[nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

humberto humbertoa5369 at netzero.net
Wed Feb 9 03:16:40 UTC 2011


Hey, thanks for the little training lesson you have just posted 
here, but I am sure I will seek other alternatives. And no, I am 
not a US citizen. I came from Mexico just 5 years ago. That's why 
my State agency just cannot provide with services.


> ----- Original Message -----
>From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 22:09:13 -0500
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

>Humberto,
>Curious which country? Also, why  can't your state agency help?  
I think you
>have to be a US citizen; maybe that is why you can't get 
services.
>Many states have a lighthouse for the blind.  Its not nfb 
philosophy or
>expectations.  But services from them would teach you some skills 
like
>laundry.
>Another idea is if you have blind friends from NFB or other 
affiliations,
>maybe they can teach you some; get together and learn some 
things.  Your
>parents may not expect anything.  Do you have siblings? Maybe 
they would
>have more faith and belief in you.  Get them to show you things.
>Cleaning is done a lot like the sighted people do it. In fact 
that would be
>a great discussion here.
>Have someone take your hand and show you the cleaning motion. 
Take a
>cleaning tool such as a sponge and go in a systematic pattern 
such as top to
>bottom; over lap the strokes as you clean.  To clean you use the 
same tools
>and matterials as everyone else would.
>For laundry, if you read braille, have someone help you label the 
buttons in
>braille. Use initials such as M for medium and for temperatures: 
C for Cold,
>H for hot. Then measure out detergent; you can feel the amount in 
the cup.
>Then after clothes are in, just wash.
>Do not use bleach except for white clothes.  Generally to keep 
clothes from
>fading, wash in cold water.
>Another tip is before drying your clothes, clean out the lent 
filter!
>Clothes generally dry for an hour. If not dried after that, put 
them in for
>another 15 minutes and then check them.
>Also if you have socks of different colors, you have to feel them 
to match
>them in pairs.  If you cannot feel them to match say a blue with 
its
>coresponding blue sock, then you need another way.  Safety pins 
will keep
>your socks hooked together in pairs.
>Also before washing pants, check the pockets to ensure you don't 
have
>tissues or other objects in them such as coins.
>Its easy to take off clothes and forget to remove little items 
such as
>these.

>Of the skills you mentioned, laundry is probably the easiest to 
learn.
>I learned some about cleaning at our state center and we reviewed 
laundry
>but I already knew most of that.
>While a center may be the best solution, if you cannot get the 
financial
>funding it may not be possible. So meanwhile seek out other 
sources.
>Good luck.

>Ashley
>-----Original Message-----
>From: humberto
>Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 9:30 PM
>To: jsorozco at gmail.com ; National Association of Blind Students 
mailing list
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

>Hello all:

>First of all, I think I, personally, would be benefitted from
>going to a training center. I think the reasons why are:
>1.  Although my parents are proud for the hard work I've put into
>by going to school and getting great grades, and they support me
>quite into the same matter, their blindness philosophy is not
>mine, and it's not what I want out of my life. My Mom, as I grew
>up, did not teach me any skills of independence, like washing my
>own clothes, not being afraid of the stove, cleaning, and even
>she thought, that using a knife to cut apples was not possible
>for me. Then again, this is when I was little, and you know, the
>belief system really sets in when you are a kid. (If you know
>what I mean, anyways). Not until I came into this wonderful
>country that stands for freedom for all, I discovered the NFB.
>And, due to my parents' quite low expectations, I am now 20 years
>old, and still don't know how to do those things I have mentioned
>above.
>2.  I really want to go to college. So, college experience
>require a lot of independent experiences, So, I want to attend a
>training center. And with the fact, that I cannot get help from
>my state agency for the blind, it is quite a challenge to qualify
>for a training center. But anyways, just my 40 cents.

>> ----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Joe Orozco" <jsorozco at gmail.com
>>To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
><nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>Date sent: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 14:31:02 -0500
>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

>>Bridgit,

>>This is one of the best cases I've seen laid out for pursuing
>training at a
>>Center.  You're not preaching to the choir, because there are
>some of us
>>with a slightly dissenting view.

>>I initially rejected the NFB training for two reasons.  First, I
>was more
>>interested in continuing college, and second, I was not at all
>interested in
>>being forced into what other people felt was the right path to
>independence.
>>Now that I'm a little older, I can appreciate the stupidity of my
>first
>>reason.  If you want something bad enough, you make it a
>priority, but the
>>second reason, to me, still holds a little water.

>>I was not interested in condescending people looking down on me
>for choosing
>>not to take 6 to 9 months out of my life to fit someone else's
>model of
>>training.  There is a very distinct culture among Center alumni
>that makes
>>people not part of it feel a little left out.  Now, I am always
>first in
>>line to preach the line about doing what you need to do and never
>mind what
>>anyone else says, but from a marketing perspective, it makes very
>little
>>sense to make it appear as though NFB training is a cornerstone
>to NFB
>>philosophy.  Yes, the NFB centers feature phenomenal
>expectations, but no,
>>these centers will never be able to reach everyone who needs or
>wants
>>training.  A flexible plan ought to be exercised to catch
>professionals who
>>would like NFB-style training without the unreasonable
>expectation of
>>stopping employment for an extended period of time, especially in
>uncertain
>>economies.

>>After all that babble, my point is this:  I did not pursue
>training and am
>>positive I would benefit from a training program.  I think people
>like me
>>who chose not to enroll in a program should be prepared to
>achieve the same
>>levels of proficiency with the disadvantage of doing it on your
>own across a
>>longer period of time.  You have to commit to pushing yourself
>across
>>multiple fronts to maintain confidence.  I feel I've done that,
>though I
>>have not found someone to teach me a thing or three about
>woodwork.  Maybe
>>later when I have the sufficient income to pitch the idea, I'll
>convince a
>>Center to let me train for a summer at one of their facilities.
>Success is
>>possible whether you go to a Center or not.  If you go to a
>Center, you'll
>>have to work hard.  If you go at it on your own, you'll have to
>work even
>>harder, but, make the decision that is truly most beneficial for
>you and
>>commit to it 100% after you've chosen.  I personally think I
>would have been
>>a little more swayed in favor of the training center route had I
>read
>>something like the post below when I graduated from high school.

>>Best,

>>Joe

>>"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their
>sleeves,
>>some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam
>Ewing

>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit Pollpeter
>>Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 1:41 PM
>>To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>Subject: [nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

>>Dear List,

>>I know I will be preaching to the choir here so forgive me, but I
>feel
>>it is important to stress the importance of choosing a good
>training
>>center to attend.

>>As a blind person-- whether blind from birth, later in life or in
>the
>>process of losing vision-- one of the most important things you
>can do
>>is attend the best training center you can find.  The reason NFB
>centers
>>and other progressive centers follow similar methods is because,
>for
>>years now, they have proven to be the best methods for instilling
>>independence along with a strong functionality with the skills.

>>We all learn at different paces and with different styles, but
>these
>>centers are structured to meet individual needs.  This is why
>people
>>train anywhere from 6 months to a year.  If you think you can
>learn the
>>skills in less than 6 months and use them effectively, you are
>mistaken.
>>Time and time again, I have seen people choose to not complete a
>>training course and they lack the confidence and ability that
>most gain
>>after at least a six month stint.

>>As for sleep shades, I have always failed to understand why
>people are
>>against this.  I initially learned with sleep shades and it made
>sense
>>to me.  How better to gain that confidence than to know you can
>do
>>things in non-visual ways?  Now that I can no longer use my
>vision at
>>all, it makes me feel like I must be less capable when people say
>sleep
>>shade training is wrong or not necessary.  The way this comes
>across is
>>that vision is still vital to be truly independent, and that when
>you
>>have no useable vision, you can not effectively accomplish
>things.

>>Do not sell yourself short.  We all have the ability to gain that
>>freedom and independence we hear so much about.  If you have
>never tried
>>something, how do you know you can't do it?  I don't say all this
>>because I have been brain washed, and I am one of those hard core
>blind
>>people; I say all this because I have experienced it and know the
>>benefits.

>>We will struggle, we will need to learn, we will not always do
>>everything perfectly, but if we have been handed the tools and
>methods
>>to give us independence and confidence, we will find a way to
>prove
>>ourselves to the world.

>>I agree that placing an untrained student into an apartment
>scenerio may
>>not work for everyone.  I understand the reasoning behind this,
>but I
>>also know that before you learn skills and the confidence to use
>those
>>skills, living on your own may not be the best situation right
>away.
>>Not all training centers, good ones that is, follow this style of
>>training.  You can find centers, like the Iowa Department for the
>Blind,
>>where there structure is similar to the NFB centers, but housing
>is on
>>campus, not apartments.  Regardless, challenge yourself and find
>out
>>what you really are able to do.

>>Many of us can a test to the positive influence of a good
>training
>>center that teaches Structured Discovery.  Sleep shades and
>completing
>>six to nine months is essential to these programs.  Do we choose
>>universities that truncate their programs because we don't want
>to spend
>>time completing a degree?  No, we know we have to work for four
>years,
>>or longer, so we can receive the best education possible.  Why do
>we
>>view training centers for the blind differently?

>>I urge us all to take a good look inside and figure out who we
>are and
>>what we are capable of.  We will all encounter situations in life
>that
>>make us nervous or scared, but does that mean we limit our lives?
>Do we
>>not reach our full potential because of nerves?  No, of course
>not.  We
>>should not follow an opposite line of thinking, then, when it
>comes to
>>choosing a training center.

>>Centers that do not offer this kind of training only send a
>message that
>>blindness is limiting, and one is better off with some vision.
>Yes, I
>>have visited centers like this and it is sad to see blind people
>not
>>reaching their full potential or not understanding how
>independent they
>>can be.  The reason NFB centers were created was because most
>other
>>agencies were not teaching and instilling this sense of
>independence,
>>and they were not willing to open their minds to a new way.  Like
>many
>>other situations, we were not going to accept this so we opened
>our own
>>training centers.  Not everyone graduating from these centers
>leaves
>>ready to make their mark on the world, bbut this is life.  Many,
>though,
>>leave these centers knowing they can do anything, and they are
>ready to
>>face the world.

>>I am one of these people.  I never understood the fear of
>training or
>>the insistance that it was not important.  When I started losing
>my
>>vision, I couldn't wait to train.  I knew I could still do
>things, I
>>just had to figure out how to do them.  I did not accept what
>people
>>told me, that I was limited and would not be able to do a lot of
>things.
>>I felt this way long before I trained, long before I knew of the
>NFB or
>>any other group.  I was nervous, and at 23, leaving for training,
>in a
>>whole other state, was the first time I truly lived away from
>home.  I
>>have not been back since.

>>I live on my own (wel, with my husband, who, by the way, is blind
>too).
>>I take the bus, I go to school, I work.  I do everything, and
>more, and
>>I owe this to a positive training center.

>>I will stop.  I apologize, but I feel so strongly about this
>topic.  As
>>blind people-- as people-- I know we can do anything we put our
>minds
>>too.  I simply don't want to see anyone stifle their own
>potential.

>>Bridgit


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