[nabs-l] Training centers not the real world

[RJ Sandefur]

If Joe Blind gos for ajob interview in order to be the pastor at Anywhere
baptist church, do you think thechurch is going to care weather or not Joe
Blind went to Anywhere rehab center for the blind? RJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 11:50 AM
Subject: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world


> Minh,
>
> You seem to have had a very fortunate experience. I lost my sight as an
> adult, but in my experience, most blind people, especially children,
> don't have an experience like yours. If more families adopted an
> attitude like yours, we may not be having this discussion.
>
> And on a side note, I notice few people have analytical reasoning skills
> and the ability to be self-taught regardless of disability. Some people,
> for whatever reason, don't possess the ability to learn this way,
> therefore requiring a more formal teaching process.
>
> And life skills, these can easily be taught to blind people without
> shipping off to a specialized training center. But skills like Braille,
> adaptive technology, cane travel, etc., these are specialized skills
> that are not always easily picked up. It's for these skills that
> training centers are necessary.
>
> I think how we comport ourselves has a lot to do with how the world
> perceives us and our abilities. Right or wrong, when you present
> yourself to an employer, they are immediately judging you based on
> physical appearance. If you walk in well-groomed, confident and polite,
> this goes a long way, sighted or blind. If you enter a room appearing to
> not be confident and not looking polished physically and mentally, an
> employer will automatically have red flags. This is just human nature.
>
> So, sadly, few blind people are provided the experience afforded you in
> this department. They don't naturally possess confidence, and
> regretfully, many people in their lives do not foster a spirit of
> confidence. So without training centers, I do think fewer people would
> be employed. This isn't to say that getting a job will be easy as a
> blind person because you received training or carry yourself with
> confidence, but your chances certainly are better.
>
> And yes, a few studies have been conducted pointing to the advantage of
> attending a training center for the blind. Those with this background,
> especially those not taught nonvisual skills beforehand, do better in
> school, employment and life in general.
>
> Bridgit
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 00:33:06 -0500
> From: minh ha <minh.ha927 at gmail.com>
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
> Message-ID:
>
> <CAAJqG9hYUgmy=_M2GLmwOmdknimkhUc6Y=Fgg8fBdHC0z6RX-g at mail.gmail.com>
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>
> All the proponents of training centers, NFB or otherwise keep saying how
> going to one will give blind individuals the skills they need to gain
> employment or to be successful. I'm just wondering how these success
> stories are measured? Do the majority of graduates gain employment
> afterwards because of their new found independence skills and are these
> numbers higher than those that do not attend training centers? Maybe
> it's different for me because I had vision for the first few years of my
> life, but all the skills that I've acquired over the years, I learned
> from my family and friends. I remember growing up, cooking was one of
> the activities that my best friend and I experimented together; she
> didn't know cooking skills either so we played around in the kitchen and
> taught ourselves how to use a stove, etc. I think we place too much
> responsibility on others--if I want to learn something, I teach myself
> or I ask someone who knows it to teach me. Furthermore, I can't see
> myself taking 6-9 months to essentially remove myself from society to
> focus on blindness skills so I can gain employment. I have had many
> internships and opportunities in college because I actually go out there
> and network and present myself to potential employers. My point is
> experience is the best teacher--I can learn all the independence skills
> I need at a center, but it's not going to do me any good without the
> experience.
>
> Minh
>
>
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