[Nfb-krafters-korner] So cool!

[River Woman]

Yes, Eileen, I think I am teaching other people all the time abotu what 
blind people can do. I was at a festival last weekend, and was working the 
front desk, giving out baskets to shoppers after my colleague took their 
entrance fee and gave them the spiel.  My talbe display of jewelry was 
directly inside the door where she could see it.  She turned to me and ask, 
"How in the WORLD to you do that????"  Emphasis on HOW and THAT...When I 
told her I do it "Nonvisually" she adcted like I was joking.  Then, when I 
told her I could not see her, even though I sat next to her, she acted like 
it could not be so.  You are so right, people just do not have a clue what 
to do with us and I guess I fell like I need to be very patient and pleasant 
and quietly explain how I do things if they really want to hear it. BTW, the 
person I was talking with was a retired teacher of 33 years! Teachers are 
extremely limited in knowlege of how to work with blind students. I 
certainly was. The higher the level that we are teaching the less we know 
about handicapped people as we concentrate only on our genre.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eileen Scrivani" <etscrivani at verizon.net>
To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 9:16 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] So cool!


> Linda:
>
> There are some people that get weirded out when we as blind people want to 
> take a class or service and the teacher has not had past experience with a 
> person who is blind.  Part of the solution in working with people who have 
> not had interactions with other blind people falls on us to talk with 
> instructors & explain clearly those areas where we anticipate we might 
> need some extra help. We also have to be aware that because of our 
> blindness we cannot dominate a class and take all the instructor's time 
> away from other students in the class.  So it is a two way street and when 
> we open communications with the person teaching I think this helps greatly 
> by putting them at ease.  And when they see that the ability to see is not 
> related to our intelligence they realize we're as capable as other 
> students, but that there are certain things that require hands on or a 
> little more explanation than what other students require to learn the same 
> thing.
>
> I've had classes over the years with sighted instructors who have had no 
> prior experience in working with someone who can't see and they've always 
> been open to working with me and trying to teach me.  The only time I do 
> remember having problems was when I signed up for music lessons with a 
> person who worked out of her home.  The issue wasn't with the instructor 
> she was great, but with my transportation.  I had to use a service for the 
> disabled and it would either get me to her house super early or extremely 
> late.  So if I got to her work place/home early I felt like I was invading 
> on her private time and space.  Because of the timing or inability to time 
> my arrivals more accurately I stopped going.  It would have been much 
> easier if she worked from a store front and then I would not have felt odd 
> about arriving very early and just waiting for my lesson time.
>
> Over all I've been very fortunate with teachers, but I've always been 
> understanding that they may not have had past experience in working with a 
> person who is blind and not sure how to go about it.  So I guess I've 
> taught them a bit to in the process.
>
> Eileen
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "River Woman" <riverwoman at zoominternet.net>
> Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 8:33 AM
> To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] So cool!
>
>> Most people have no clue what to do with a blind person or how to teach 
>> them. Most have never encountered a blind person up close and personal, I 
>> think. I was very worried about this same thing when I went with my 
>> friend to my first pottery class right after I lost my sight three years 
>> ago. She had no clue I could not see during the class. Afterwards, I 
>> waited till the others had left, and I told the teacher "I don't see very 
>> well, and may need a bit of extra help."  Of course, she had no idea how 
>> much I don't see, till later classes. I was very lucky, my teacher turned 
>> out to be a true teacher who has the interests of each of her students in 
>> mind when she teaches. I am still with her and we are creating wonderful 
>> things because she became my mentor and is so proud of what I make in her 
>> classes. When I have my first solo show next year, as a ceramic artist, 
>> she says she is bring a bus full of people to the opening of the show. 
>> But, this is certainly not typical.
>>
>> I have to say  during my years of teaching in the college I had two 
>> experiences with blind students. they were very negative experiences but 
>> it was the only view I had of blind people and how they behave, or not.
>>
>> They were horrible people. They expected everything and everyone to stop 
>> and take care of their needs - came to class late, disturbed other 
>> students in the lecture hall by coming in 20 minuted into the lecture, 
>> then shoving down the row to get to their seat with no concern about how 
>> disturbing this is to everyone else, 200 people, who were there on time 
>> and doing their work.
>>
>> Another blind student came on my trip to Austria which was always a month 
>> long. She created so many distractions, and there were constant problems 
>> to the point that the tour director had to send her back home a week 
>> early for her own safety.
>> This was my view of blind people - and when I lost my sight I made sure 
>> that I would never, ever, be a person like these two are and that I would 
>> be considerate of others and never make demands but learn to be part of 
>> the group as a peer.
>> No college professor is trained to know how to deal with handicapped 
>> students, that I know of. We are trained to work within our discipline 
>> and have no clue as to hlow to help people with disabilities. I have had 
>> other students with disabilities far worse than the two blind students 
>> and they were fabulous students, did their work, came to class on time, 
>> and did not use their disabilities as an excuse for doing nothing. The 
>> two blind students used their blindness as a reason to do nothing and 
>> expected special compensations all the time. It was a horrible experience 
>> to have them in my classes, and other profs. had the same situations with 
>> them. Later, I learned the one had been this way even at the blind rehab 
>> school.
>>
>> I think as a blind person now that I need to be aware that the people 
>> with whom I am in contact do not know how or what to do with us, and it 
>> is up to us to lead the way and help them to help us - but with dignity, 
>> not by demands or unrealistic expectations on the teacher.
>>
>> Lynda River Woman
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Lauren Merryfield" <lauren1 at catliness.com>
>> To: "List for blind crafters and artists" 
>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 12:02 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] So cool!
>>
>>
>>> Hi,
>>> That is neat/cool!  I hope the lady doesn't try to keep you from coming 
>>> back.  I had that happen once at a jewelry-making event when I showed up 
>>> as a blind person.  There were 3 sessions and she kept putting off the 
>>> 2nd and 3rd sessions because of my blindness.  Well, because of her 
>>> attitude about the blindness.
>>> Thanks
>>> Lauren
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Becky Frankeberger" <b.butterfly at comcast.net>
>>> To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'" 
>>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2010 7:09 PM
>>> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] So cool!
>>>
>>>
>>>> My husband gave me a wonderful gift.  He bought me at a fund raiser at 
>>>> 4H a
>>>> class on how to bend silver wire to make jewelry.  Isn't that sweet, 
>>>> smile.
>>>> So my friend Molly and I drove to this lady's palatial home.  We 
>>>> started off
>>>> with snacks.  Then we got into some of the silver wire jewelry I could 
>>>> make
>>>> with her.  However snow fell like crazy and my driver got nervous.  So 
>>>> we
>>>> decided to come back another time for the actual lesson and dinner. 
>>>> There
>>>> were other things she hinted at doing, but it will have to wait until 
>>>> next
>>>> year as she is very busy.
>>>>
>>>> She was definitely put off that I am blind.  As we talked and related
>>>> stories, she relaxed and we had a marvelous visit, though short.
>>>>
>>>> Lauri she makes her own clasps.  They look like part of the actual 
>>>> piece.
>>>> Think of a sideways J, but the J has an extra curly Q.   The metal loop 
>>>> goes
>>>> through the J opening and rests at the other rounded end.  It looks 
>>>> super
>>>> secure.  Anyway, I am told they are easily made.  My friend has the 
>>>> bending
>>>> tool.  We will see how it goes.
>>>>
>>>> I am just so excited to learn this new craft, smile.
>>>>
>>>> When I got home my husband called a friend of his on a matter.  My 
>>>> husband
>>>> mentioned I have a purple, lilac, and white throw for sell.  His friend
>>>> wanted a description, and then asked how much.  The throw is now sold,
>>>> smile. Guess I better finish the edging, giggle.
>>>>
>>>> Becky and the snow pup Jake
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus 
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>>>>
>>>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.eset.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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