[Pibe-division] [AERNet] Eating with a Fork
Andy & Sally Thomas
andysally at comcast.net
Thu Dec 18 17:53:49 UTC 2008
As a parent, I can sympathize with the mom. I tried to get some guidance on teaching my child to eat neatly starting at a very young age. I could not find anyone who would offer any guidance. I agree that it is the parent's responsibility to teach the child to eat neatly but it would be nice to have some suggestions on how to make things work smoothly like using a plate with high sides and the hand over hand instruction. We have managed to muddle along on our own but it's just another way that I feel like we were ignored by the powers that be.
Sally Thomas
----- Original Message -----
From: bookwormahb at earthlink.net
To: LiveInSpirit at aol.com ; egibbs at brazosportisd.net ; aernet at lists.aerbvi.org ; pibe-division at nfbnet.org
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 6:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] [AERNet] Eating with a Fork
Hi,
I totally agree. It may need to be the TVI's role to point out the problem and point the child's parents to resources for help.
-----Original Message-----
From: LiveInSpirit at aol.com
Sent: Dec 17, 2008 7:09 PM
To: bookwormahb at earthlink.net, egibbs at brazosportisd.net, aernet at lists.aerbvi.org, pibe-division at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [AERNet] Eating with a Fork
Well, it may not need to be that the TVI does the direct teaching, but he/she may need to be the one that says, "Hey, this child should be doing this" and get things rolling with mom or cafeteria staff or whomever is going to actually address the deficit.
In a message dated 12/17/2008 4:15:07 P.M. Central Standard Time, bookwormahb at earthlink.net writes:
Hi,
This is a trend then. When I was in elementary school in 1990s it was the TVI’s role to teach academic skills and some associated skills like computers since you have to learn that to do your notes and papers.
Then perhaps Emily should visit the home and teach the child how to eat with a fork.
But still this is a stretch. You tvis must think unless there is some underlying fine motor deficit or other impairment that an 11 year old should know a basic skill by then. We are talking about someone who is blind not mentally impaired. This is about age appropriate expectations. You all can’t do it all. If you start teaching and act responsible for living skills there will be no time for academics.
I have been on the list for a few years and have not heard of a 11 year old not knowing how to eat? What is next? Are people so backward that they let such a deficit slip until the child is 11? Surely cafeteria monitors or someone noticed this before now. When I was in school we had a few cafeteria monitors.
Of course if you have time teach these things. Go to the cafeteria and help your students. But Most of you won’t have time. You are stretched thin to teach academics as it is. Is eating skills part of ECC and social integration? Of course it is. After all student who eats like a baby or culturally inappropriate ways and dresses badly will not fit in. These needs should be addressed. Perhaps an evaluation by a rehab teacher should occur. The RT can cover eating skills and other living skills. I still contend that the parent should facilitate this too. After all they are raising the child and hopefully eating with their kid every night. Another professional will see a child once a week. So since the parent is with the child more, it only makes since for the parent to play a role too. Just because a child is blind does not release the parent from doing their parenting duty which is to raise their child. My parents covered some basic stuff like opening cartoons and packages but a rt helped me learn later. Once my parents saw it was possible they reinforced it. Just say to use hands on and verbal instruction. Teaching such a skill is not rocket science. Whatever happens I hope the child learns somehow.
Ashley
-----Original Message-----
From: LiveInSpirit at aol.com
Sent: Dec 16, 2008 10:04 PM
To: bookwormahb at earthlink.net, egibbs at brazosportisd.net, aernet at lists.aerbvi.org, pibe-division at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [AERNet] Eating with a Fork
While I certainly agree that an OT and/or parent may be able to/should teach eating skills, surely this is also reasonable for a teacher of the visually impaired to cover as part of the expanded core curriculum. And as far as why an 11-year-old hasn't been shown how to do this up to this point is likely because mom and dad didn't read the foundations book and do not know that it is reasonable to expect the child to do this and/or they just weren't sure how to demonstrate a technique that works well. It truly could be innocent ignorance rather than oversight/blow it off. But, bottom line, I definitely think that there are times when teaching such skills are absolutely the duty of the teacher, whether that means you teach the student directly or the parent or maybe even an aide in the cafeteria. Similarly, it is our job to cover other daily living skills such as dressing, bathing, etc. Others at the school may not realize the kids with visual impairments can do these things for themselves. Do some observations in the cafeteria and you may be shocked to see that your students, even your most advanced ones, may be struggling with eating skills and need help in this area. Needs could range from not knowing how to open condiment containers, being unable to salt food, pouring salad dressing, spreading butter on bread, cutting meat, finding food on eh plate without using the fingers, opening a milk carton, etc. These are all things I think we should address with our students as certified, trained vision teachers.
In a message dated 12/16/2008 8:48:09 P.M. Central Standard Time, bookwormahb at earthlink.net writes:
Hi Emily,
It is not your responsibility as a TVI to teach students to eat. However you probably should to further her success. Tell the parent politely she should assist her child too. Explain that all is needed is some hand over hand guidance. My reaction is something sounds very very wrong.
Why is an eleven year old not eating with a fork? Is she multiply impaired? Even cognitively delayed and intelectually (retarded) impaired children eat with forks. Unless there is a severe disability why is she not doing this? The parents have failed terribily in waiting til a child is 11 to address eating. Shame, Shame! Angel has a good point. Parents need to take more initative and not baby their children unless they are babies.
That being said, I am surprised the OT does not have a hand in teaching this too. This requires fine motor coordination. I am assuming the 11 year old child was seeing the OT to address motor deficits. Can you tell us more such as what the child's goals were in OT?
I find it hard to believe the only concern of the mom was the eating issue. If she had not been eating correctly, I think there were likely other problems.
So although it is certainly the parent's responsibility, this IMO falls into OT as well. I think I learned eating skills at home and it was reinforced by teachers and staff at school.
Ashley
-----Original Message-----
From: "Gibbs, Emily"
Sent: Dec 15, 2008 3:35 PM
To: aernet at lists.aerbvi.org, Professionals in Blindness Education Division List
Subject: [AERNet] Eating with a Fork
I was just contacted by the OT in my school district and she is apparently dismissing one of my blind students from service. She had just discussed this with the parent and the parent’s only concern was the fact that this 11year old can not eat with a fork. The OT wanted to know if I would be willing to do a home visit in order to help them teach this student to eat with a fork at home.
What would you do in this situation?
,Emily ,Gibbs
Emily L Gibbs M.Ed. NCLB
Teacher of Blind Students
586.489.6017
979.730.7155 x11594
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