[nobe-l] Need help deciding

[Greg Aikens]

Hi Kayla,
It’s hard for us to tell you whether or not being a TVI/TBS, rehab teacher, or paraprofessional is best for you, but I can describe what a TVI does and some of the differences from the other fields you mentioned. 

TVIs teach the Expanded Core Curriculum, which is a fancy name for skills related to being blind. This is everything from braille to independent living skills, technology, career exploration, etc. Doing a search for Expanded Core Curriculum will give you plenty of information. TVIs also work with classroom teachers to get accessible materials for students and train classroom teachers in techniques to be more inclusive in their instruction, such as teaching teachers to verbalize what they are writing on the board, etc. It is my understanding that rehab teachers cover many of these same topics but with adults instead of children. 

If you are considering being a paraprofessional instead of a teacher, you should know that while parapros require less training/degrees, they also are paid significantly less than a full time teacher. 

I am a TVI in the Atlanta area and love my job. If you have any more questions about being a TVI and what training is involved, feel free to contact me on or off list. My email is gpaikens at gmail.com.

I hope this is helpful. 

Best,
Greg

> On Dec 20, 2014, at 10:24 PM, Kayla James via nobe-l <nobe-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I posted here before. My name is Kayla James. I am still trying to decide whether to be a TVI or rehab teacher. But I'm also on the waiting list for an independent living center. But if it  doesn't work out, can someone suggest a few courses. There is an associate's in being a teacher's aide. I guess it ties into paraprofessional, too. Would that work? Also, is TVI the same as Braille teacher?
> 
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