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

[Kayla James]

Lol. I'm not the only one who gets irritated? Boss awesome!

On 2/6/16, Doug Oliver via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Danielle I agree with you I have had people do the "your so amazing"
> comments too and it irritated me too I know what that's like.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Danielle Sykora via nabs-l" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: "Danielle Sykora" <dsykora29 at gmail.com>
> Sent: Saturday, February 6, 2016 9:59 PM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Schools For The Blind vs Public Schools
>
>
>> As someone who has only been to public school, I am extremely greatful
>> that my education was in this setting. Although it was challenging at
>> times, I'm glad I was in "the real world" from the beginning. Though
>> most of my work was available, accessibility challenges were always an
>> unfortunate but unavoidable part of life I learned to deal with long
>> ago. Most people viewed me as "that blind girl", but honestly, this is
>> how it usually is as a minority. A similar hierarchy exists among
>> blind people as it does in your average school environment. I'm not an
>> overly social person, so it doesn't make a huge difference to me--I
>> don't deal with people who have a superiority complex and I'm
>> perfectly happy with just a few close friends. The "your so amazing"
>> comments irritate me to no end and I actually tend to discredit
>> compliments as products of low expectations, so I'm not sure the sense
>> of entitlement happens all that often. Most importantly though, I
>> needed to be in an academically challenging environment that I'm not
>> sure is always available in a residential school for the blind. For
>> example, how many AP science classes would be available in one of
>> these schools?
>>
>> Danielle
>>
>> 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.
>>>
>>>  _______________________________________________
>>>  nabs-l mailing list
>>>  nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>  To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>>> info for
>>>  nabs-l:
>>>
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/jlhodges4%40g
>>> mail.com
>>>
>>>
>>>  _______________________________________________
>>>  nabs-l mailing list
>>>  nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>  To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>>> info for
>>>  nabs-l:
>>>
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/christina.moo
>>> re16%40houghton.edu
>>>
>>>
>>>  _______________________________________________
>>>  nabs-l mailing list
>>>  nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>  To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>>> info for
>>>  nabs-l:
>>>
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/christgirl813
>>> %40gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>> for nabs-l:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/alpineimagina
>>> tion%40gmail.com
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dsykora29%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/oliver.doug1%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/christgirl813%40gmail.com
>