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

Sun Feb 7 05:23:17 UTC 2016

Hi Roanna, 
I have been attending Perkins school for the Blind since I was about 6 months old. It's ok, but I wish I had the public school experience. I have never set foot in a public school classroom. The biggest complaint I have about Perkins is the lendth of their school day. The day starts at 8:10 and ends at 4. Most days, I end up leaving at 5 because of extra activitys I am involved in. It's such a long day. I do not live at the school, and I am very glad I don't. I'm curious, does anyone else on this list attend a blind school, and what is your experience like? How long are your days there? Sometimes, I wish I had the nice short days my local high school has. Their days and at 2:45, and that makes me so jealous leaving at five.
Those are just my thoughts,
Cullen 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 6, 2016, at 11:47 PM, 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.
>>> 
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