[nabs-l] justifying more rehab service out of state

[Chris Nusbaum]

Amy=20Phelps,=20the=20programs=20director=20at=20BISM,=20is=20on=20this=20l=
ist.=20=20
Apparently,=20BISM=20is=20very=20good=20now.=20=20I=20didn't=20have=20a=20v=
ery=20good=20
experience=20when=20I=20went=20there=20when=20I=20was=20like=207,=20but=20I=
'm=20sure=20that=20
has=20changed=20with=20the=20change=20of=20directors.=20=20I=20have=20a=20f=
riend=20who=20
went=20to=20Blind=20Inc,=20but=20unfortunately=20isn't=20on=20this=20list.=
=20=20You=20can=20
contact=20him=20offlist=20at=20jaedpo96 at gmail.com,=20and=20his=20name=20is=
=20Jason.=20=20
Another=20friend=20of=20mine,=20Nathan=20Clark,=20who=20is=20on=20this=20li=
st,=20went=20
to=20Colorado=20a=20few=20times,=20and=20I'm=20planning=20to=20go=20to=20Co=
lorado=20next=20
year.

Chris

=20-----=20Original=20Message=20-----
From:=20Arielle=20Silverman=20<arielle71 at gmail.com
To:=20National=20Association=20of=20Blind=20Students=20mailing=20list=20
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date=20sent:=20Sun,=2023=20Oct=202011=2022:25:05=20-0600
Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20justifying=20more=20rehab=20service=20out=20of=
=20state

Hi=20Ashley,
I=20think=20the=20first=20step=20will=20be=20identifying=20a=20specific=20
out-of-state
center=20that=20you=20want=20to=20attend.=20=20Then,=20once=20you've=20iden=
tified=20the
center=20you=20want,=20you=20can=20base=20your=20argument=20on=20specific=20=
things=20
they=20do
at=20the=20center=20you=20are=20choosing=20that=20are=20better=20than=20wha=
t=20is=20
provided
at=20the=20center=20you=20attended=20previously.=20=20If=20you=20just=20tel=
l=20your=20
counselor
that=20you=20want=20more=20training,=20they=20will=20try=20to=20steer=20you=
=20toward=20an
in-state=20or=20in-contract=20center.=20=20So=20do=20your=20research=20and=
=20look=20for
centers=20that=20you=20think=20would=20cater=20to=20your=20specific=20O&M,=
=20
independent
living=20and=20computer=20skills=20needs.
There=20are=20some=20state-run=20centers=20that=20have=20good=20reputations=
=20and=20
are
staffed=20by=20a=20mix=20of=20NFB=20and=20non-NFB=20members.=20=20For=20exa=
mple,=20I=20have=20
heard
good=20things=20about=20the=20state=20centers=20in=20Nebraska,=20New=20Mexi=
co=20and=20
Utah.
Also,=20I=20believe=20you=20attended=20the=20Carroll=20center,=20right?=20T=
here=20is
another=20center=20in=20Richmond,=20VA=20that=20is=20now=20directed=20by=20=
a=20
Federationist
(Melody=20Lindsay=20I=20believe)=20but=20they=20have=20a=20mix=20of=20NFB=20=
and=20
traditional
practices.=20=20I=20would=20suggest=20calling=20up=20the=20directors=20of=20=
a=20few=20
different
centers=20and=20asking=20some=20detailed=20questions=20about=20how=20the=20=

curriculum=20is
set=20up,=20what=20students=20typically=20achieve=20by=20the=20time=20of=20=
graduation=20
etc.
so=20you=20can=20gauge=20what=20their=20expectations=20are=20and=20what=20t=
heir=20
teaching
style=20is.
Finally,=20I=20would=20recommend=20speaking=20with=20the=20director=20of=20=
at=20least=20
one
of=20the=20NFB=20centers=20before=20ruling=20them=20out=20altogether.=20=20=
You=20may=20
have
done=20this=20already,=20but=20if=20you=20haven't,=20it's=20possible=20that=
=20you=20may=20
not
have=20a=20complete=20understanding=20of=20how=20skills=20are=20taught=20at=
=20the=20NFB
centers,=20so=20talking=20with=20either=20a=20center=20director=20or=20with=
=20center
graduates=20could=20be=20helpful.=20=20If=20you=20would=20like=20to=20pose=
=20any=20
specific
questions=20about=20the=20NFB=20centers=20on-list,=20we=20would=20be=20happ=
y=20to=20
answer
them.=20=20One=20thing=20to=20keep=20in=20mind=20is=20that=20the=20NFB=20ce=
nters=20work=20
with=20some
students=20who=20are=20very=20poor=20travelers=20and=20have=20a=20lot=20of=
=20trouble=20
with
spatial=20awareness=20when=20they=20come=20in.=20=20While=20these=20people=
=20do=20
struggle
with=20the=20structured-discovery=20method=20at=20first,=20from=20what=20I'=
ve=20
observed
they=20do=20end=20up=20being=20better=20travelers=20by=20the=20time=20they=
=20leave=20than=20
when
they=20come=20in,=20which=20is=20really=20the=20goal=20of=20any=20training=
=20program.=20=20
With
cooking=20at=20the=20NFB=20centers,=20students=20have=20to=20do=20the=20ent=
ire=20
project
themselves-from=20finding=20and=20retrieving=20ingredients=20at=20the=20
beginning=20to
cleanup=20at=20the=20end-which=20is=20different=20from=20the=20group=20cook=
ing=20
projects
that=20you=20described.
Best,
Arielle

On=2010/23/11,=20Ashley=20Bramlett=20<bookwormahb at earthlink.net>=20wrote:
=20Hi=20all,

=20I=20come=20from=20an=20overprotective=20family=20and=20did=20not=20learn=
=20the=20
living=20skills=20at
=20the=20same=20time=20as=20my=20peers=20or=20sighted=20brothers.=20=20My=20=
parents=20
seemed=20to=20feel=20it
=20was=20easier=20to=20do=20something=20than=20teach=20me=20what=20to=20do.=
=20=20I=20was=20
supported=20well
=20for=20academics=20but=20not=20living=20skills.=20=20I=20was=20encouraged=
=20to=20keep=20
up=20with
=20reading=20in=20the=20summer=20and=20like=20all=20kids=20I=20watched=20ki=
ds=20
educational=20TV=20like
=20Sesemee=20street.=20=20I=20still=20remember=20Elmo=20and=20Ernie;=20they=
=20were=20
cute!

=20I=20grew=20up=20in=20a=20white=20middle=20class=20family=20so=20fortunat=
ely=20my=20
parents=20bought=20me
=20many=20toys=20and=20educational=20materials=20throughout=20=20my=20
childhood/youth.=20=20The
=20major=20things=20we=20got=20paid=20for=20via=20the=20lions=20club=20or=20=
the=20
department=20for=20the
=20blind=20and=20vision=20impaired,=20DBVI,=20when=20I=20was=20a=20teen.=20=
=20But=20they=20
bought=20many
=20supplies=20and=20talking=20products=20for=20me=20and=20some=20were=20dai=
ly=20life=20
functional=20too
=20including=20bold=20line=20paper,=20braille=20paper,=20labeling=20tape,=20=

labeling=20dots,=20a
=20talking=20calculator,=20talking=20timer,=20and=20a=20braille=20embosser=
=20and=20
more.

=20However=20it=20wasn=92t=20til=20a=20rehab=20teacher=20came=20to=20us=20a=
s=20a=20teenager=20
that=20I
=20learned=20some=20basic=20kitchen=20stuff=20and=20how=20to=20cut=20food.=
=20=20For=20
instance,=20I
=20learned=20to=20do=20my=20laundry=20and=20make=20cereal=20and=20label=20w=
ith=20dymo=20
tape=20at=20this
=20point.

=20Now=20to=20my=20point.=20=20I=20mention=20this=20stuff=20for=20some=20co=
ntext=20where=20I=20
am=20as=20a=20young
=20adult.=20=20I=20attended=20our=20state=20center=20and=20did=20learn=20so=
me=20more,=20but=20
it=20was=20not
=20enough.=20=20They=20do=20not=20give=20you=20the=20core=20classes=20every=
=20day.=20=20The=20
instruction=20in
=20daily=20living=20was=20fine,=20in=20my=20opinion,=20but=20simply=20was=20=
not=20enough=20
and=20besides
=20I=20lack=20confidence.=20=20I=20had=20a=20cooking=20teacher=20who=20was=
=20not=20hands=20on=20
enough=20for
=20me.=20=20If=20the=20whole=20class=20makes=20one=20thing,=20that=20doesn=
=92t=20help=20me=20
learn.=20=20I=20need
=20to=20do=20it=20to=20learn=20it=20meaning=20I=20need=20to=20do=20all=20st=
eps=20in=20making=20a=20
cake=20to
=20understand=20how=20its=20done.=20=20Instead,=20we=20took=20turns=20doing=
=20the=20steps=20
to=20make=20one
=20product.=20=20The=20computer=20instruction=20was=20too=20basic=20and=20I=
=20asked=20for=20
more
=20intermediate=20skills=20and=20they=20said=20they=20wouldn=92t=20cover=20=
it;=20not=20in=20
their
=20curriculum.=20=20The=20instruction=20was=20fine=20for=20a=20beginner=20t=
hough.=20=20
Their=20lessons
=20gave=20you=20lots=20of=20repetition=20and=20practice.

=20I=20am=20contemplating=20another=20center;=20I=92ll=20admit=20I=20do=20n=
ot=20feel=20a=20
NFB=20center=20is
=20for=20me.
=20I=20just=20feel=20the=20structured=20discovery=20approach=20would=20not=
=20work;=20I=20
want=20a=20more
=20hands=20on=20and=20explicit=20approach.


=20So=20here=20is=20the=20thing.
=20How=20do=20you=20convince=20rehab=20you=20need=20training?=20What=20if=20=
you=20have=20a=20
lot=20of
=20skills?=20I=20use=20them=20regularly=20in=20school;=20I=92m=20taking=20w=
riting=20
classes=20next
=20spring=20at=20community=20college=20to=20finish=20a=20certificate.
=20I=20use=20my=20computer=20skills=20of=20word=20processing=20and=20resear=
ch=20for=20
school.=20=20I=20used
=20the=20computer=20to=20look=20for=20work=20and=20generate=20cover=20lette=
rs.=20=20Still=20
I=20need=20more
=20such=20as=20learning=20excell=20though.
=20I=20already=20learned=20braille,=20labeling,=20and=20organization=20in=20=
school=20
and=20through
=20a=20rehab=20teacher.
=20I=20also=20use=20a=20cane=20and=20know=20some=20O&M=20although=20I=20cou=
ld=20improve=20
there=20too.

=20How=20do=20you=20convince=20them=20especially=20when=20you=20have=20some=
=20skills?=20
What=20if=20they
=20say,=20Ashley=20we=20can=20send=20a=20rehab=20teacher=20to=20your=20hous=
e.=20=20But=20the=20
rehab=20teacher
=20in=20my=20area=20won=92t=20work=20due=20to=20her=20low=20expectations=20=
and=20she=92s=20a=20
heavy=20smoker.

=20I=20know=20home=20teaching=20will=20be=20their=20reaction=20because=20mo=
st=20skills=20
revolve
=20around=20cooking,=20cleaning,=20home=20maintenance,=20clothing=20care=20=
like=20
ironing=20and
=20other=20home=20tasks.
=20What=20if=20they=20say=20go=20back=20to=20the=20state=20center.=20=20Of=
=20course=20I=20don=92t=20
want=20that.

=20I=20don=92t=20know=20if=20I=20want=20to=20go=20or=20not=20yet.=20=20Agai=
n,=20I=92m=20
brainstorming=20and
=20preparing=20possible=20arguments=20while=20I=20have=20time=20so=20I=92m=
=20ready=20if=20I=20
decide=20time
=20is=20right.=20=20Next=20semester=20I=92ll=20be=20at=20Nova,=20community=
=20college,=20
though;=20I=92m
=20finishing=20a=20certificate=20and=20taking=20an=20elective,=20probably=20=
public=20
speaking,=20to
=20further=20my=20business=20skills.



=20Even=20though=20I=20won=92t=20do=20a=20NFB=20center,=20I=20want=20to=20g=
o=20out=20of=20state,=20
so
=20justifying=20is=20about=20the=20same=20process.=20=20But=20if=20you=20ju=
stified=20it=20
and=20won=20to=20go
=20out=20of=20state=20at=20a=20NFB=20center,=20I=20figured=20some=20of=20th=
e=20same=20
principles=20can
=20apply=20elsewhere=20to=20exercise=20informed=20choice.

=20Ashley
=20_______________________________________________
=20nabs-l=20mailing=20list
=20nabs-l at nfbnet.org
=20http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
=20To=20unsubscribe,=20change=20your=20list=20options=20or=20get=20your=20a=
ccount=20
info=20for
=20nabs-l:
=20
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/arielle71%40g
mail.com


_______________________________________________
nabs-l=20mailing=20list
nabs-l at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
To=20unsubscribe,=20change=20your=20list=20options=20or=20get=20your=20acco=
unt=20info=20
for=20nabs-l:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dotkid.nusbau
m%40gmail.com