[nabs-l] Schools For The Blind vs Public Schools

[Kayla James]

It is a toss up. In public school, you're either insanely virtuous,
extraordinarily amazing, or death-defyingly terrifying and students
will go to hell if they think they're in your way.

On 2/6/16, Vejas Vasiliauskas via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> I feel like as a public school student and you are blind, lots of
> people are amazed by you and you may get a false sense of
> entitlement.  Particularly in elementary school 'I'm sure a lot
> of people can relate to th', you get paired with friends who are
> there to help you at lunch and recess--as you get older this of
> course doesn't happen, and it can be a shock to some people.
> I can say now that as a student at LCB I am not "The Blind Kid",
> and there are groups here, but friends choose each other based on
> much more meaningful reasons.
> Vejas
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: Kayla James via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Sat, 6 Feb 2016 21:12:47 -0600
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Schools For The Blind vs Public Schools
>
> From someone who has done both, there isn't a whole lot of
> difference.
> In public school, you will be the "blind" kid, new, and people
> will be
> scared of you, but it helps you deal more with the real world
> where
> you are a minority in a sense.  Residential blind schools are
> like
> public schools, you'll be the "blind" kid there, too, and
> depending on
> the hierarchy, because let's face it there is one, that can be
> good or
> bad.
> The popular kids are usually visually impaired, athletic, pretty,
> you
> name it.  Totals are in on it, too.  The pros: you are around
> your own
> set, if you will.
>
> On 2/6/16, Christina Moore via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>  I believe both settings have thier benefits and disadvantages.
>  I attended a school for the blind from 2-4 grade and was a
> residental
>  student.  I did not mind in any not being at home and being at
> the
>  school for the blind allowed me to be around other kids, advance
> my
>  braille skills, learn some other necessary skills and gain
>  self-confidence I would not otherwise have had.
>  Once I entered public school in fifth grade it waws a hurtle for
> me to
>  do math and to accept being in a public school because my whole
> world
>  was different.  My school was learning how to help me as they
> were
>  going and that was challenging at time.  It was not thier fault,
> but it
>  was still challenging.  I did well though and am in college now.
>  I believe both experiences have their advantages and
> disadvantages.
>  For instance, there is more self-advocacy, need to prove
> yourself to
>  classmates Etc.  in a school that is public versus a school that
>  catters to blindness.  Everyone in my opinion should have an
> experience
>  of starting out in a school for the blind in some way and then
> they
>  should be transitioned into a public school where they finish
> thier
>  education.
>  Just my thoughts.
>
>  On 2/6/16, jessica hodges via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>  I believe schools for the blind can have some benefits.  If you
> go there
>  as a residential student, depending on the school, and the
> quality of
>  education, you can get a lot of skills that can serve you very
> well in
>  life after graduation, if you keep practicing them.  However, I
> believe
>  that a student should also have some public school exposure, to
> teach
>  self advicasy, as well as how to cope when things when all
> materials and
>  experiences are not accessible, and optimized for blindness.
> The issue
>  that I find with blind schools is that they basically hand the
> students
>  the world on a silver platter.  They don't have to fight for
> anything,
>  make due with anything that isn't perfectly accessible, and so
> have no
>  exposure in how to deal with things in the "real world," outside
> the
>  sphere of the blind school.  I went to a blind school from my
> third to
>  sixth grade year, and was home schooled through seventh grade,
> so I
>  struggled integrating back into the school system, particularly
> in math,
>  trying to adapt to a visually taught class and things.  I also
> didn't
>  stay at the school, so I did not learn half of the skills that I
> could
>  have.
>        In conclusion, I believe it is good to give students
> experience in
>  both public, and blind school settings.
>  Hope this helps.
>  Jessica
>
>  On 2/6/2016 4:42 PM, Roanna Bacchus via nabs-l wrote:
>  Good evening Students,
>
>  I have a question for all of you.  What are the advantages and
>  disadvantages of attending a residential school for the blind vs
> a
>  public school? I could not handle being away from my family
> during the
>  week.  As a toddler I attended the Early Intervention program at
> the
>  Perkins School For The Blind.  I'd like to hear your thoughts on
> this
>  topic.
>
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