[nabs-l] Training centers not the real world

Mon Nov 11 06:00:38 UTC 2013

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!
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