setting again.
I use to be in public school from first through about 4th grade but had some
real educational struggles with the public school system so for many years I
went to school with blind people which comprise about 90 percent of my
friends.
I just thought that this was a fascinating discussion so wanted to comment

Regards Jonathan.


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