[nfb-db] My thoughts on training centers blind, and deaf blind.

Fri Nov 8 01:53:28 UTC 2013

Kerri,
Thanks for sharing. Where is LCB?
Delcenia

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List" <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2013 7:54 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-db] My thoughts on training centers blind, and deaf blind.

> Hi Everyone:
>
> I am one of those people who attended an NFB center and had a very
> positive experience. I attended LCB and graduated with a freedom bell
> on January 31.
> I was able to socially fit in fine. I made many friends.
> Of course, I was required to take all the classes but I mainly
> attended the center to work on my travel and cooking skills.
> I had probably the best travel instructor in the country. I loved how
> my instructor held me to such high expectations even with my hearing
> loss.
> In fact, when I first began attending LCB, I was very unaccepting of
> my hearing loss. I felt like I had a lot of hearing.
> It was through hours and hours of communication and patience by my
> travel instructor that I came to accept that I in fact do have severe
> hearing loss and it does affect my life, and I needed to accept it.
> I admired my travel instructor and wanted to be just like him/her. I
> worked as hard as I possibly could in that class.
> Since I am only able to cross streets with very little traffic with my
> hearing, and I can not reliably orient to traffic patterns, my
> instructor made me use a card/sign to get assistance from people to
> cross streets. I also used a braille compass and the compass on the
> Iphone for cardinal directions and I used cardinal directions to
> orient because I could not use traffic sounds.
> In the beginning, my instructor would make me go into businesses and I
> had to tell the person I was speaking with that I had hearing loss and
> to please give me verbal directions since I couldn't follow them by
> their voice alone. I hated hated hated having to tell people I had
> hearing loss but I gained confidence soon enough.
> Normally, when the instructors give students assignments, they are all
> walking and finding addresses. However, my instructor knew with my
> hearing loss I would need to use other forms of transportation to get
> to places so he/she would often give me assignments where I had to
> take a taxicab places. I also learned to hire a driver, and he/she
> even made me plan a trip to another city and I had to hire the driver
> and negotiate the times and pricing with the driver.
> I happened to be the only student with hearing loss when I attended,
> and once I began using the card/sign to cross streets, I was afraid
> the other students and staff wouldn't approve. But, one day I talked
> about it during seminar and everyone clapped and cheered for a route I
> was able to do independently by getting assistance across the streets.
> For my graduation route, I had to do an out of town route. I had to
> pick somewhere I wanted to go in another city, take the greyhound bus
> there, and then take a taxicab to my destination. I took the greyhound
> bus to a nearby city, and took a cab to the mall and navigated the
> mall all day.
> I went rock climbing, white water rafting, horse back riding, and to
> the NFB convention in Dallas with the center just to name a few
> things.
> I even got to participate in the LCB play at the 2012 NFB convention.
> I also performed in the Christmas play.
> I made a meal for 8 people and a meal for 40 people.
> A friend and I even independently planned a trip on our own and took a
> five-day trip from Louisiana to Oklahoma to attend a football game. I
> love sports so my friend and I attended three football games all in
> different states.
> It was a rough road, but in the end my training showed me that I can
> do anything and by using the techniques I learned and enough planning
> I feel I can travel anywhere.
> I loved my training at LCB and felt it was very positive.
> Were there rough times? Definitely.
> There were even times where I questioned whether LCB was for me. But
> in the end, when the nine months was up and I graduated with my
> freedom bell, it was all worth it and I knew I had made the right
> decision.
> I feel each person should make the best decision on training for them.
> They should not rule a center out based on their hearing loss.
> HKNC is not the only game in town, and it angers me that so many seem
> to think it is and NFB centers seem to unfairly get a bad rap. The
> training is very individualized for each person. LCB definitely had to
> change some techniques to modify me. They normally don't teach blind
> students to use a card/sign but for me it was necessary so they did it
> and they said from now on they will continue to do it for any future
> deaf-blind student that attends there. Most students don't need to use
> a compass, but I had to use one. They definitely modified a lot of
> techniques for me.
> The director, Pam Allen is very very supportive. She along with other
> staff members at the center are good friends and mentors of mine. Even
> now that I have graduated, I often receive emails from Pam just saying
> she was thinking of me and asking me how I am.
> Even though I am not a student, my travel instructor said I could call
> him/her anytime to ask a question or if I need help.
> I have talked to other staff members from the center even though I
> have graduated. They truly care even after training.
> A person should be able to attend the center that is best for them,
> not for their hearing. I briefly considered attending HKNC, but I felt
> LCB was better.
> I just want people to realize that LCB and the other NFB centers do
> definitely definitely work with people who have severe hearing loss
> and they (NFB centers) should not be ruled out. I had a very positive,
> successful experience.
> Thanks,
> Kerri
>
> On 11/7/13, Marsha Drenth <marsha.drenth at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Randy,
>> I'd like to know more about these methods in how to learn ASL? Very very
>> curiously.
>>
>>
>> Marsha drenth
>> Sent with my IPhone
>>
>>> On Nov 7, 2013, at 10:33 AM, "Randy Pope" <randy.pope at aadb.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hey Scott,
>>>
>>> Whatever you do, don't let these people advise you to stick the 
>>> Rochester
>>> method.  That is a very bad idea.  Many of the DB people would not have
>>> the
>>> patience to communicate with those using this method.
>>>
>>> With the right people, you will...not maybe....you will master ASL
>>> somehow.
>>> There are deaf ASL teachers out there who would be willing to work with
>>> people like you.  For those DB people who cannot see, there are other
>>> method
>>> to teach ASL.  I know of several who are teaching ASL to totally blind
>>> students, successfully,
>>>
>>> Randy
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nfb-db [mailto:nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Scott 
>>> Davert
>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2013 8:33 PM
>>> To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [nfb-db] My thoughts on training centers blind, and deaf
>>> blind.
>>>
>>> Hi marsha.
>>> Sadly, my vvocabulary is maybe 100 signs. The classes until very 
>>> recently
>>> have been so infrequent that I haven't benifited much from them. My
>>> receptive skills are certainly better than my actual signing ones. 
>>> People
>>> have started to tell me that I should just stick with the Rochester
>>> method,
>>> but I want to keep trying to learn, you know?
>>>
>>> Scott
>>>
>>>> On 11/6/13, Marsha Drenth <marsha.drenth at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Hi Gene,
>>>> sounds like you have some things to do. In all due time it will get
>>>> done.
>>>> Good luck, perhaps you will get to come up while I am there.
>>>> Keep us updated.
>>>>
>>>> Marsha drenth
>>>> Sent with my IPhone
>>>>
>>>>> On Nov 5, 2013, at 10:00 PM, "gene richburg" <gene5402 at austin.rr.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi Marsha, well I have either some time in Jan or Feb, but that
>>>>> hasn't been determined yet.  I still have to develop my iep plan with
>>>>> dars, the department of asistive rehabilitation services, HKNC can't
>>>>> give me a date with out that I e p plan, but I have to have a prep
>>>>> meeting  that will include my mom and everyone else.  We were gonna
>>>>> have it on the 24th of october, but Molly Rimer had a death in the
>>>>> family, her niece passed away that morning at age 22, or 23, I for
>>>>> get which, so hopefully things will work out on the 8th of this
>>>>> month, then after the prep meeting then we will be able to develop
>>>>> the actual I e p.  The reason I need a prep meeting, is so my mom can
>>>>> help me figure out what I will be able to expect from Dars, and what
>>>>> they will expect of me.  It's really frustrating, I was supposed to
>>>>> get in back in either august but couldn't because every one that was
>>>>> helping me with the application totally dropped the ball, and me and 
>>>>> my
>>> mom finally had to step in and straighten everything out,.
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Marsha Drenth
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 05, 2013 4:19 PM
>>>>> To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nfb-db] My thoughts on training centers blind, and deaf
>>>>> blind.
>>>>>
>>>>> Jean, yes I did receive the student handbook. I got it from the
>>>>> admissions person at HK and see. I think I also read that they do
>>>>> provide the vibrant call alert system. I'm interested in seeing that.
>>>>> Do you have a start date?
>>>>>
>>>>> Marsha drenth
>>>>> Sent with my IPhone
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Nov 5, 2013, at 4:52 PM, "gene richburg" <gene5402 at austin.rr.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Marsha, did you receive the HKNC student handbook?  I don't know
>>>>>> if they provide consumers, or what ever they call people who come
>>>>>> there, but I think they provide some kind of vibra call system, but
>>>>>> I didn't get that part very clearily, I'll have to go back and read
>>>>>> that, perhaps Scott can clear that up for sure.  But if you need the
>>>>>> handbook, I can email you off list and atatch it to the message.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Marsha Drenth
>>>>>> Sent: Monday, November 04, 2013 8:26 PM
>>>>>> To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nfb-db] My thoughts on training centers blind, and
>>>>>> deaf blind.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Maurice,
>>>>>> I think hands down that no one will argue with you that if someone
>>>>>> is in need of blindness skills training, and if they are just blind
>>>>>> with no additional disablity, then going to a NFB training center is
>>>>>> the
>>> best.
>>>>>> With that said, I am not just blind, but severely hard of hearing. I
>>>>>> have chosen to go to HKNC because of two main reasons, I do not need
>>>>>> blindness skills. I was blind before I lost my hearing. But I do
>>>>>> need the skills in order to live as a deafblind person. I have
>>>>>> traveled with a cane, with a guide dog, read braille, and am able to
>>>>>> use technology. The problem lays in that I also can't hear. There is
>>>>>> only one center in this country that can train a person who is both
>>>>>> blind and hard of hearing. With that said, most persons who go to
>>>>>> HKNC, are in need of a audiologist who has worked with the dual
>>>>>> sensory loss. An in house audiologist who understand the needs of
>>>>>> blind persons, visually impaired persons, and those who also who are
>>>>>> deaf, hard of hearing and or hearing impaired; is something that an
>>>>>> NFB center does not have. Just because I have made this desicion,
>>>>>> doesn't not mean that I am less of a person, less of an NFB member, 
>>>>>> or
>>> think less of the philosophy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Its awesome that you had a successful experience at the CCB. And I
>>>>>> am also not sure, of your hearing issues. But if I am reading your
>>>>>> message correctly, your saying those persons who go to an NFB center,
>>> are better.
>>>>>> This is the sort of attitude that divides a group. The NFB centers
>>>>>> are no less better than HK, nor is HK better than an NFB center. Its
>>>>>> just different, serves different disabilities, different needs.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have heard of both good and bad experiences at the HK center, jsut
>>>>>> as I have heard of persons going through an NFB center. I just know
>>>>>> that for me, with my hearing loss, it would not be successful to go
>>>>>> to a NFB center. For them to ask me to listen to traffic in order to
>>>>>> indicate when its safe to cross. I can't hear traffic. It would not
>>>>>> be viable for me to have an NFB center to tell me, listen for the
>>>>>> water boiling, I can't hear it boil. The techniques are different,
>>> similar but different.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Granted I haven't been there yet to begin my training. My desicion
>>>>>> was one I made for me. But with that said, I can understand why
>>>>>> other deafblind persons make the same desicion.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Its unfair to say that HK is not what blind, or deafblind people
>>>>>> should be going to for training, especially if you haven't been there
>>> yourself.
>>>>>> I would say that all blind persons should be tolerant of those of us
>>>>>> who have different needs, are in need of different skills than just
>>>>>> those you learn as a blind person.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Marsha drenth
>>>>>> Sent with my IPhone
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Nov 4, 2013, at 6:19 PM, maurice mines <kd0iko at icloud.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Good afternoon, I have been thinking for quite some time as I've
>>>>>>> read emails on this list recently, that it might be of some benefit
>>>>>>> to talk about the benefits of attending an NFB training center. Of
>>>>>>> course the question that many on this list will ask why are you
>>>>>>> even discussing this? Because I've heard a lot recently a.k.a. read
>>>>>>> a lot recently that the feeling seems to be that HK in C is
>>>>>>> apparently
>>> be only game in town.
>>>>>>> But I believe that if my past experience at the Colorado Center for
>>>>>>> the blind is any indication of how and if the training centers
>>>>>>> handle death blindness, one need not have very much worry about.
>>>>>>> Remember that the training is very individualized. So what may work
>>>>>>> for you and what level of deaf blindness you have, it may not
>>>>>>> reflect how they deal with your neighbor at all. Also as far as I
>>>>>>> understand the training centers do reach out to resources to help
>>>>>>> that training happen appropriately. So you're not going into the
>>>>>>> great void of the unknown. Also it is good to know that based on my
>>>>>>> experience we found alternative techniques not only to blindness
>>>>>>> but the issues surrounding the lack of hearing. And of course we
>>>>>>> discuss the options should one's hearing get worse. I guess one
>>>>>>> getting at here is that if you are considering going to a training
>>>>>>> center I think that's the first part, the second part is actually
>>>>>>> figuring out which one you should go to and the reasons why you
>>>>>>> want to go to it? I think that based on everything I've read and
>>>>>>> people I've talked to that all three of our centers can handle this
>>>>>>> well. I think a comment by a current staff member made when I was a
>>>>>>> student at the Colorado Center for the blind came out of it
>>> conversation regarding the disabilities that is neither deaf blindness
>>> were
>>> just great blindness.
>>>>>>> It surrounds my at that time anyway great fear of writing anything.
>>>>>>> The staff member said quote you can't just not right. The
>>>>>>> translation that I took away from that and have come to realize in
>>>>>>> the years since I graduated from the Colorado Center for the blind,
>>>>>>> you can't just not live life because you can't hear ordered their
>>>>>>> blindness involved. And depending on what you have to do, in many
>>>>>>> respects you have to get out there and just plain live one's life.
>>>>>>> Another thought of course comes to mind in many of the writings and
>>>>>>> things that are second national president Dr. Jernigan when he
>>>>>>> spoke about not throwing the nickel. I guess it kind of blows down
>>>>>>> to accept help when you need it and of course find ways of not
>>>>>>> accepting it if you don't. And last but not least he believed in
>>>>>>> blind people and I extend this adept line people blending into
>>>>>>> society when in wherever it is possible. Just some food for thought
>>>>>>> on a rainy Monday afternoon. I'd certainly would like to read some
>>>>>>> of the thoughts that you all may add to this. But I'll just leave
>>>>>>> it at this I have an abiding belief in all of the training centers
>>>>>>> and what they can do in the fact that the NFB difference is that
>>>>>>> they care not just there for a paycheck. But because they care and
>>> believe in turning out capable and competent people.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Sincerely Maurice mines. Phone 360-524-0791, work/school email
>>>>>>> address, Maurice.mines at PCC.edu.
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>> nfb-db at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
>>>>>>
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