[nabs-l] Training centers not the real world

[Miso Kwak]

Just like all other things I think it should be personal decision - 
whether to attend training centers or not.
For school for the blind, I am a hardcore mainstream advocate.
However, I agree that learning Braille and basic cane skills is 
essential.
Personally I attended school for the blind for 10 years in South Korea.
It was done so because at least at the time being mainstreamed as a 
non-print reader was almost impossible in Korea.
My parents gave me opportunities to learn with sighted peers by sending 
me to piano and English classes that were taught in private sectors. I 
am grateful that my parents gave me the opportunity to interact with 
sighted peers because it was a good motivator and eye-opener for me 
personally.
For the past 6 years since I came to the U.S. I have been mainstreamed. 
I believe I was able to do it quite successfully because I was 
competent in Braille and basic cane skills acquired in school for the 
blind in Korea.
I have no idea how it would be to be mainstreamed entire life but as 
long as a student can learn Braille and cane skills properlhy I believe 
mainstreaming is better because like RJ mentioned essentially we have 
to learn to live in the sighted world.
Also, being mainstreamed provides so many more opportunities. Yes, it 
might be harder to play sports at full measure but it doesn't mean you 
don't have the opportunities to participate in extracurricular 
activities.
While some school districs are better than others, I have fought and 
still fighting to do what I want to do.
I was able to experience activities like competitive marching band, 
model UN, and competitive swim team because I was mainstreamed.
Again, I have a different background than most of people on this list 
and honestly my knowledge on how school for the blind runs in the state 
is not as deep as my knowledge on Korean system but I am a firm 
believer that being mainstreamed is beneficial for students in many 
ways.
When it comes to training centers, I do not yet have a firm stance. I 
experienced it a little over this past summer and I honestly learned a 
lot but as Minh pointed out I am still not sure if it's necessary to 
take 6-9 months out of my life to just focus on learning "blind skills."


-----Original Message-----
From: Bridget Walker <bridgetawalker13 at aol.com>
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sun, Nov 10, 2013 9:06 pm
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!
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