[nabs-l] Training centers not the real world

Tue Nov 12 20:34:39 UTC 2013

Good morning,

         After associating with, both on and off school time with 
students  at an NFB training center in Colorado, I feel I got a 
sampling of what being steeped in the teachings of the Federation 
could entail. The life path which found me did not include being a 
student at a center until much later but dished out a round of brain 
damage instead.
Despite how the Federation pretty openly scorns us "multi 
handicapped" people, I know my brain wouldn't be able to process 
everything they threw at it. So, mr. CP, I know your pain.very well 
for today, Car 408-209-3239wrote:
>You didn't read the thread. Their are some blind people who aren't able to
>attend a center.RJ
>  I personally attended a center, and that is not my cup of tea. I have a
>secondary disability which requires I have help. If I were to leave Florida,
>then I would lose my provider, and my CP is progressive
>  Had my family known about the NFB centers back in 1999, then I'd have
>attended but it is 20013, and my CP has progressed since then.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Kaiti Shelton" <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com>
>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
><nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 1:52 PM
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
>
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I think there is some confusion about what a training center is, so I
> > will try to more clearly define the term.  When we refer to training
> > centers, we are speaking specifically about either the Louisiana
> > Center for the Blind, the Colorado Center for the Blind, or Blind Inc.
> >  Other rehab agencies, like the Cleveland Sight Center, Richmond, and
> > Lions World, offer some of the same services but are very different.
> > To be rehabilitated connotates that blindness is a problem in need of
> > fixing, but training implies working to more effectively use skills.
> > The outlook of some staff at rehab agencies is not very good, but to
> > be trained under those who are well-versed in the positive philosophy
> > of the NFB is totally different.
> >
> > I would encourage you to talk to one of the three training center
> > directors.  They're all great people, and could probably do the best
> > job of explaining what the training centers have to offer.  ;
> >
> > On 11/12/13, RJ Sandefur <joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Is this something the NFB could look at as a possibility? RJ
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Arielle Silverman" <arielle71 at gmail.com>
> > > To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> > > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> > > Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 7:33 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
> > >
> > >
> > >> Hi all,
> > >>
> > >> I think a volunteer-based in-home training program like what Bridgit
> > >> described would be really excellent to have in  every state. I know a
> > >> bunch of blind folks who are unemployed but who would make great
> > >> in-home teachers for other blind people. Why not set them up first as
> > >> volunteers, and then allow them to be hired as independent contractors
> > >> of the state VR once they gain enough experience? At the very least,
> > >> voc rehab needs to be better about matching blind mentors up with
> > >> menttes particularly those who cannot go to a formal center. Those of
> > >> us who have other disabilities or health conditions need the help most
> > >> and tend to get it least.
> > >> I will also admit that I've met several NFB center grads who remain
> > >> unemployed for a long time after graduating, and often settle down in
> > >> the town where the center is located but don't participate in school
> > >> or work. This can happen for many reasons. Some have barriers to
> > >> employment or higher education that the centers just can't address,
> > >> like psychiatric conditions, chronic illnesses etc. For others who
> > >> come to the center from out of state, they find it difficult to
> > >> integrate what they learn into their old environment, for instance if
> > >> they have over-protective families or a lack of blindness community
> > >> support where they live. And finally, our centers are really designed
> > >> to teach access and independence skills but they're not designed to
> > >> teach job-specific professional skills or much in the way of academic
> > >> skills. Perhaps our centers could improve on that, though I don't know
> > >> exactly how.
> > >>
> > >> Arielle
> > >>
> > >> On 11/11/13, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> > I have often told my employers about blindness training and how it
> > >> > made me an effective problem solver. Use it to your advantage. I was
> > >> > in a quandry of having a school year look blank on my resume or not,
> > >> > so I choose to list it. I also explain how my experiences have helped
> > >> > me and how they will make me a more effective employee. But that is a
> > >> > personal choice. I may have missed a few interviews because of
>listing
> > >> > it, but I have also gotten some.
> > >> >
> > >> > Cindy
> > >> >
> > >> > On 11/11/13, RJ Sandefur <joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> >> Ashley, the rehab center I attended did not teach any job skills or
> > >> >> anything. Sure they had us read a bunch of hand outs, but any one
>can
> > >> >> read
> > >> >> a
> > >> >> bunch of hand outs and pass a test! RJ
> > >> >> ----- Original Message -----
> > >> >> From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
> > >> >> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> > >> >> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> > >> >> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 4:28 PM
> > >> >> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >>> RJ,
> > >> >>> They do teach job skills. just talk to  a center graduate and
>you'll
> > > get
> > >> >> the
> > >> >>> answer.
> > >> >>>
> > >> >>> -----Original Message-----
> > >> >>> From: RJ Sandefur
> > >> >>> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 4:18 PM
> > >> >>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> > >> >>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
> > >> >>>
> > >> >>> I could be wrong here, but I don't really see where rehabilitation
> > >> >>> centers
> > >> >>> are teaching both social and job skills. 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>
> > >> >>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
> > >> >>> >
> > >> >>> > 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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> > >
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/joltingjacksandefur%40gm
> > >> >>> ail.com
> > >> >>>
> > >> >>>
> > >> >>> _______________________________________________
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> > >
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.
> > >> >> net
> > >> >>>
> > >> >>>
> > >> >>> _______________________________________________
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> > >> >> ail.com
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >> _______________________________________________
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> > >> >>
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > --
> > >> > Cindy Bennett
> > >> > Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
> > >> >
> > >> > B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
> > >> > clb5590 at gmail.com
> > >> >
> > >> > _______________________________________________
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> > >> >
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
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> > >
> > >
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> >
> >
> > --
> > Kaiti
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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