[Pibe-division] TVI Training

Tue Feb 18 14:45:42 UTC 2014

Good Morning,

Thanks, Melissa for reminding us of the obstacles that are still too numerous in getting blind teachers hired even in the TVI field.  One thing that was and continues to be pointed out to me is that school districts are hesitant to hire someone that may need a driver that the district would possibly have to pay for.  The number of single school based programs continues to diminish nationwide.  That's the kind of job I prefer.  The stress of finding and keeping up with drivers was a discouraging factor in my pursuing itinerant jobs, particularly in areas outside my home base.  It can and is done by countless teachers.  However, I had the same experience Melissa had.  I had a hard time finding successful blind teachers to network with.  The one person I did find didn't keep in touch on a regular basis to be of much help.

Good luck to all those pursuing this profession.  Good teachers are sorely needed everywhere.

Pauline

P.S., Those of you who have quotes at the end of your emails, how do you find them?  How do you incorporate them into your messages?

-----Original Message-----
From: Pibe-division [mailto:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of melissa R green
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2014 8:06 PM
To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List
Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] TVI Training

Allison.
thank you for giving your opinion and your insight.
I have always heard the good things, and one of them is that the program had the NFB philosopy.
I went through the University of northern colorado program for teaching blind students.
I would just say that it isn't perfect, and that there are many other university programs that aren't perfect either.
Even if you do get the degree and complete the program.
There is still lots of obstacles that face bind teachers of blind students.
We are told about the shortage.  But noone considers the things that blind teachers have to go through and the idea that a blind teacher still has a hard time to land and keep their jobs.
those who are successful don't or won't help others.
I am being honest as well.
JMO!
Best,
Melissa R Green
Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.
Langston Hughes

----- Original Message -----
From: "Allison Hilliker" <AllisonH at benetech.org>
To: "Professionals in Blindness Education Division List" 
<pibe-division at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2014 8:04 AM
Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] TVI Training

Hi All,

I went to Louisiana Tech for the TBS program for about 6 months in 2007. It 
absolutely has the best blindness philosophy and beliefs in the capability 
of blind people around. You'll definitely get the best teacher education 
there.

That said, Jewel is right, it is located in the middle of nowhere. I didn't 
care for Ruston at all and that's why I left the program. I loved my 
instructors and my classes, but they only lasted for about 12 hours a week 
and the rest of the week I was still stuck living in the small town south. 
And the lack of transportation is a huge problem when trying to do your 
field work as most blind students do not live in Ruston and you'll need to 
hire drivers to get to neighboring towns. I was able to get rides with 
friends sometimes, but when a quarter's worth of classes require more than 
30 hours of field work then depending on friends is not necessarily 
practical. I was spending a lot of money on drivers to do field work. Also, 
I was the only blind student in the program, and most of my instructors were 
also sighted, so  I didn't necessarily feel like I was getting many 
alternative technique suggestions for how to be an effective blind teacher. 
While The Louisiana Center does have many blind instructors, Louisiana Tech 
did not and those were the people I was working with in my grad program. And 
most of all, I just did not like the small town culture. Many people may 
love it, but I'm not one of them.

Sorry fellow NFB members. I realize this post won't be popular, but I felt 
moved to be honest. I've been in the NFB for years, consider myself a 
philosophical purest, and am  a Louisiana Center graduate. Even so, I have 
to be honest about Ruston. It's not the greatest place to spend two years of 
one's life. We desperately need more than one NFB-focused graduate program 
in this country because Ruston is not an option for everyone. It has many 
limitations that I feel we need to be real about.

JMO,
Allison

-----Original Message-----
From: Pibe-division [mailto:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
Jewel
Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2014 6:22 PM
To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List
Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] TVI Training

I looked into Louisiana Tech, too. I really liked the program description, 
and I really like their director, who took the time to speak to me. However, 
this school is in the middle of nowhere. There is no bus system. The only 
way to get to any good shopping is by Greyhound bus. And getting around town 
unless you're walking is difficult. You would have to bum rides from fellow 
students. That is the bad side of Louisiana Tech, but their program looks 
really good.
Jewel who went to Louisiana Tech last June to visit

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 16, 2014, at 8:07 PM, Mikayla Gephart <mikgephart at icloud.com> 
> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>    As I have said, I want to be a TVI. I am looking at training programs, 
> and am leaning towards the College of New Jersey and Louisiana Tech, as I 
> live in New Jersey. What are your experiences with these and other 
> programs.
>
> Sent from my iPad
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