<html>
<head>
<style><!--
.hmmessage P
{
margin:0px;
padding:0px
}
body.hmmessage
{
font-size: 10pt;
font-family:Verdana
}
--></style>
</head>
<body class='hmmessage'>
Wow!<BR>
Thank you so much for this message. I have read your responses for quite a while on the forum, but didn't know your story. I am a TVI in a major metropolitan area, and will let you know that my colleagues and myself always advocate on the side of Braille whenever it is the best alternative. I personally love teaching Braille, and have a vision resource classroom to support my students, who are all included in regular classes. Your insight and resources are wonderful and encouraging, and I will be using them to address issues with classroom teachers and parents in the future. I have been teaching in this field for 17 years, and believe there is no better place to be!<BR>
Sue Brewer, M. Ed, CTVI<BR>
Metro Nashville Public Schools<BR><BR><FONT color=#0066cc></FONT>
<DT class=ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxEC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_EC_quote> </DT><FONT color=#548dd4><FONT size=2><FONT color=#d99694><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><SPAN class=ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxbody1><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 26pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Freestyle Script'"><FONT color=#000000><FONT color=#d99694><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 22pt; COLOR: purple; FONT-FAMILY: 'Edwardian Script ITC'"><SPAN><SPAN>
<P class=ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal><SPAN><STRONG><FONT face=Garamond><EM><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt" size=4>Sue <IMG height=19 alt="" src="http://gfx2.hotmail.com/mail/w4/pr01/ltr/emoticons/rose.gif" width=19></FONT></EM></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: #76923c; FONT-FAMILY: 'Monotype Corsiva'">
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 22pt; COLOR: #454545; FONT-FAMILY: 'Edwardian Script ITC'"><A title="Click for further information about this quotation" href="http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/29020.html"><SPAN style="COLOR: #454545; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none"><FONT color=#76923c><STRONG>Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything good in the world.</STRONG></FONT></SPAN></A><FONT color=#76923c><STRONG> <SPAN> </SPAN></STRONG></FONT></SPAN><SPAN><A href="http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Helen_Keller/"><SPAN style="COLOR: navy; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none"><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#76923c><STRONG>Helen Keller</STRONG></FONT></SPAN></A><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#76923c><STRONG> (1880 - 1968) </STRONG></FONT></FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 22pt; COLOR: #454545; FONT-FAMILY: 'Edwardian Script ITC'"></SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#76923c size=3><STRONG> </STRONG></FONT></P>
<P class=ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal><FONT color=#76923c><STRONG></STRONG></FONT></SPAN></P></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT><BR><BR><BR>
<BR>
<HR id=stopSpelling>
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:10:58 -0800<BR>From: pumpkinracer@gmail.com<BR>To: pibe-division@nfbnet.org<BR>Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] Questions about Braille instruction - A Parent’s Perspective<BR><BR>
<STYLE>
.ExternalClass p.ecxMsoNormal, .ExternalClass li.ecxMsoNormal, .ExternalClass div.ecxMsoNormal
{margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';}
.ExternalClass a:link, .ExternalClass span.ecxMsoHyperlink
{color:blue;text-decoration:underline;text-underline:single;}
.ExternalClass a:visited, .ExternalClass span.ecxMsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;text-decoration:underline;text-underline:single;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;}
.ExternalClass div.ecxSection1
{page:Section1;}
</STYLE>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Hi Jackie,</SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">You have gotten some great advice.<BR>I agree with Gail, Brandy, Mary, and others – it is crucially important to provide young kids with a firm foundation in braille as early as possible. I am a parent of 2 braille readers. The older one is now in 7th grade, the younger in 2nd. Both are mainstreamed & both are doing well in school.</SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">As has already been pointed out, kids are learning the alphabet and words in kindergarten. Braille reading students should be reading & writing to the same degree as their sighted classmates. </SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">In kindergarten, both my kids were using both English & Lithuanian braille. They would write what the other kids were writing & read what the other kids were reading; it’s just that they did that in braille. Importantly, there is typically a big leap forward within a week of starting first grade & so students need to already have an established foundation in braille or they will be struggling with braille basics as the other kids move forward.</SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">My youngest son started keeping a nightly journal on his BrailleNote in kindergarten – he continues to add a few sentences every night before he goes to bed, highlighting the day’s events – he has not missed a single day in nearly 2 years! It is pretty cool to think that he will have his own written record of the highlights of his life :-)</SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">I love the story of a lady by the name of Kim Boshart in Nebraska who started teaching preschoolers to write with the slate and stylus "because she didn't know they couldn't learn it" that young. Guess what? They did learn! That comes from Ramona Walhof's 1993 NFB National Convention address entitled "BRAILLE: A RENAISSANCE" - it is definitely worth reading (<A href="http://www.nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm93/brlm9310.htm">www.nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm93/brlm9310.htm</A>).</SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">In preparation for IEPs at the beginning of each school year, as a barometer of were each child should be performing, I have made it a habit of looking at the district & state education standards for the current & the upcoming grade level every year. California is the first state to adopt formal Braille Reading Standards (<A href="http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/fd/documents/braillereadstand.pdf">www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/fd/documents/braillereadstand.pdf</A>) and Braille Math Standards (<A href="http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/fd/documents/braillemathstand.pdf">www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/fd/documents/braillemathstand.pdf</A>). These standards have already served our family in very real and practical ways. </SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Jackie, you mentioned you were a beginning braille teacher. As a parent of a blind child (well actually 2), if I could deliver a single message to educators & administrators (general ed or blindness ed) it would be a request to truly adopt a paradigm of equal, age-appropriate expectations. My wife & I have tried to live up to this paradigm. If you are interested in how at least one family’s story, I invite you to read Equal Expectations: A Belief Paradigm or a Politically Correct, Feel-Good Phrase? (<A href="http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/fr/fr27/1/fr270107.htm">www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/fr/fr27/1/fr270107.htm</A>).</SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Best wishes on a rewarding, fruitful, & impactful career.</SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Respectfully,</SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Eric Vasiliauskas (a Dad)</SPAN></P>
<P class=ecxMsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</SPAN></P>
<DIV class=ecxgmail_quote>On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 1:01 PM, Jackie Anderson <SPAN dir=ltr><<A href="mailto:jackieanderson54@yahoo.com">jackieanderson54@yahoo.com</A>></SPAN> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=ecxgmail_quote style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex">
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>
<DIV><BR>Hello,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I am a beginning Braille teacher. I was wondering where can I find information about time line for braille instruction? By the end of kindergarten, what should the a student be expected to have covered? <BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif" color=#0000bf><I><B>Jackie Anderson</B></I></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif" color=#c00000><I><B></B></I></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif" color=#c00000><I><B>A long journey begins with one step</B></I></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif" color=#c00000><I><B>There is a literacy crisis in America.</B></I></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif" color=#c00000><I><B>Only 10% of children who are blind are </B></I></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif" color=#c00000><I><B>taught to read Braille. </B></I></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><IMG height=120 src="http:///" width=82></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><BR><BR>--- On <B>Tue, 2/16/10, <A href="mailto:pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org</A> <I><<A href="mailto:pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org</A>></I></B> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><BR>From: <A href="mailto:pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org</A> <<A href="mailto:pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org</A>><BR>Subject: Pibe-division Digest, Vol 21, Issue 6<BR>To: <A href="mailto:pibe-division@nfbnet.org">pibe-division@nfbnet.org</A><BR>Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010, 6:00 PM<BR><BR>
<DIV>Send Pibe-division mailing list submissions to<BR> <A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pibe-division@nfbnet.org">pibe-division@nfbnet.org</A><BR><BR>To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<BR> <A href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org</A><BR>or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to<BR> <A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-request@nfbnet.org</A><BR><BR>You can reach the person managing the list at<BR> <A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pibe-division-owner@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-owner@nfbnet.org</A><BR><BR>When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<BR>than "Re: Contents of Pibe-division digest..."<BR><BR><BR>Today's Topics:<BR><BR> 1. 40 New Books from Seedlings Braille Books! (Lee Truslow)<BR><BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Message: 1<BR>Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:43:03 -0600<BR>From: Lee Truslow <<A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=specialcritters@hotmail.com">specialcritters@hotmail.com</A>> (by way of David<BR> Andrews <<A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=dandrews@visi.com">dandrews@visi.com</A>>)<BR>To: <A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=david.andrews@nfbnet.org">david.andrews@nfbnet.org</A><BR>Subject: [Pibe-division] 40 New Books from Seedlings Braille Books!<BR>Message-ID: <<A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=auto-000139518235@mailfront2.g2host.com">auto-000139518235@mailfront2.g2host.com</A>><BR>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed<BR><BR><BR>Having trouble viewing this email? Click here<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR>Seedlings Braille Books for Children<BR>Announces: 40 New Low-cost Braille Books Now Available!<BR>February 2010<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Seedlings' 2010 Catalog Update is ready!<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR>We are very excited to announce that our 2010 <BR>Catalog Update will be in the mail to you very <BR>soon, but you don't have to wait. The new books <BR>are already listed on our website and are ready to be ordered!<BR><BR>New Print-Braille-&-Picture Books in Uncontracted Braille:<BR> Baby's Very First Touchy-Feely Book<BR> Clifford's Bedtime<BR> Let's Eat--Vamos A Comer (in English & Spanish)<BR> Little Quack Loves Colors<BR><BR>New Print-Braille-&-Picture Books in Contracted Braille:<BR> First Picture Nursery Rhymes<BR> Mama's Right Here<BR><BR>New Print-and-Braille Easy-Readers (no pictures):<BR> Caps for Sale (in uncontracted braille)<BR> Barack Obama: Out of Many, One (in contracted braille)<BR><BR><BR><BR> New Braille Fiction in Contracted Braille<BR> (no print or pictures):<BR><BR><BR> Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls Book One: Moving Day<BR> American Girls: Happy Birthday, Molly!<BR> American Girls: Happy Birthday, Samantha!<BR> American Girls: Julie Tells Her Story<BR> American Girls: Thanks to Nicki<BR> Animal Rescue: Charlie the Home-Alone Kitten<BR> The Blind Outlaw<BR> Boxcar Children #25: The Amusement Park Mystery<BR> Boxcar Children #37: The Mystery of the Lost Village<BR> The Breadwinner--An Afghan Child in a War Torn Land<BR> Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy<BR> Dear America: When Will This Cruel War Be Over?<BR> The Egyptian Box<BR> Goosebumps Horrorland #1: Revenge of the Living Dummy<BR> Hardy Boys #59: Night of the Werewolf<BR> Igraine the Brave<BR> The Jungle Book<BR> Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal (#10)<BR> Junie B., First Grader: Boss of Lunch (#19)<BR> Junie B., First Grader: Cheater Pants (#21)<BR> Lady Grace Mysteries: Conspiracy<BR> Magic Tree House #9: Dolphins at Daybreak<BR> Magic Tree House #37: Dragon of the Red Dawn<BR> Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew: The Zoo Crew<BR> Robinson Crusoe (Junior Classics edition)<BR> A Swiftly Tilting Planet<BR> Three Stories from Winnie-the-Pooh<BR> Wayside School Is Falling Down<BR> The Window<BR><BR>New Braille Poetry in Contracted Braille (no print or pictures):<BR> Where the Sidewalk Ends<BR><BR>New Braille Nonfiction in Contracted Braille (no print or pictures):<BR> First Kids: The True Stories of All the Presidents' Children<BR> Growl! A Book about Bears<BR><BR>You don't have to wait for your flyer to arrive. <BR>Check out our 1,000+ braille books right now on <BR>our accessible website: Seedlings' Online Catalog<BR><BR>For a list of the new books with authors and <BR>prices, see the What's New section.<BR><BR>To download a textfile version of Seedlings' <BR>Catalog with the new books added, please click <BR>this link: Seedlings' Catalog--Textfile Version<BR><BR>Seedlings' books are always "on sale": we sell <BR>them for only a fraction of what it costs to make <BR>them, and our prices have not been raised in 25 years!<BR><BR>"The road to knowledge begins with the turn of the page."<BR>Order some books today!<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR><BR><BR><BR>2010 Book Angel Program ... Register Now!<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR><BR>Seedlings' Book Angel Program is open to <BR>visually-impaired children who live in the US, <BR>and through this program each child can receive 2 <BR>free Seedlings' books (you list 4 books from our <BR>catalog and we will send 2 of them.)<BR><BR>To register, just fill out the form on page 52 of <BR>the 2010 catalog, or better yet, fill it out <BR>online right now by clicking here: Seedlings' Book Angel Program<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR><BR><BR><BR>An Easy Way To Help ... Use GoodSearch & GoodShop<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR>Seedlings Braille Books for Children is a 501(c)3 <BR>nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing <BR>the opportunity for literacy by providing <BR>high-quality, low-cost children's literature in <BR>braille. The services we provide are completely <BR>dependent upon the generosity of our supporters.<BR><BR>You can help in a very simple way: you can earn <BR>money for Seedlings every time you search the <BR>internet or shop online! Just go to <BR><A href="http://www.goodsearch.com/">www.goodsearch.com</A> and type "Seedlings" in the <BR>"Who do you GoodSearch for?" box. Be sure to <BR>bookmark the page and use it for all your searches and online shopping.<BR><BR>If you go through GoodSearch to your favorite <BR>online stores (there are over 1,000 stores ... <BR>everything from Amazon to Walgreen's), a <BR>percentage of your total will be donated to <BR>Seedlings by the vendor! It doesn't cost you <BR>anything extra and the dollars donated to Seedlings add up quickly!<BR><BR>As always, we deeply appreciate all of your help <BR>and support! We couldn't do what we do without you!<BR><BR>With gratitute,<BR>Debra J. Bonde, Director<BR>Seedlings Braille Books for Children<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Quick Links...<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR>Seedlings' Website<BR>Seedlings' Online Catalog of Braille Books & Gift Items<BR>List of New Books (with authors & prices)<BR> Special Projects (like our Book Angel Program)<BR>GoodSearch & GoodShop<BR>To Donate to Seedlings<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR><BR><BR><BR>Seedlings' Contact Information<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR>website: <A href="http://www.seedlings.org/">www.seedlings.org</A><BR>phone: 800-777-8552<BR>fax: 734-427-8552<BR>email: <A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=info@seedlings.org">info@seedlings.org</A><BR>mail: PO Box 51924, Livonia, MI 48151-5924<BR>visit: 14151 Farmington Road, Livonia, MI 48154<BR>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Email Sponsored By:<BR><BR><BR>The "Constant Contact Cares4Kids" program <BR>supports educational and social non-profit <BR>organizations that help children. Learn more about the Cares4Kids program.<BR><BR>More than 300,000 small businesses and <BR>organizations trust Constant Contact to connect <BR>with their customers and members. Signup for a free 60-day trial.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Forward email<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>This email was sent to <A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=specialcritters@hotmail.com">specialcritters@hotmail.com</A>, by <A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=info@seedlings.org">info@seedlings.org</A><BR>Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal <BR>with SafeUnsubscribe? | Privacy Policy.<BR><BR><BR>Seedlings Braille Books for Children | 14151 <BR>Farmington Road | Livonia | MI | 48154 <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Pibe-division mailing list<BR><A href="http://us.mc573.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Pibe-division@nfbnet.org">Pibe-division@nfbnet.org</A><BR><A href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org</A><BR><BR><BR>End of Pibe-division Digest, Vol 21, Issue 6<BR>********************************************<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Pibe-division mailing list<BR><A href="mailto:Pibe-division@nfbnet.org">Pibe-division@nfbnet.org</A><BR><A href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org</A><BR>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Pibe-division:<BR><A href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/pibe-division_nfbnet.org/pumpkinracer@gmail.com">http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/pibe-division_nfbnet.org/pumpkinracer%40gmail.com</A><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR> <br /><hr />Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. <a href='http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469228/direct/01/' target='_new'>Get it now.</a></body>
</html>