[nabs-l] Response to question about programs at BISM

Amy Phelps aphelps at BISM.org
Tue Oct 25 22:10:45 UTC 2011


If anyone would like information about any services offered at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, please feel free to contact me. My email is aphelps at bism.org. We have an adult program, called the CORE program that is a comprehensive residential program. We also have year-round programing for blind youth. We are excited to announce our new BISM Mentoring Program that will connect blind young adults ages 14-24 with successful adult blind mentors. The mentoring pairs will meet once a month and we will come together as a group once every three months for weekend activities and events. In addition, the Independence 2012 program for high school age students entering in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades is returning. Last year's Independence 2011 was a great success and we are certain i2012 will also be great. We will also offer Independence "101" a three week residential program for middle school age youth.

We also have program for blind seniors, 55 and older. Please let me know if I can answer any questions for you. 

Thanks!  
Amy C. Phelps  
410-737-2642

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"...given proper training and opportunity, the average blind person can do the average job in the average place of business and do it as well as his or her sighted neighbor..." Freedom for the Blind, James H. Omvig
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-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rania Ismail CMT
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2011 11:55 AM
To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
Subject: [Junk released by Allowed List] Re: [nabs-l] justifying more rehab service out of state

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 wasn뭪 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 doesn뭪 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 wouldn뭪 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; I뭠l 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; I뭢 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 won뭪 work due to her low expectations and she뭩 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 don뭪 
want that.

 I don뭪 know if I want to go or not yet.  Again, I뭢 
brainstorming and
 preparing possible arguments while I have time so I뭢 ready if I 
decide time
 is right.  Next semester I뭠l be at Nova, community college, 
though; I뭢
 finishing a certificate and taking an elective, probably public 
speaking, to
 further my business skills.



 Even though I won뭪 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
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