[Pibe-division] TVI Training

Fri Feb 21 14:10:31 UTC 2014

I am completing my TVI program from the University of Northern
Colorado and have done it all online. In this sense it was the only
option for me, living in South Georgia. Commuting was not an option. I
have enjoyed the classes, almost all of the professors have been very
supportive and have never once even suggested any hesitation about my
abilities to teach and do my job. There were portions of courses that
may have been difficult or inaccessible using JAWS but my professors
have been very flexible in working with me to make sure I was included
in each aspect of the class. I never once felt that my situation was
any different than other students who may be having difficulty with
technology!

As was said earlier, no program will be perfect. You find what works
best for you and do what you need to do to accomplish the task and
possibly work with the problems that arise to make the program better
for those who follow you.
I am also concerned as others are, regarding my possiblity for
employment after I graduate. It is encouraging to hear the advice and
suggestions that others provide from their experiences.
Thanks to all of you for providing this network of support!
Denise Millette

On 2/20/14, Cortney osolinski <cortney.o at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Mikayla,
> I too, do not usually post to this list but being as you mentioned The
> College of NJ as a potential candidate for getting TVI training, I
> felt compelled to offer my experiences. I am a former graduate from
> their master's program.
> I was one of 3 other students participating in the program, and got
> the sense that the program itself was being developed as we worked our
> way through the courses. There were several instances where I was
> required to take classes which I had already taken at my undergraduate
> college, as well as classes completely unrelated to the TBVI or even
> special education field. I found that Very few of the classes provided
> as part of the program were helpful to me in preparing or teaching me
> anything useful for entering into a career as a TBVI. I further was
> not provided accommodations from the Disabilities service at the
> college and was forced to commute at least six hours three  days a
> week from Atlantic County by paratransit to attend classes because the
> college would not offer me campus housing. Furthermore, one professor
> working in the program was exceptionally rude and clearly did not hold
> a positive attitude towards the abilities of people who are blind or
> VI, and I was forced to take a year leave because the director of
> student teaching placement was unable to place me with a student for
> my practicum, resulting in me losing financial aid.
> I suggest you consider all the other options carefully, if I were
> given the chance to do it over again, I would have attended a
> different college myself. But, it has been several months since my
> graduation, perhaps things have changed for the better, I certainly
> would not want anyone else to experience what I had when I attended
> there.
> Good luck in your search, and if you'd like any further information
> about my experiences, please e/mail me.
> Cortney O.
>
> On 2/20/14, I. C. Bray <i.c.bray at win.net> wrote:
>> Hi, Allison,
>>
>> I am already a member of that listserv.
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Ian
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Allison Hilliker" <AllisonH at benetech.org>
>> To: "Professionals in Blindness Education Division List"
>> <pibe-division at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 12:49 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] TVI Training
>>
>>
>> : Hi Ian,
>> :
>> : I'd recommend checking out the NFB's blind educator division. This
>> group
>> is made up of individuals who are blind and who teach either blind or
>> sighted students at a variety of different grade levels. I've found it to
>> be
>>
>> my best resource whenever I'm working in a teaching capassity. People on
>> that list will be able to answer your questions about how to teach in
>> whichever setting you think you might like to try. They have an NFBnet
>> list
>>
>> much like this one. The link for it is
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nobe-l_nfbnet.org.
>> :
>> : Best,
>> : Allison
>> :
>> :
>> :
>> : -----Original Message-----
>> : From: Pibe-division [mailto:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of
>>
>> I. C. Bray
>> : Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 9:22 AM
>> : To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List
>> : Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] TVI Training
>> :
>> : 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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