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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I too have witnessed a variety of ways that paras
fit into the picture. i personally had a para the first two years, but she was
phased out. I've seen set-ups where the para does it all, and yet I've also
observed wonderful environments where the para is not overbearing and basically
produces materials that come up at the last minute, etc. I feel that it is
important to consider each situation individually and not apply a cookie-cutter
aproach. Students depending on the environment, etc benefit from having and not
having paras. I think the best scinerio is that of where each student is
considered as an individual.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>L...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=dmehlenbacher@yahoo.com href="mailto:dmehlenbacher@yahoo.com">Dr.
Denise M. Robinson</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pibe-division@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:pibe-division@nfbnet.org">Professionals in Blindness Education
Division List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, September 20, 2011 9:39
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Pibe-division] Reaching
your potential</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: #000; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">
<DIV><SPAN>Thanks Pauline</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN>It is interesting as I hear many stories that blind children had
many independent skills, decades before, as the idea of attaching a
para to someone was a foreign idea. That did not come until later. We have
many students doing what you did, and with the technology and other blind
skills are able to do so much more and truly reach that independent state
of being. Unfortunately, we have a hugh section that are being tied to paras
and then, well not such a good result. However, there are incredible paras who
know that fine line in helping. I have worked with them and the flow and
progress of the child is wonderful.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Brush Script MT'"><FONT
color=#4040ff> Denise </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Brush Script MT'"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV>Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D. <BR>Teacher of the Blind & Visually
Impaired<BR>TechVision-Independent Contractor</DIV>
<DIV>Specialist in blind programming/teaching/training</DIV>
<DIV>509-674-1853 <A href="mailto:deniserob@gmail.com"
target=_blank rel=nofollow> deniserob@gmail.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/" target=_blank
rel=nofollow>http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>
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<DIV
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york, times, serif"><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<DIV class=hr contentEditable=false
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readonly="true"></DIV><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B>
"Smith, Pauline L" <PSmith4@dmc.org><BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> 'Professionals in Blindness
Education Division List' <pibe-division@nfbnet.org><BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Tuesday, September 20, 2011 5:02
AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re:
[Pibe-division] Reaching your potential<BR></FONT><BR>I attended public
school in the 1970's and 1980's. Because I was always in a school with
a resource room, I did not have a para in class with me. I was fully
mainstreamed into the regular classroom beginning in the 6th grade. We
took our own notes when we could, but we were also provided packets of
carbon paper between two sheets of lined paper so that a classmate could
take notes for us when needed. Either a student volunteered to do this
or the classroom teacher assigned someone. We were responsible for
completing assignments and homework. This was just before the
technological age. This gave us some preparation for higher education
and the real world, although I'm sure we had some shortcomings in that
regard.<BR><BR>Pauline<BR><BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: <A
href="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org"
ymailto="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org</A>
[mailto:<A href="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org"
ymailto="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org</A>]
On Behalf Of Mike Freeman<BR>Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 7:34 PM<BR>To:
'Professionals in Blindness Education Division List'<BR>Subject: Re:
[Pibe-division] Reaching your potential<BR><BR>When I began kindergarten
(1954), we didn't know about paras because they hadn't been invented yet!
IMO I was better off. (grin)<BR><BR>Mike<BR><BR><BR>-----Original
Message-----<BR>From: <A href="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org"
ymailto="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org</A><BR>[mailto:<A
href="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org"
ymailto="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org</A>]
On Behalf Of Marianne Denning<BR>Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 4:08
PM<BR>To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List<BR>Subject: Re:
[Pibe-division] Reaching your potential<BR><BR>This even applies to many
students who are visually impaired and have additional disabilities. I
work with a student who had a para up through 7th grade. The parents
moved to a different school district and that district, due to funding cuts,
opted not to provide an aid. I have continued to work with the student
and the progress she has made is remarkable. She attends classes for
students with multiple disabilities and there is a teacher and an aid in
every room but she completes her work independently and comunicates her
wants and needs. I see the confidence it has created. We believe
too many students need paras who are very capable.<BR>Marianne
Denning<BR>Intervention Specialist, Visually Impaired Finneytown Secondary
Campus <A href="mailto:mdenning@finneytown.org"
ymailto="mailto:mdenning@finneytown.org">mdenning@finneytown.org</A><BR>513-931-0712<BR>________________________________________<BR>From:
<A href="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org"
ymailto="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org</A>
[<A href="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org"
ymailto="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org</A>]
On Behalf Of Dr. Denise M. Robinson [<A
href="mailto:dmehlenbacher@yahoo.com"
ymailto="mailto:dmehlenbacher@yahoo.com">dmehlenbacher@yahoo.com</A>]<BR>Sent:
Monday, September 19, 2011 6:52 PM<BR>To: Professionals in Blindness
Education Division List<BR>Subject: [Pibe-division] Reaching your
potential<BR><BR>Reaching Your<BR>Potential<<A
href="http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/2011/09/reaching-your-potenti"
target=_blank>http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/2011/09/reaching-your-potenti</A><BR>al.html><BR>One
of the biggest issues in the blind field (and there are many) is how much
should a para educator be with a child?<BR><BR>What I have seen:<BR>When a
district has no one, a para is glued to the child's side and does most of
the work for the child because the para lacks the blind skills to help the
child do for themselves. The child is succeeding (though only because of
what the para is doing, NOT the child) and all are happy. BUT the parents do
not realize how much their child is NOT doing and many times, the district
is unaware of this also. Or parents fight for a para next to their child all
day, without realizing this para will be a big brick wall between their
child making friends and achieving their own goals and potential.<BR><BR>I
have come into districts and watched the blind child rocking back and forth
while the para did the work, sitting side by side, away from class, in their
own little world. When I talked with the child, the most intelligent words
came from her mouth, so I knew there was a brain there. We spent the next
couple of years teaching her all the technology, braille and other blind
skills and she was completely independent by the third year. The para just
adapted the work for her and made sure she had it in class when all the
other students did. This is what SHOULD be happening all the time.<BR><BR>I
have had the first scenario over and over and depending on the
"pain"<BR>level of weaning the child from the para, is really up to the
child and parents. Most are on board with the heavy duty technology, braille
lessons and other blind skills and within that 2-3 year window you can have
an independent child.<BR><BR>However, there are the people who are not
thinking ahead to graduation, college, a job. They really think that
somehow, miraculously their child will be completely independent when they
graduate, when in fact, they have been completely dependent on a para
throughout their school career and this dependence and lack of ability will
follow them. The child ends up living with the parents and the parents
continue to do everything for this child who has the potential of Mt.
Everest inside, but instead the child sits like a glacier holding her down
and going no where.<BR><BR>Parents and child bring the fear to each other.
The child brings that fear to the parents and the parents have the same
fear, or the parents put the fear on the child and they tell the child they
cannot live without the para (the second scenario is the most common). They
truly believe they cannot live without that para being right next to the
child all day long. It kills the confidence of the child. The child lacks
friends because the para has become the end all to be all of their life.
They fail to gain enough skills to go onto college, and worse be gainfully
employed to their IQ level.<BR><BR>So, back to reaching your potential. We
can't do it without "pain". It will be painful, not physically, though I
have seen a lot of sweating, but emotionally. The fear. The dread of not
being able to do your work because you forgot something. The fear of getting
lost in the school or on a bus ride because you took a wrong turn.<BR><BR>I
use the phrase: We learn more from our failures than our successes. I give
everyone permission to fail because we are going to fail at something no
matter what it is. Don't feel bad about it, feel happy that you are
progressing toward something. We can learn from our mistakes, but if we
never try, we do not know our own potential.<BR><BR>When they are getting
ready to take their first solo bus ride, they are very fearful of getting
lost. I tell them, "Don't worry (very cheerfully)...you will!! And they
laugh. That is why God gave you a mouth. Speak up and ask someone
directions. Same thing goes for class. Speak up and ask. I see relief come
over my students. Yep, it is better to fail at trying something than to
never try anything. You can only reach your potential with work and
pain....but the pain goes and confidence and success follow.<BR><BR>
Denise<BR><BR>Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.<BR>Teacher of the
Blind & Visually Impaired TechVision-Independent Contractor Specialist
in blind programming/teaching/training<BR>509-674-1853 <A
href="mailto:deniserob@gmail.com"
ymailto="mailto:deniserob@gmail.com">deniserob@gmail.com</A><mailto:<A
href="mailto:deniserob@gmail.com"
ymailto="mailto:deniserob@gmail.com">deniserob@gmail.com</A>><BR><BR><A
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