[Pibe-division] Teaching Virtual Teachers

Wed Sep 21 14:21:45 UTC 2011

Mike, I would love to know that also..If Jerry taught the instructor, he most likely could teach them what to do. In my experience, I see issues as in when I go in after "yes, a wonderful blind teacher has taught the child" there are a lot of finger issues, as in when typing the child uses any number of different fingers for one key, in braille reading, the child has flying fingers as in all fingers are up in the air and sometimes the child will use only 1 finger to read or has terrible scrubbing of the page. It was an in general comment of what I have experienced

If we had Jerry teaching all of us, we all would be better off. There are not enough like him.

       Denise 

Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D. 
Teacher of the Blind & Visually Impaired
TechVision-Independent Contractor
Specialist in blind programming/teaching/training
509-674-1853     deniserob at gmail.com

http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/

From: Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com>
>To: 'Professionals in Blindness Education Division List' <pibe-division at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 7:54 PM
>Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] Teaching Virtual Teachers
>
>
>Denise:
> 
>Wonder what Jerry Whittle of the Louisiana Center for the Blind would say to your assertion that a blind braille instructor needs a sighted person to observe finger position?
> 
>Mike Freeman
> 
> 
>From:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dr. Denise M. Robinson
>Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 4:35 PM
>To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List
>Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] Teaching Virtual Teachers
> 
>Jewel,
>Excellent questions.
> 
>On virtually teaching, you do not need to have video. It can all be audio. On lessons where I am teaching the braille note or braille, it is all done through the phone. I am listening and giving directions and the people on the other side follow through. I have even done this with computer lessons because the bandwidth was not strong enough to take both video and audio. If you know your stuff, listening is all you need.
> 
>On braille instruction. If you are a totally blind teacher, even if you were sitting next to a child teaching them braille, or even touch typing, you need someone sighted to make sure they are using their fingers correctly (that is an in general comment--most blind instructors need the sighted to watch the child's hands). When present with a student, I start out positioned behind a blind child and I actually guide their hands in the correct way on the paper or the keyboard. It is just as easy to tell someone on the other end to do so also, so the child has an idea of what to do, but there has to be someone constantly making sure they are using their hands correctly. Even when you become a TVI and are not there at the school, someone has to follow through on your instruction. If you are virtual, or even part time virtual and part time direct contact, schools will actually have more contact and communication with you, thus you are able to give better
 service because you know virtual techniques.
> 
>I am looking at this as another way to teach. Not to take over for direct contact. I do both, but have more access to more people in the World virtually. That cannot happen if I was trying to do this in person.
> 
>The methods that are presently in place are not meeting all the needs of our children. We have over worked TVIs and paras that need a lot more direction and guidance. This is a supplemental way to teach...getting into areas where there are NO TVI's or not enough. This is an in addition to....using the combination of virtual techniques and direct contact gives you the ability to do more with efficiency. 
> 
>       Denise 
> 
>Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D. 
>Teacher of the Blind & Visually Impaired
>TechVision-Independent Contractor
>Specialist in blind programming/teaching/training
>509-674-1853     deniserob at gmail.com
> 
>http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/
> 
> 
>>From:Jewel <herekittykat2 at gmail.com>
>>To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List <pibe-division at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 4:03 PM
>>Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] Teaching Virtual Teachers
>>
>>I hope my message is not considered out-of-place, since I'm not yet a
>>teacher of the blind, but I thought I'd bring up one concern of
>>virtual teaching.
>>
>>What of the teachers of the blind who are blind themselves? Some
>>things can be taught over the phone or through other medias, but a
>>blind teacher cannot watch a video of a child reading Braille or
>>demonstrating a correct alternative technique. Should virtual
>>teaching, then, be a supplement to teaching in person? Say, perhaps,
>>that the student meets daily with the teacher virtually, but meets
>>once or twice a week in person? What are your thoughts on this, Dr.
>>Robinson?
>>
>>Sincerely yours,
>>Jewel Shuping (hopeful TVI of the future)
>>
>>On 9/20/11, Dr. Denise M. Robinson <dmehlenbacher at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> Teaching Virtual Teachers
>>> I have teachers of the blind calling me from all over to learn the
>>> virtual techniques to teach students. The excitement of showing them
>>> another way is always a joy for me.  Today was no exception to this
>>> rule. If you want to be one of these teachers...send an email and we can get
>>> going.
>>>
>>> Last year this teacher quit her job to have a beautiful baby. Before she
>>>  had quit I told her what I had been doing in regards to virtual
>>> teaching and that if she wanted, she could do it too from home, while
>>> still caring for her children. A couple days ago I got the email asking
>>> about the virtual teaching.
>>>
>>> I took her through the process of being the student and how I connected
>>> to her and then her being the teacher and connecting to me and all the
>>> many aspects that went along with virtual teaching. Her excitement of
>>> its potential could be felt across the wires. We will practice until she
>>>  is comfortable and then when she gets students I can assist when she
>>> needs it.
>>>
>>> I have discovered several different ways to do virtual instruction. When
>>>  you go across state or country lines, the connections vary. Instead of
>>> phoning and adding up long distance charges, I connect with SKYPE, give
>>> directions, then bring up JAWS Tandem and we continue both throughout
>>> the lesson. If the video becomes too garbled because of bandwidth, we go
>>>  to just audio. Local calls can be phone and straight Tandem. I have
>>> also given lessons straight through chat, text and Tandem. There are so
>>> many ways and options. Meetings with school personnel can happen through
>>>  SKYPE or a phone. If teaching braille or other hands on skills, a para
>>> educator is on the other side following instructions on how to help the
>>> child position their fingers....all watched through video on my side.
>>>
>>> Most importantly, we have the ability to teach every child as long as
>>> there is a phone line. Every child could potentially have the ability to
>>>  receive as much instruction as they need to achieve their goals and
>>> dreams. We need more options to address the challenge of teaching so
>>> many children. This is just one more option.
>>> http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/
>>>
>>>        Denise
>>>
>>> Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.
>>> Teacher of the Blind & Visually Impaired
>>> TechVision-Independent Contractor
>>> Specialist in blind programming/teaching/training
>>> 509-674-1853     deniserob at gmail.com
>>>
>>> http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/
>>
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