[nabs-l] The Carroll Center for the Blind

Mon Aug 15 01:02:45 UTC 2011

Hi Arielle and Rania,

Thank you so much! That helps a lot! Rania, what did you like at BISM?
Was Loretta White the youth services director when you went? She was
when I went for Kids Camp, and I had some bad experiences there.

Chris

On 8/14/11, Rania Ismail CMT <raniaismail04 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Bism was a good center as well.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Arielle Silverman
> Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 6:16 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] The Carroll Center for the Blind
>
> Hi all,
> When deciding which training center to go to, there are lots of
> factors to consider. Training centers differ in what skills they teach
> and how they teach them (i.e. with or without sleepshades) and it's
> important to evaluate their teaching philosophies to determine which
> one is best for you. However, there's another dimension that sometimes
> gets missed and that's the "feel" of the center-and in particular how
> the staff feel about their students and their jobs. This is one area
> where I think NFB likely beats them all. I went through the adult
> program at LCB and I've talked to lots of students and staff at CCB
> and BLIND, Inc. and it's clear that with few exceptions, the staff at
> all three of our centers (1) love their jobs and (2) actually care
> about their students. These things seem obvious, but you'd be
> surprised. When I was growing up I went to a local day summer program
> for blind kids. This wasn't a center per se, but they had lots of
> social activities for the kids and attempted to teach some skills,
> like assistive tech. Anyway, I remember overhearing staff members at
> this program talking to each other about how they couldn't wait for
> the program to end or to get time off. Staff were often irritable and
> got frustrated with kids who cried or got upset or kids with
> intellectual disabilities who took longer to catch on. Furthermore, it
> was made clear the adults were in charge and attempts by kids to
> mentor other kids were discouraged. I liked the program because of all
> the friends I made there, but the attitudes of the staff always got to
> me. I was quickly impressed when I got to LCB, and even before that
> when I worked one of the kids' science camps at the Jernigan
> Institute, by how patient and loving and dedicated our teachers are. I
> recall one of the LCB instructors waiting a half-hour past closing
> time for a student to find her way to the classroom door on her own.
> This is an easy task for many of us, but for someone who has always
> been guided without a cane it can be very challenging. The teacher
> could have just guided her to speed things up or yelled at her for not
> being independent enough, which is probably what would have happened
> at my old summer camp, but he didn't. He was willing to spend the
> extra time so a student could learn a new skill and gain confidence.
> It is clear the instructors at the centers are not just working there
> for a paycheck. Many of them will talk freely and sincerely about how
> much they enjoy their jobs, but it is also apparent in their demeanor
> and actions. Even though I graduated from LCB in 2008, my instructors
> still come up and hug me and ask how I've been when I see them at
> convention or Washington Seminar, and they do so for other students as
> well. I think this kind of affection and genuine caring is really
> important. It helps students trust their teachers and be willing to
> take on challenging assignments, and it helps the teachers trust their
> students enough to give them those challenges. I think the warmth,
> positivity, and belief our instructors have in their students is the
> real ingredient that makes our centers so exceptional-even more so
> than the curriculum.
> Arielle
>
> On 8/14/11, David Dodge <daviddod at buffalo.edu> wrote:
>> Chris,
>> I have visited the Louisiana Center before and know several people that
> have
>> gone there. Generally, they describe it as one of the most extraordinary
>> experiences.
>>
>> When I visited the staff was very kind and full of information. They are
>> proud of what they do there.
>>
>> David
>> ----------------------------------
>> David Dodge
>> Doctoral Degree Granting Institutions Rep.
>> State University of New York Student Assembly
>> English Major
>> University at Buffalo
>> 306 Clemens Hall
>> Buffalo, NY 14260
>> daviddod at buffalo.edu
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 14, 2011 at 10:50 AM, chris nusbaum
>> <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Hi everyone,
>>>
>>> This is an interesting discussion, and one which I was planning to
>>> start in the near future. I agree with Peter's sentiments about
>>> attending an NFB training center (although I wouldn't recommend
>>> BISM... well, maybe they've changed as their leadership has changed,
>>> from Loretta White to Amy Phelps) and I'm planning to attend a center
>>> next summer. I'm trying to decide which I will go to, Minnesota,
>>> Louissianna, or Colorado. So, I'd like to know what all of you thought
>>> were the pros and cons of each program. What did you like about each
>>> program, and what did you not like about it? What are the differences
>>> in the programs, as they're all NFB training centers? I'll most likely
>>> be going to the middle or high school program, I don't know which. I'm
>>> going into 8th grade at the end of this month, so will be going into
>>> 9th next August. So, which center would you recommend? Thanks!
>>>
>>> Chris
>>>
>>> On 8/14/11, Peter Donahue <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com> wrote:
>>> > Hello Justin and everyone,
>>> >
>>> >     For the reasons you point out below I wouldn't mess with the
> Carroll
>>> > Center under any circumstances. I'm originally from Massachusetts and
>>> > saw
>>> > the same kind of results you mentioned from students who went there.
>>> > What
>>> > can you expect from an agency whose founder viewed blindness as a
>>> "Dying."
>>> > If you want good blindness training go to an NFB center. Get what you
>>> need
>>> > once and it will last you a life time.
>>> >
>>> > Peter Donahue
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>>> > From: "Salisbury, Justin Mark" <SALISBURYJ08 at students.ecu.edu>
>>> > To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>> > Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2011 8:57 PM
>>> > Subject: [nabs-l] The Carroll Center for the Blind
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > I attended the Carroll Center for the Blind for two consecutive summers
>>> with
>>> > Justin Young, and I would like to give my personal take on it.
>>> >
>>> > Justin and I had this joke where we started the Justin Corporation, an
>>> > underground mafia meat market.  It was an amazing social experience
> with
>>> all
>>> > of the other students involved.  If only considering the social
>>> > frontier,
>>> I
>>> > highly recommend it.
>>> >
>>> > I attended the Youth in Transition (YIT) program in 2006 and then the
>>> Real
>>> > World Work Experience (RWWE) in 2007.  I valued every bit of the
>>> experience
>>> > both years, but I want to first make clear a fundamental disagreement
>>> that I
>>> > now have with the training that I received.  I lost my vision in 2005,
>>> > so
>>> I
>>> > was newly blinded when I went to the Carroll Center.  They taught me to
>>> use
>>> > my remaining vision as much as possible and taught me ways to use my
>>> > remaining vision.  I wish that they had taught me how to do everything
>>> > non-visually.  I wish that they had occluded (blindfolded) me during
> O&M
>>> > lessons and other lessons in general.  I learned a lot of great things,
>>> but
>>> > blindness skills should be about knowing how to do things non-visually.
>>>  I
>>> > am now planning to attend an NFB training center (Louisiana Center for
>>> the
>>> > Blind, Blind, Inc, or Colorado Center for the Blind), where I will
> learn
>>> all
>>> > of the skills I need non-visually.  Also understand that I have a
> stable
>>> > visual field and acuity.
>>> >
>>> > I am much better off having gone to the Carroll Center than I was
> before
>>> I
>>> > went there, but it wasn't the best possible program that I could have
>>> > chosen.
>>> >
>>> > In the Youth in Transition program, they worked with us on our
>>> > confidence
>>> > and social skills.  They taught us some basic cooking skills, how to do
>>> > laundry, a lot of O&M, housekeeping skills, how to use low vision
>>> devices,
>>> > and they had a class called "personal management," where they taught us
>>> > about shaving, tying a tie, sewing a button, and things like that.  If
>>> > we
>>> > already knew how to do something, they would watch us do it and suggest
>>> > modifications in technique if necessary.  They also had a class called
>>> > adaptive technology, where they introduced me to ZoomText and other
>>> students
>>> > with less vision than me to Jaws.  We had a lot of great group
>>> > activities
>>> > and social opportunities that I will remember for a long time.  We also
>>> saw
>>> > a counselor while we were there on a weekly basis to make sure that we
>>> were
>>> > adjusting well to the environment.  Another activity, called "people
>>> talk,"
>>> > was a time that we all gathered to talk about certain issues that often
>>> led
>>> > to self-awareness and confidence building.
>>> >
>>> > In the Real World Work Experience program, we were evaluated on our
>>> skills
>>> > for a week and prepared for a month of work.  Once we started work, we
>>> > worked for three days per week in volunteer positions, and we were paid
>>> by
>>> > the Carroll Center.  The other two days were used for field trips and
>>> > training days.  Again, it was an amazing experience.  Different
> students
>>> > were placed in different positions in the Boston area.  We were
>>> responsible
>>> > for using public transportation to get to and from our work sites.  We
>>> had
>>> > two job coaches in charge of about 10 or 12 students in the program, so
>>> they
>>> > weren't with us all the time.  They were sighted people who watched us
>>> > at
>>> a
>>> > distance while we were in the environment.
>>> >
>>> > At the beginning of the RWWE program, I met a few adults who were at
> the
>>> end
>>> > of their adult program, which runs during the regular school year.
> They
>>> > spoke well of their program, but they told me that there wasn't an
>>> > aggressive Braille standard that they had to meet in their program.
>>> > They
>>> > studied it a little bit, but they didn't become what an NFB training
>>> center
>>> > would push them to become.  Also, students at the Carroll Center live
> in
>>> a
>>> > dorm and eat at a dining hall, which gives them a comfortable crutch,
>>> > but
>>> it
>>> > does not push them to really be independent.  When you walk into the
>>> dining
>>> > hall, you are expected to put your cane in a docking station and
>>> > navigate
>>> > the dining hall without it by walking in either a clockwise or
>>> > counter-clockwise direction.
>>> >
>>> > The Carroll Center is a good training center with good people in it,
> but
>>> it
>>> > is not the very best option available.
>>> >
>>> > I'd be happy to answer specific questions on- or off-list.
>>> >
>>> > Justin
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Justin M. Salisbury
>>> > Undergraduate Student
>>> > The University Honors Program
>>> > East Carolina University
>>> > salisburyj08 at students.ecu.edu
>>> >
>>> > "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
>>> change
>>> > the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."    -MARGARET
> MEAD
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Chris Nusbaum
>>>
>>> Sales and Advertising Coordinator
>>>
>>> Arianna's Art Inc. Paintings for the Blind and Sighted!!!
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>>> Like us on Facebook! Search for Arianna Lipka Art for the Blind!
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>>> information on our foundation and how it helps blind and visually
>>> impaired children in MD say "I can!"
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-- 
Chris Nusbaum

Sales and Advertising Coordinator

Arianna's Art Inc. Paintings for the Blind and Sighted!!!

Like us on Facebook! Search for Arianna Lipka Art for the Blind!

Visit the I C.A.N. Foundation online at: www.icanfoundation.info for
information on our foundation and how it helps blind and visually
impaired children in MD say "I can!"