[Pibe-division] TVI Training
I. C. Bray
i.c.bray at win.net
Tue Feb 18 16:21:47 UTC 2014
Al, et al;
I too follow this list, and rarely post. I was on track to become a dual
certified Math & Science Teacher for Middle & Junior High when I lost my
sight.
I have been considering the plausibility & potential of that same career
still.
I have also considered going the TVI Route with O&M Dual Certification too.
Having been a part of the Information Systems world, and Data Communications
when I began having serious problems, I felt that my experience would be
best used as a teacher. I felt that I could not compete in the IS & IT
world. I know lots of wonderful, much brighter & capable programmers & IT
professionals than I who are blind, and I raise them up for being able to
continue in a field I long ago abandoned.
Now, hearing that once sighted AND never sighted are having continued
challenges in the Blindness Education field, I am having to think yet again
about my career possibilities.
I only recently ( a year ago ) went through Rehab & learned Braille & JAWS
skills.
I have excellent mobility skills, because I think I learned & somehow
memorized my environment, which is a boone! I love Braille, and have seen,
for myself, the necessity of learning it EARLY!!
Is there any open-ended advise for me out there?
Respectfully,
Ian C. Bray
Louisville, Kentucky
----- Original Message -----
From: "Al Futty" <afutty at gmail.com>
To: "Professionals in Blindness Education Division List"
<pibe-division at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 10:20 AM
Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] TVI Training
: Hello,
:
: I follow this list but don't often post. This conversation has been very
interesting to me as I am entering a joint TVI and O&M graduate program in
the fall (most likely at Northern Illinois University, I have not officially
made up my mind yet so I would be interested in hearing thoughts on the
program). I am visually impaired and aware of the discrimination in the
field. This makes my blood boil, especially in relation to TVIs. As
someone who has had a life long visual impairment I can only wish that I had
a blind TVI as a child, my "TVI" was a sighted woman who would show up once
a year to do an IEP and to tell my parents not to expect too much from me.
Now, I am not saying that a sighted person cannot be a great TVI, there are
many, but I can only imagine how different my childhood would have been if I
had had access from an early age to an accomplished blind teacher. I truly
believed I was stupid until I was in my teens and began to develop an
independent sense o!
: f self esteem. I am tired of the absolute oppression many visually
impaired and blind students face at the hands of irresponsible educators who
are projecting their own assumptions about blindness onto other people with
no first hand experience.
:
: Allie
:
: Sent from my iPad
:
: > On Feb 18, 2014, at 10:45 AM, "Smith, Pauline L" <PSmith4 at dmc.org>
wrote:
: >
: > 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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