[nabs-l] mobility question

[bookwormahb at earthlink.net]

RJ,
I believe someone teaching you O&M initially needs to be certified.  They 
need to know how to teach and what clues to tell you.
You will learn how to line up and cross streets and use orientation clues.
Once you have basics down, then your sister or anyone can orient you.
But I think the basics of mobility like sweeping the cane, crossing streets 
with your hearing, learning more mental mapping, etc need to be taught by 
someone certified, either a traditional certification or the NFB one, the 
NOMC.
But no, no I would not just have anyone teach you mobility!  They don't know 
what a blind person needs to "look" for with their cane, or how to cross 
streets like we do.

As to your spatial issues, I can relate because I heard similar stories from 
a few instructors.
I have trouble telling how A to B relate to each other.
That intern was wrong; I wouldn't worry about what they said.
Your counselor is kind of right in saying
not to worry because an intern evaluated you. That is just one opinion.
I think you should just go on with a new instructor and be clear on your 
needs without rehashing who said what in the past.
You will probably have to memorize more with spatial challenges.  Maps have 
helped me because I don't know the relationship in my head.  So you may want 
the instructor to draw you a map.
If you have no vision, yours will be tactile; when I saw draw, I mean 
produce.
NFB does not favor route travel, but sometimes it’s the best way to begin or 
to go to a destination so you can ensure you get there and don't get lost.
For me, I can so easily feel lost with one different turn or deviation from 
a route.
I'll only go alternate routes in familiar places. What helps me is also 
writing directions down step by step.
That may help you.  If you are a tactile/kinestetic  learner, you can take a 
map and rehearse the route on the map first.  Follow the tactile lines and 
mentally go through what you plan to do. Then i f your finger feels the 
right landmarks and destination at the end, you've done the route right.

Good luck; I hope that the lighthouse can help you this time and they don't 
say negative things because of your spatial issues.

Ashley


-----Original Message----- 
From: RJ Sandefur
Sent: Sunday, April 17, 2011 9:26 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: [nabs-l] mobility question

I have a question concerning orientation and mobility instructors. When I 
was at our state rehabilitation center back in 1999, the head mobility 
instructor had an intern working with me, and the intern said I couldn't do 
mobility, because I had spacal issues, and now eleven years later, I've 
asked rehab to give me mobility training again, and so they are referring me 
to the lighthouse. However, My councilor told me, that I shouldn't let the 
fact that an intern evaluated me, and that certification isn't everything. 
to which my sister responded, "RJ, I could teach you mobility." My question 
is, Is certification everything? RJ
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