[nabs-l] justifying more rehab service out of state
Rania Ismail CMT
raniaismail04 at gmail.com
Mon Oct 24 15:55:25 UTC 2011
Yes BISM has a good adult program. I went and I feel that I learned so much
more than if I would have done what my clunselor wanted me to do wich was
have me attend both training centers in my state. I think I learned so much
more going threw the eight month program at BISM. While you can't be
prepaired for everything life puts in your way I know how to manage an
apartment as well as other tasks all at the same time. I really don't think
this would be possible if I had gone to both training centers in my state.
Rania,
-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Chris Nusbaum
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2011 5:46 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] justifying more rehab service out of state
Amy Phelps, the programs director at BISM, is on this list.
Apparently, BISM is very good now. I didn't have a very good
experience when I went there when I was like 7, but I'm sure that
has changed with the change of directors. I have a friend who
went to Blind Inc, but unfortunately isn't on this list. You can
contact him offlist at jaedpo96 at gmail.com, and his name is Jason.
Another friend of mine, Nathan Clark, who is on this list, went
to Colorado a few times, and I'm planning to go to Colorado next
year.
Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:25:05 -0600
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] justifying more rehab service out of state
Hi Ashley,
I think the first step will be identifying a specific
out-of-state
center that you want to attend. Then, once you've identified the
center you want, you can base your argument on specific things
they do
at the center you are choosing that are better than what is
provided
at the center you attended previously. If you just tell your
counselor
that you want more training, they will try to steer you toward an
in-state or in-contract center. So do your research and look for
centers that you think would cater to your specific O&M,
independent
living and computer skills needs.
There are some state-run centers that have good reputations and
are
staffed by a mix of NFB and non-NFB members. For example, I have
heard
good things about the state centers in Nebraska, New Mexico and
Utah.
Also, I believe you attended the Carroll center, right? There is
another center in Richmond, VA that is now directed by a
Federationist
(Melody Lindsay I believe) but they have a mix of NFB and
traditional
practices. I would suggest calling up the directors of a few
different
centers and asking some detailed questions about how the
curriculum is
set up, what students typically achieve by the time of graduation
etc.
so you can gauge what their expectations are and what their
teaching
style is.
Finally, I would recommend speaking with the director of at least
one
of the NFB centers before ruling them out altogether. You may
have
done this already, but if you haven't, it's possible that you may
not
have a complete understanding of how skills are taught at the NFB
centers, so talking with either a center director or with center
graduates could be helpful. If you would like to pose any
specific
questions about the NFB centers on-list, we would be happy to
answer
them. One thing to keep in mind is that the NFB centers work
with some
students who are very poor travelers and have a lot of trouble
with
spatial awareness when they come in. While these people do
struggle
with the structured-discovery method at first, from what I've
observed
they do end up being better travelers by the time they leave than
when
they come in, which is really the goal of any training program.
With
cooking at the NFB centers, students have to do the entire
project
themselves-from finding and retrieving ingredients at the
beginning to
cleanup at the end-which is different from the group cooking
projects
that you described.
Best,
Arielle
On 10/23/11, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
Hi all,
I come from an overprotective family and did not learn the
living skills at
the same time as my peers or sighted brothers. My parents
seemed to feel it
was easier to do something than teach me what to do. I was
supported well
for academics but not living skills. I was encouraged to keep
up with
reading in the summer and like all kids I watched kids
educational TV like
Sesemee street. I still remember Elmo and Ernie; they were
cute!
I grew up in a white middle class family so fortunately my
parents bought me
many toys and educational materials throughout my
childhood/youth. The
major things we got paid for via the lions club or the
department for the
blind and vision impaired, DBVI, when I was a teen. But they
bought many
supplies and talking products for me and some were daily life
functional too
including bold line paper, braille paper, labeling tape,
labeling dots, a
talking calculator, talking timer, and a braille embosser and
more.
However it wasn’t til a rehab teacher came to us as a teenager
that I
learned some basic kitchen stuff and how to cut food. For
instance, I
learned to do my laundry and make cereal and label with dymo
tape at this
point.
Now to my point. I mention this stuff for some context where I
am as a young
adult. I attended our state center and did learn some more, but
it was not
enough. They do not give you the core classes every day. The
instruction in
daily living was fine, in my opinion, but simply was not enough
and besides
I lack confidence. I had a cooking teacher who was not hands on
enough for
me. If the whole class makes one thing, that doesn’t help me
learn. I need
to do it to learn it meaning I need to do all steps in making a
cake to
understand how its done. Instead, we took turns doing the steps
to make one
product. The computer instruction was too basic and I asked for
more
intermediate skills and they said they wouldn’t cover it; not in
their
curriculum. The instruction was fine for a beginner though.
Their lessons
gave you lots of repetition and practice.
I am contemplating another center; I’ll admit I do not feel a
NFB center is
for me.
I just feel the structured discovery approach would not work; I
want a more
hands on and explicit approach.
So here is the thing.
How do you convince rehab you need training? What if you have a
lot of
skills? I use them regularly in school; I’m taking writing
classes next
spring at community college to finish a certificate.
I use my computer skills of word processing and research for
school. I used
the computer to look for work and generate cover letters. Still
I need more
such as learning excell though.
I already learned braille, labeling, and organization in school
and through
a rehab teacher.
I also use a cane and know some O&M although I could improve
there too.
How do you convince them especially when you have some skills?
What if they
say, Ashley we can send a rehab teacher to your house. But the
rehab teacher
in my area won’t work due to her low expectations and she’s a
heavy smoker.
I know home teaching will be their reaction because most skills
revolve
around cooking, cleaning, home maintenance, clothing care like
ironing and
other home tasks.
What if they say go back to the state center. Of course I don’t
want that.
I don’t know if I want to go or not yet. Again, I’m
brainstorming and
preparing possible arguments while I have time so I’m ready if I
decide time
is right. Next semester I’ll be at Nova, community college,
though; I’m
finishing a certificate and taking an elective, probably public
speaking, to
further my business skills.
Even though I won’t do a NFB center, I want to go out of state,
so
justifying is about the same process. But if you justified it
and won to go
out of state at a NFB center, I figured some of the same
principles can
apply elsewhere to exercise informed choice.
Ashley
_______________________________________________
nabs-l mailing list
nabs-l at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
info for
nabs-l:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/arielle71%40g
mail.com
_______________________________________________
nabs-l mailing list
nabs-l at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
for nabs-l:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dotkid.nusbau
m%40gmail.com
More information about the NABS-L
mailing list