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<DIV><FONT size=4>I had a para for two years and then the second grade teacher
said no to having a para. From that day on there wasn't any para's working
with me. I rmember the teacher of blind students talking down about the
kids that did have a para.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Blessings<BR>Melissa Green<BR>don't let someone become a priority in your
life.....when you are just an option in theirs </DIV>
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style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=twilight2@kconline.com
href="mailto:twilight2@kconline.com">Zephyr</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 10:33
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Pibe-division] Reaching
your potential</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>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 size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>L...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
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dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; 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="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; COLOR: #000; FONT-SIZE: 14pt">
<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-FAMILY: 'Brush Script MT'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><FONT
color=#4040ff> Denise
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Brush Script MT'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 18pt"></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"
rel=nofollow target=_blank> deniserob@gmail.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/" rel=nofollow
target=_blank>http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>
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<DIV
style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 14pt">
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new
york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 0; MARGIN: 5px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 0px; BORDER-TOP: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
class=hr contentEditable=false 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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