[nabs-l] problems with a TVI

[Lillie Pennington]

Hello Everyone

I apologize for my posts on this list being generally being negative as of
late and my questions having a  somewhat no-brainer type of answer. 

I have a new TVI this year. Based on what I have heard, my parents and I are
pretty sure that I am the most advanced student on his caseload in terms of
both Braille and/or blindness skills, as well as pretty high up there
intellectually. 

In terms of doing my schoolwork and other school-related things, , I would
classify myself as pretty responsible. I do not feel that I have done
anything major that would result in a lack of mistrust. However, the way
that my TVI sometimes acts towards me makes me feel otherwise. The way he
questions some of my actions or what I say as if I cannot be trusted or as
if I am lying bothers me. For example, he was wanting to talk about lunch
things and who I sat with. He then asked my parra when she came back in the
room if I did do these things (referring to my lunch routine.) Another
example in my mind that sticks out of being mistrustful is when I was
showing my parra the final draft of a research paper because we had been
discussing Common Core State Standards (the topic of the paper) earlier. He
wanted to see the paper, so I gave him the printed copy. He was quite
skeptical about whether the paper was allowed to take an argumentative
stance. I told him that it was, and he asked my parra (who is not in that
class with me) if it was.

There was an upserge in these problems today which I had mainly put in the
back of my mind. He and my mobility instructor brought the student that I am
supposed to be mentoring next year that I have mentioned in a previous post.
They were mainly looking at the building, which I will admit is weirdly
layed out. 

I had previously provided both a written and oral description of the
building to this student, and my mobility teacher has obviously seen it
working with me. 

I will go off on another side tangent for a moment. After my description and
noting that there were no Braille numbers on the doors, my TVI and the
student were very upset. My TVI sent some emails and there is a meeting
scheduled at some point to discuss getting Braille numbers installed. I
asked if this is really necessary because my sister and I never had that
much trouble navigating the building. My TVI asked if I thought about anyone
but myself. This comment bothered me at the time but I was worrying about
other things at the time so did not give it much thought. 

Today after the student left, my TVI told me that I should help this student
learn the campus. He told me to create a top 10 list; things that would help
the student get around. These things had to be totally blind friendly and
for someone who could not process things as quickly as I could. There are
two problems with this. I do not necessarily know how to see through these
student eyes (or in this case, not see.) I have a bit of periferil vision
that I use along with alternative techniques to navigate the building. Along
with this list, I was expected to come up with things that the
administration could do to change the school. I had trouble coming up with
both of these lists, because I am pretty happy with the school, and
everything basically clicked for me. I did try for about 10 minutes to come
up with things and I did come up with something for counting the doors. 

When I tried to come up with these things, and when I could not and I
explained, my TVI did not believe me. He said that it certainly took more
time for me to learn the building. I also explained about the vision thing
and he was quite skeptical.

I am done with being called a lier. I am done with everything I do being
questioned. I am done trying to do a job that I feel is the mobility
instructors job (with this list.) I felt like I was thrust into this
position. I do not want to be generalized in this crusade about Braille
numbers about all students who are blind needing them.

 

I want to confront him about this tomorrow. I felt like in a way he was
bullying me today. I want to not dread my study hall every day for what he
may say. However, I know that I have to pick and choose my battles. I am not
sure if this is worth confronting him about. I am going to for sure tell him
that I cannot do anymore for this student besides just helping a blind
person mentally adjust psychologically to high school. I have an AP test in
6 weeks and I need to focus on preparing for that. 

I have lost sleep over this student. I have no real attachment to this
person but I do have a fear that if I am not the one actively doing things
that this student will fall into the wayside. I am also going to tell him
that I do not want to be included in the Braille number discussions and that
I am perfectly happy with the way things are, and that I do not want any of
these arguments being made for "all blind students" because that is not
true.

However, I do not know if I have the right to do this. My parents think I
should help because otherwise no one else will. I feel like I am being
manipulated, but I still in a way feel guilty. I am not going to mention the
skepticism and how it makes me feel, but I will bring up my unhappiness with
the arrangements for this student.

I will also speak to my mobility instructor on my next lesson. My TVI is the
only one I am hearing these things from. I am not going to bad mouth my TVI,
but I will say that I have been asked to spend time doing things and making
lists that I do not feel that I have the authority or the experience to
make. 

 

Is there some other way to do this? I am going to be as respectful as I can,
but for me this has to end. Am I doing the right thing? I do not know what
else to do in terms of other options. I apologize for the long post.

Thank You,

Lillie