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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Dear Emily,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I have come back to this thread in “cleaning
out” my inbox and read it more carefully. I am interested to know what
has come of it as this is not the first time I have seen blind children (no
other disability also) this age being age inappropriate in eating and all it
entails (salt and pepper, opening cartons or juice box straws). <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>My thought would be (if it was me) in this
case to make a home visit even just to find out if this was the tip of an ice
berg (which I fear it is). I guess also the question would be why the OT has no
other concerns (if the parent doesn’t)—did you think she should? Was
the OT trying to pass off something to you or was it genuine and maybe even
surprising to you that this student (given performance in other areas) was not
eating with a fork. Anyway I’d like to know the rest of the story…<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I am concerned about finding better or
stronger ways to reach that group of parents who seem to think they must do
everything for their blind child and have really low expectations. Some feel so
overwhelmed they can’t imagine what to do or how to do it and are ashamed
to ask. They have more fears and false ideas about blindness than the
determination to have their child do normal things. They are more afraid of
their child doing than not doing. I notice it in educated economically well-off
families and in uneducated and low income and everything in-between. They think
like the rest of the world that it is amazing or inspirational when their child
can do the simplest of things that they wouldn’t think twice about their
sighted child doing. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> I also sometimes find really “good”
parents think some daily living things must be taught by a professional too. In
my experience, no one ever told me what clearly was the TBS “job”,
they seemed to want to control everything at school and never gave me any
information about the how or why or what of academics or what to look for or
think about when integrating in a regular classroom. They also made no inquiry about
home even academically or to ensure he had books, they never once offered any
suggestions for social or lunch or playground at home or school, for all they
knew I was still cutting his meat or handing him shampoo when he was 11 (I wasn’t)-
waiting for the checklist for transition or the three year eval is too long and
too late! My son’s teachers all knew of Future Reflections but never gave
me a copy or told me about it, or talked with me about ”blindness”
itself or what to expect or what kind of commitment it took or what a blind
adult needed for home or work everyday. He had had five different teachers of blind
students by ninth grade—not one of them gave us anything. Obviously the
doctors aren’t telling parents (and don’t know) and if they don’t
find us (NFB)—who is there to tell them but the teacher? <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I know you are not like the teacher’s
my son had Emily (and the same for most if not all on this list I am sure), but
I think it important to not assume that a parent knows anything or most things
and could be doing much more for the student than is realized. There are ways
to “check” and to give the parent info without “threatening”
or appearing to tell them they are bad parents (which they might very well feel
once they find out how “off” they have been). It is also one thing
to realize you have made big mistakes in teaching or your job and to correct, I
think it is a much harder thing to face you have made mistakes in parenting. I know
that just like there are a few teachers who will never believe and shouldn’t
be teaching there are a few parents who will never believe and maybe shouldn’t
be parenting; but for the most part these over-protective or low-expecting
parents I have found want their fears calmed—they want a reason to believe;
they just need some evidence and some “how to’s” and
empowering to believe it is not rocket science and they can do it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Anyway I’d like to hear what has
come of the situation if you don’t mind sharing more. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'> Best Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Carrie Gilmer, President</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>National Organization of Parents of Blind
Children</span></font><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>A Division of the National Federation of
the Blind</span></font><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>NFB</span></font></st1:PlaceName><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">National</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></span></font></st1:place><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>: 410-659-9314</span></font><font color=navy><span
style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Home Phone: 763-784-8590</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><a href="mailto:carrie.gilmer@gmail.com">carrie.gilmer@gmail.com</a></span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><a href="http://www.nfb.org/nopbc">www.nfb.org/nopbc</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
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face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org [mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Gibbs, Emily<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, December 15, 2008
2:36 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> aernet@lists.aerbvi.org; <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">Professionals in Blindness Education Division List</st1:PersonName><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Pibe-division] Eating
with a Fork</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I was just contacted by the OT in my school district and she
is apparently dismissing one of my blind students from service. She
had just discussed this with the parent and the parent’s only concern was
the fact that this 11year old can not eat with a fork. The OT
wanted to know if I would be willing to do a home visit in order to help them
teach this student to eat with a fork at home. </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>What would you do in this situation? </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=4 color=blue face=Braille><span
style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Braille;color:blue'>,Emily ,Gibbs</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue'>Emily L Gibbs
M.Ed. NCLB</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue'>Teacher of
Blind Students</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue'>586.489.6017</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue'>979.730.7155
x11594</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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