[nobe-l] Kayla's Career Questions

[Kathy]

Kayla,
  It is a complex picture, the teaching world full of issues, but if you have the passion and determination, those things will weigh out the issues. The problem is that it is sometimes hard to protect and nourture that passion and determination when the issues get more complex and pressing. Part of my year of service this year has been making peace with the fact that I am in a position to communicate the frustrations and pressures to policy makers, which is way out of my comfort zone. I have learned when meeting with Senators and Representatives that it is often not malice toward the profession that makes them create such unfriendly hoops for teachers to jump through...it is lack of knowledge about what we are doing in the classroom. Therefore, teacher leadership movements have swelled to break down the barrier of ignorance that is behind much of the unpleasant buzz around education right now. I see signs of things swinging back our way, where the child is the focus and where trusting the teacher is rising again. It is not a dead or hopeless profession, and the joyful aspects are not gone. That is why I am sticking with the profession for the long haul, and that is why I believe discussions such as this one are important. We cannot sugarcoat the journey or the act of being a committed and successful teacher as it is hard, yet we cannot give up on the profession either because when it comes down to it, the children still need teachers who love what they do and who love kids.
Kathy and Nacho
 
> Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2016 23:27:12 -0500
> To: nobe-l at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Re: [nobe-l] Kayla's Career Questions
> From: nobe-l at nfbnet.org
> CC: christgirl813 at gmail.com
> 
> Thank you for telling me this. I'm taking it all in consideration.
> I guess I'll need a checklist or planner to remember all the
> paperwork, but since my community college offers many programs, I'll
> stick with my communications degree and try and pursue education and
> I'm not sure what else.
> Someone on the list told me that there were teachers regretting that
> they were teachers. Have you? Why do you still do it?
> 
> On 3/19/16, J Acheson via NOBE-L <nobe-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >
> > Teaching, no matter the grade level or setting, teaching is a lot of work. I
> > tell teaching hopefuls, blind or sighted, if you cannot put in the work do
> > not even think about doing the job. You will work evenings and you will work
> > on weekends. You may even work during vacation times. As for salary, check
> > it out. Public school salaries are a matter of public record.
> >
> > If you want to work one-on-one with students then perhaps being an itinerant
> > teacher of the visually impaired is something you should seriously consider
> > through a bachelors degree. You would be teaching Expanded Core
> > Curriculumcontent which is Federally mandated. You are NOT a tutor in this
> > type of position. However most teachers are required to hold certification
> > in one core subject area as well as that in visual disabilities.
> >
> > Teachers of the visually impaired or required not only to write and
> > implement lesson plans, but also manage paperwork, right individual
> > educational plans, maintain family contacts, perform evaluations and write
> > up reports, provide consultation and collaboration with The mainstream
> > teachers of the visually impaired students.
> >
> > I would suggest you enrolled in a program and give it a try. Enroll in some
> > program, something that you believe you will be interested in and give it a
> > try. If you can find a university that offers a couple of things that you
> > might choose from that would be so much the better. You can always change
> > your major. You might also seek out volunteer opportunities. This will
> > require you to be fingerprinted, pass a background check, and in some
> > instances, pass a drug test if you do this with in a public school system.
> >
> > You will need to possess above average personal accommodation skills
> > including technology, orientation and mobility, classroom discipline
> > management, and personal social skills. If you are blind and you're teaching
> > blind students you are a role model to everybody that observed you in that
> > position. It might not seem fair to be so scrutinized, but that is how it
> > seems to me, and I have no problem with that… Simply rise to the location
> > <grin>.
> >
> > You have a lot of questions keep asking. Along with that, do some self
> > assessment. Wrigley list your strengths and weaknesses. Start making
> > applications to different programs. Applying does not mean that you have to
> > attend. Try volunteering and part-time jobs.
> >
> > Best of luck! You will certainly go far.
> >
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> >> On Mar 19, 2016, at 2:41 AM, Kayla James via NOBE-L <nobe-l at nfbnet.org>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> Are you totally blind? Are your children sighted or blind? If they are
> >> sighted, do you need a lot of modifications?
> >> Yes, I know it will be hard work, but that will be all right, I hope.
> >> I am uncertain of being an itinerant teacher for the blind, but I know
> >> I'll probably have no choice.
> >> As an etiquette teacher, I am still thinking on it. I'm not sure.
> >> I found a school called Concordia University Chicago that offers a
> >> special education degree that includes visual impairment. All of the
> >> other colleges that I've found besides Northern and Illinois State on
> >> deal with learning disabilities.
> >> I want to be as one-on-one with my students as possible, whatever I teach.
> >>
> >>> On 3/18/16, Catherine Mendez via NOBE-L <nobe-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >>> Kayla,
> >>>
> >>> I know of several blinds teachers, including myself, who teach in the
> >>> primary grades. You asked a lot of questions, but let me see if I can
> >>> answer
> >>> a few of them. Teaching in the primary grades is a lot of fun, but it is
> >>> also a lot of work, just like any teaching job. The pay will be dependent
> >>> on
> >>> the kind of setting where you were working, either in a public or private
> >>> school. Some teachers assistance have the opportunity to become full
> >>> classroom teachers, but the different processes by which this happens
> >>> very
> >>> by state and school district. You will probably need to take extra
> >>> classes.
> >>>
> >>> As far as being an etiquette instructor, you might want to do some
> >>> Internet
> >>> research about programs that work contractually with school districts.
> >>> The
> >>> way it works in the district where I teach is that the teacher is
> >>> itinerant,
> >>> and comes in to do programs at various schools at various points
> >>> throughout
> >>> the year.
> >>>
> >>> Hope this helps,
> >>> Cayte
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Sent from my iPhone
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> >>
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