[Pibe-division] Teaching Virtual Teachers

Dr. Denise M. Robinson dmehlenbacher at yahoo.com
Thu Sep 22 18:28:29 UTC 2011


Pauline,
You had a good teacher teach you that or you have a lot of common sense. If I was totally blind, that is what I would do too. But there are a lot of blind teachers who do not think of it. But there are a lot of sighted teachers who do not check either, so it is more of a human condition than being sighted or blind.

       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: "Smith, Pauline L" <PSmith4 at dmc.org>
>To: 'Professionals in Blindness Education Division List' <pibe-division at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 11:20 AM
>Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] Teaching Virtual Teachers
>
>
>  
>The person who substitutes for me when I'm absent is 
blind and wis a retired rehabilitation teacher.  I always receive comments 
in his notes to me about the finger position of students during reading and 
writing.  It is a good reminder to me to check the students' hand position 
periodically.  I do this by putting my hand over theirs.  I always let 
them know why I'm touching them.  If I see flying fingers or a tense hand 
stance, I correct it immediately. 
>  
>Pauline 
> 
>
> From: pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike 
Freeman
>Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 10:54 PM
>To: 'Professionals in Blindness Education Division List'
>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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