[NOBE-L] Considering Teacher Education

[Shai Wolman]

Hello Michelle, 
As being a person with a visual impairment myself who is also a braille
reader and uses a white cane for mobility, I can tell you that you are not
living under an illusion and that you can absolutely become a Teacher of
blind students or Teacher of the Visually Impaired. 
I am currently a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and I do work with an
educational assistant who describes visual information to me. As indicated
placing braille labels on print is something that can be done.  I do go out
with students for gym time and we play ball out on the playground or the PE
teacher is with them outside.  For writing tasks I ask the student what they
wrote and evaluate that way or have them turn it in to me electronically via
Google classroom. 
I also will sometimes have it transcribed by the educational assistant or
transcriber. 
If you are being met with resistance I would say that the most important
thing is to be confident of yourself and skills. 
As to any blindness skills you can have at the present I would make sure
that your technology skills are at an acceptable level that is that you have
some means of being able to access print material either via smartphone with
apps or some other method while in the field and that you have a good
organizational system. 
Feel free to reach out privately if you wish to ask more questions. 
Thanks. 
Shai 

-----Original Message-----
From: NOBE-L <nobe-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Michelle Creedy via
NOBE-L
Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2021 7:18 AM
To: nobe-l at nfbnet.org
Cc: Michelle Creedy <michelle.creedy at gmail.com>
Subject: [NOBE-L] Considering Teacher Education

Hello, 

I live in British Columbia and work in the school district as a braillist. 

I've been finding out about what it would take to do the teaching program in
my area. 

I'm meating so much resistance! Before I'm even in the door, they are having
issues about me being a safety concern. Of course, not having teaching
experience, I feel lost as to how to set their minds at ease. 

I'm totally blind, a braille user and I use a white cane for mobility. 

Is this possible or am I functioning under some illusion that I can do this?


Do you tend to work with an education assistant in the class who gives
visual information to you and perhaps discerns how writing and so on is
going? 

What about things like gym time? 

What blindness skills should I be working on if I don't have them already? 

How do you deal with things like print resources and writing on the board?
My own ideas are things like putting braille on some of the resources and
finding resources that are also electronic. I was thinking that perhaps a
smart board with a computer could be used with board work. 

Anyway, I probably don't know what I'm talking about here but I'm at a loss
as to how to deal with people who tell me I can't before they know me. I'm
so resourceful as I'm sure all of you are. My end goal is to work with blind
children because I really have a passion for making sure our children know
braille and have tools to empower them. 

Michelle


Sent from my iPhone
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