[nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
justin williams
justin.williams2 at gmail.com
Mon Dec 30 18:29:14 UTC 2013
I have never used drop box, but email is my best friends. Also, in the
professional world, most of your work, correspondances and reports will be
done and submitted electronically.
-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti Shelton
Sent: Monday, December 30, 2013 12:59 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
Also, to add to what Miso said, by dumbing down the accessibility stuff so
students do not have to advocate for their needs in a school for the blind,
they are less prepared to do so in a college setting.
I credit my self-advocay skills as they are today to my time in the public
school system. It wasn't perfect, and we had some hairy IEP meetings a few
times, but I got to college with experience in asking for materials in
advance, planning with teachers, and communicating with teachers and my
braillist to get the materials done. I think what happens to a lot of
students who go to schools for the blind is that they're so used to having
their materials just handed to them without accessibility issues, so when
they get to college they think they are entitled to those materials without
asking for them.
I also know a girl who went to a school for the blind and had issues when
she got to college because she refused to do any work that was not given to
her in braille format. With all the electronics used in alternative formats
these days, I'm sure most college students on here can imagine how much work
was missed. Expecting everything to be in braille once you leave a school
for the blind is not realistic, and if that is what schools for the blind
are doing they're actually doing a great disservice to their students. I am
all for them teaching braille literacy, but submitting electronic
assignments and using the computer to get your work done is just part of the
college experience for most of us, and it needs to be taught before college.
For those in high school, here is some food for thought. Half way through
my junior year I started asking for most of my materials from my high school
teachers, and in my senior year I was in charge of getting everything from
them. This involved checking in with each one of them every week to see
what we were doing in the next week. Tests needed even more preplanning. I
was responsible for delivering all work that needed to be transcribed to my
braillist on my lunch breaks or before I left the building at the end of the
day. Most of the time she gave me braille because that was what she was
used to doing, (I had her from the 1st to 4th grades as an aid and
braillist, and from 4th grade through high school she only brailled. She
was in a habit of brailling everything because that was how we did it from
4th to about 7th grade, so it stuck). Even though she brailled a lot
though, I primarily wrote and submitted my assignments electronically, and
got feedback on my work electronically as well. Email, dropbox, and
flashdrives will be your best friends in college, and they'll be even easier
to work with if you get used to submitting assignments in that way early on
while in high school. Develop those self-advocacy skills; they will serve
you well.
On 12/30/13, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:
> Good evening, Jedi,
>
> Well said my blind sister! Thank you for this...
> for today, Car
>
> Jedi Moerke wrote:
>>I want to start by saying amen to Sandra. As US citizens, we have a
>>greater degree of choice than most of our brothers and sisters outside
>>of the country.
>>
>>Second, the choice to attend a school for the blind, mainstream, go to
>>a training center, or just do it alone greatly depends on the
>>resources afforded to an individual in their own life circumstances.
>>Could I have survived without training at LCB? Yes. Am I sorry I took
>>a year out of school to attend? No. As good as my blindness skills
>>were at the time, I can honestly say that I made considerable
>>improvement while there. The problem is that we don't know what we
>>don't know and that's dangerous, especially for a blind person in the
>>competitive market. I give credit to myself and the training center
>>for my success. A training center by itself doesn't make someone
>>successful in the areas of daily living. I have seen many people waste
>>their time during training, including those I train in the itinerant
>>system, to believe otherwise is foolish. I know that training has
>>something to offer anyone who fully engages in the enterprise as my
>>own story shows. So I really think it's a matter of what resources you
>>have and the resources you bring to blindness that make a difference.
>>
>>As to the idea that the training center isn't the real world, one
>>could argue that any educational institution isn't the real world.
>>But that's not really what's being said here. Its the idea that being
>>in the so-called blind world isn't the same as being in the real
>>world, otherwise known as the sighted world. I should remind you that
>>we all, the blind and sighted, live in the same world and that we all
>>experience it as reality. When you're hanging out with other blind
>>people, you're suddenly exposed to the same level of privilege
>>afforded to the sighted. I think that's a good thing because then we
>>know what equal feels like and can fight for it.
>>Likewise, we do need to know how to work around the inconveniences of
>>blindness because, like it or not, we are a minority. Neither
>>experience is more real than the other. Neither experience is superior
>>to the other. A well rounded blind person needs both if she or he is
>>going to be truly well adjusted in my opinion.
>>
>>Respectfully,
>>Jedi
>>
>>Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> > On Nov 11, 2013, at 8:56 AM, Sandra Gayer <sandragayer7 at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > Hello,
>> > I have had to read this thread, listening to people complaining
>> > about having resources which are simply non-existent in England. I
>> > live here and if you'd like to live here as well, I can promise you
>> > there are no such things as "Light Houses" or "Blind Preschool" or,
>> > ha ha ha, "Training Centres" for the blind, unless you count a
>> > couple of dedicated schools for the blind which haven't been closed
>> > down yet. In this country, there are gangs who specialise in guide
>> > dog bashing. I remember a girl who wouldn't leave the house with
>> > her cane because some people in her area found it funny to spit on
>> > her. I've never been to America although I have read about the
>> > extraordinary work The NFB does. If I had access to even half the
>> > things you are moaning about, I would be extatic! I could go on
>> > about The NLS and how people this side of the world aren't
>> > permitted access to web Braille, let alone the hard copy Braille
>> > books available but I won't. I could also talk about how Braille
>> > transcription is billed by the hour not the page. Come and live here
for a month and you'll be greatful for what you have.
>> >
>> > Very best wishes,
>> > Sandra.
>> >
>> >> On 11/11/13, Joshua Hendrickson <louvins at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >> Hi to all. I have been reading this thread with great interest.
>> >> After I get my associates of Arts degree in January, I will be
>> >> going to Icrewood in Chicago which is an in state training center
>> >> to learn some indipendent living skills. For me, I need to attend
>> >> this center so I can get the skills I'll need when I leave for
college.
>> >> Personally I would have liked to attend an NFB training center,
>> >> but it is very difficult in Illinois to get VOC. rehab to pay for
>> >> out of state services. As for schools for the blind, I was
>> >> mainstreamed through my Junior year of High School then attended
>> >> the school for the blind for 3 years. Personally, I like
>> >> mainstreaming a lot better. I feel the education I received in
>> >> public school was better than what I received at ISVI. I wish I
>> >> had learned algebra while at ISVI because I would have gotten my
>> >> associates degree a lot quicker and not have had to take so many
>> >> remedial math classes. Like others have already stated, it is up to
the individual whether to go to a center or not.
>> >> I did receive some daily living skills while at the school for the
>> >> blind, but since I didn't use them when I came back home, I lost them.
>> >> We were never allowed to use the stove or oven unattended which to
>> >> me kind of defeated the purpose of them trying to teach us to cook.
>> >> Anyway have a grat day all, and there are my thoughts for whatever
>> >> they may be worth.
>> >>
>> >>> On 11/11/13, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>> Minh,
>> >>>
>> >>> I think you have a lot of great points. I wish I had been raised
>> >>> with opportunities to build confidence.
>> >>>
>> >>> As for the research, I am excited about the paper that Arielle
>> >>> brought up. When I was justifying to my state that I had the
>> >>> right to an informed choice and to go to an out-of-state training
>> >>> center, Al Spooner at BLIND, Inc. taught me that one success
>> >>> measure is whether a graduate obtains employment or starts school
>> >>> within a year of graduating from training. There are flaws to
>> >>> this. For example, I think one year is a long time, and who says
>> >>> employment obtained is the desired job. Plus, many people go
>> >>> blind as older adults, so one may attend a training center for
>> >>> more daily living skills and decide later that they don't want to
>> >>> work anymore. But it is a quantafiable measure. I think that the
>> >>> NFB training centers have success rates according to these
>> >>> measures in the 90 percentile or higher and the state training
>> >>> enter in NC had a 16% rate according to that measure.
>> >>> But the paper will probably provide more insight on this.
>> >>> Unfortunately there is not a lot of research like this going on,
>> >>> and not a lot of good blindness-related journals to publish in.
>> >>>
>> >>> I would say that going to a training center does not remove you
>> >>> from society. I think that is a misconception. Just as going to
>> >>> class takes up time and working a job takes time, going to
>> >>> training during the day does take time. And there are some field
>> >>> trips that were all day or overnight, but school and work have
>> >>> these requirements as well. I made friends outside the center,
>> >>> volunteered, and explored Minneapolis. I did not choose to work
>> >>> or do an internship during training, but I realize that could
>> >>> have provided another great experience. Once I wasn't in class,
>> >>> my time was mine. I happened to make friends with center students
>> >>> just as you would make friends with neighbors and classmates. I
>> >>> didn't hang out because they were blind or because someone told
>> >>> me I had to. I hung out with them, and the other sighted people I
>> >>> met in Minneapolis because I met them and they were cool people.
>> >>>
>> >>> The NFB training center philosophy is all encompassing. For
>> >>> example, your life outside of class does give you opportunities
>> >>> to practice your skills and you are expected to use your
>> >>> nonvisual techniques at home and in the community. However, I
>> >>> don't think that this experiential part of training meant that my
>> >>> time outside of class wasn't mine, and so therefore, I feel that
>> >>> I was not "removed" from society.
>> >>>
>> >>> I realize that statement was kind of a segue from the original
>> >>> topic, but it is one that I am passionate about. I had several
>> >>> naysayers and people make fun of me for going to training because
>> >>> they perceived it as a time when I would be removing myself from
>> >>> society. But it was just the opposite. It has allowed me to take
>> >>> more advantage of what society has to offer. Someone who already
>> >>> possesses these skills and confidence could then perceive this as
>> >>> unnecessary, but I realized that I needed the opportunity to be
successful.
>> >>>
>> >>> Cindy
>> >>>
>> >>>> On 11/10/13, minh ha <minh.ha927 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>>> Arielle,
>> >>>> I'm really interested in this topic. Is the paper available for
>> >>>> viewing online? I would love to read it.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>> On 11/11/13, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>>>> Hi Min,
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> I think you make some good points and I agree that experience
>> >>>>> is the best teacher. However, I think part of what the centers
>> >>>>> do is to provide opportunities for that experience. Many of us
>> >>>>> who were sheltered didn't even get the chance to try things
>> >>>>> out, much less learn the proper nonvisual way to do them. For
>> >>>>> example, one thing I did for the first time at LCB was light
>> >>>>> candles. I had never been allowed to do anything with matches
>> >>>>> before I went to LCB. My teacher at LCB taught me a few tricks
>> >>>>> but mostly it was just me being required to swallow my fear and
>> >>>>> strike a match and put it to the candle.
>> >>>>> Through that experience I learned how to tell when the candle
>> >>>>> was lit and how to put the match out safely. That said, I did
>> >>>>> have decent skills before coming to the center and I think I
>> >>>>> probably could have been reasonably successful without center
>> >>>>> training. But I had specialized blindness training at the
>> >>>>> preschool and in-home instruction in daily living skills
>> >>>>> because my parents didn't feel confident enough to teach me a
>> >>>>> lot of things themselves at home. I do think the center gave me
>> >>>>> a lot of confidence even if I did have skills and even though I
>> >>>>> know how to learn things on my own.
>> >>>>> Also, I combined my center training with a research internship,
>> >>>>> so I don't feel like I put my life on hold. It was just two
>> >>>>> mornings a week so it didn't interfere with classes, but it
>> >>>>> really helped my resume.
>> >>>>> I
>> >>>>> probably would not have gotten the research internship if I
>> >>>>> hadn't gone to the center since it was at Louisiana Tech. I
>> >>>>> know some center students have a brief volunteer stint or take
>> >>>>> a college class while they are at the center as part of their
>> >>>>> training. So it isn't just blindness training the whole time.
>> >>>>> In addition, I had a lot of amazing social experiences while I
>> >>>>> was there that I probably won't have again as a working,
>> >>>>> married woman.
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> You also ask how success is measured. Regrettably, I think most
>> >>>>> of the evidence is anecdotal. However, Dr. Bell at Louisiana
>> >>>>> Tech did recently conduct a study which showed that NFB center
>> >>>>> graduates have higher employment rates and earn higher incomes
>> >>>>> than those who attended traditional centers or no center at
>> >>>>> all. Actually, the rates were lower among traditional center
>> >>>>> grads than among those who attended no center, but the rates
>> >>>>> were highest among those who attended NFB centers. I have read
>> >>>>> his paper and as a researcher I think the research was
>> >>>>> conducted well and with as little bias as possible. However, it
>> >>>>> is impossible to tell if the center training actually caused
>> >>>>> the increase in employment or if people who choose to go to NFB
>> >>>>> centers have other attributes that make them more employable.
>> >>>>> More rigorous research has to be done. Furthermore,
>> >>>>> unemployment was still pretty high even among the NFB center
>> >>>>> graduates, so NFB training doesn't completely fix the
>> >>>>> unemployment problem. But it's a step in the right direction.
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> Best,
>> >>>>> Arielle
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>> On 11/10/13, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>> >>>>>> Bridgit,
>> >>>>>> You were lucky your parents taught you just as they taught
>> >>>>>> your sisters.
>> >>>>>> That is how it should be. But my experience was the opposite.
>> >>>>>> I had a two parent middle class household. My older brothers
>> >>>>>> learned a little bit by observation. We never did have to do
>> >>>>>> chores because my parents would rather
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> do that. But when my brothers were teens, I recall that they
>> >>>>>> did do chores ocasionally. When holidays came or when we had
>> >>>>>> an ocasional party or guests
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> come such as that time my aunt and cousins came, my brothers
>> >>>>>> did help in chores.
>> >>>>>> However, my parents taught me little about housework and
>> >>>>>> personal care.
>> >>>>>> Did they teach me about manners and behavior? Yes.
>> >>>>>> Did they teach me basic play skills? Yes. I remember my dad
>> >>>>>> describing what
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> a tricycle was and how to ride it and then telling me to ride
>> >>>>>> my bike with training wheels once I got that.
>> >>>>>> They also told me about dinner etiquette such as placing a
>> >>>>>> napkin in your lap and chew with mouth closed.
>> >>>>>> In this regard, I learned about behavior with my brothers. In
>> >>>>>> fact, I've met
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> blind youth who lack this knowledge and its sad to know their
>> >>>>>> parents did not expect this of them.
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> But when it comes to home management skills and personal
>> >>>>>> skills, my parents
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> did not do anything. Only thing is my mom did say black and
>> >>>>>> blue did not go
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> together. Personal skills were taught by my vision teacher.
>> >>>>>> Okay, mom did help me learn to dress myself and very basic
>> >>>>>> stuff but other more advanced dressing skills were taught by
>> >>>>>> my vision teacher.
>> >>>>>> She taught me how to zip a coat and how to button clothes.
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> Many parents just do for their blind kids because its faster
>> >>>>>> and less stressful.
>> >>>>>> So you were quite fortunate your parents taught you.
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> Ashley
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>> >>>>>> From: Bridget Walker
>> >>>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2013 11:57 PM
>> >>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> >>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> Here is my take and I warn you it is strong. You talk about
>> >>>>>> Jonny who has autism. Did anyone catch on to the difference in
>> >>>>>> the label. The thread emphasizes this "we as blind people"
>> >>>>>> thing and I know we have had this talk
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> are we really going to put a disability first? This is just me
>> >>>>>> I was born with sight but lost it very early on in life. I
>> >>>>>> actually don't remember much from when I had bits of vision
>> >>>>>> and I'm not totally blind but pretty close.
>> >>>>>> So how do I know what I do? My parents taught me just as they
>> >>>>>> taught my sisters who are sighted and I understood everything.
>> >>>>>> Did it take me longer?
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> Sometimes yes but, for me I did not have to do anything different.
>> >>>>>> That's not to say I did not go to a training center or a
>> >>>>>> school for the blind.
>> >>>>>> I went to a center for two five week programs when my vision
>> >>>>>> was getting worse in my youth. I needed to gain ONM and tech
>> >>>>>> skills. I also needed to learn to cook. As a college student I
>> >>>>>> still fail lol.
>> >>>>>> Finally I went to a school for the blind for two years of high
>> >>>>>> school.
>> >>>>>> That
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> had nothing to do with my inability to reach expectations but
>> >>>>>> my public school gave up. I was classified as having a visual
>> >>>>>> processing learning disability rather then being blind.
>> >>>>>> That bit about schools for the blind being for multiple
>> >>>>>> disabled students is
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> not true. I was in a setting where students were working to
>> >>>>>> state standards.
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> I spent two years there and was able to do work back at my
>> >>>>>> public school and
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> graduate with the mainstream students. Lets face it I never
>> >>>>>> really really left.
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> On Nov 10, 2013, at 9:48 PM, "RJ Sandefur"
>> >>>>>> <joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com>
>> >>>>>> wrote:
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>> Why do we send blind people to training centers? Why do we
>> >>>>>>> send blind people to "schools for the blind" We as blind
>> >>>>>>> people live in the real world,Why do we do it? You don't see
>> >>>>>>> mom sending Johnny who has autism to
>> >>>>>>>
>> >>>>>>> aschool for autistic kids!
>> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>>>>> 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/bridgetawalker13%
>> 40aol.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/bookwormahb%40ear
>> thlink.net
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>>
>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>>>> 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%40gmail
>> .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/minh.ha927%40gmai
>> l.com
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> --
>> >>>> "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the
>> >>>> dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it
>> >>>> was vanity:
>> >>>> but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act
>> >>>> on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E.
>> >>>> Lawrence
>> >>>>
>> >>>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>> 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/clb5590%40gm
>> >>>> ail.com
>> >>>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> --
>> >>> Cindy Bennett
>> >>> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>> >>>
>> >>> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
>> >>> clb5590 at gmail.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/louvins%40gma
>> >>> il.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/sandragayer7%40gm
>> ail.com
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Soprano Singer
>> > www.sandragayer.com
>> >
>> > Broadcast Presenter
>> >
>> > www.insightradio.co.uk/music-box.html
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > 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/loneblindjedi%40s
>> amobile.net
>> >
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>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/carlymih%40comcast
>>.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/crazy4clarinet104%
> 40gmail.com
>
--
Kaiti
_______________________________________________
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/justin.williams2%40gmail
.com
More information about the NABS-L
mailing list