[rehab] OandM

[Tami Kinney]

RJ,

No. And it beats me.

It seems that not all schools require the professional, certified O&M 
instructor evaluation, which is good information for me for when I do a 
final evaluation of guide dog training programs when it is time for my 
current owner-trained guide to retire. I did play that game once, before 
I ended up getting my poodle pup, and to be honest I won't again. There 
are numerous other factors I will consider in any program that makes my 
list, but any program that requires that I hunt down an O&M instructor 
to verify that I can travel independently with cane or dog, it's off. 
That's just me, though. Another quirk I have out of that earlier 
experience that I don't intend to lose is that I will verify that the 
program's evaluation involves reading all that paperwork I have 
submitted to them. Especially the visual exam records! This will save me 
all sorts of time and energy, I believe, in finding out that in their 
opinion I do not need a guide dog because I have really great vision and 
can read street signs.

So I did get hold of the agency records to read what the O&M instructor 
had said and, sure enough, I have such really great vision that I can 
read street signs under sleep shades! Turns out I can do a lot of things 
under sleep shade by using my really great vision, too.

Your decision of school and how to handle the application process is up 
to you, of course.What I describe is simply a part of my experience with 
certified, professional O&M instructors and with the results of the Juno 
walk on top of their assessment.

Silly me, I never noticed that I was reading those street signs to know 
where I was. I thought I was just using my good recall and route memory 
and other adaptive skills relating to O&M...

I am sad to report that my owner-trained guide has never come up to the 
standards of training of that program, since she has just never learned 
to read the street signs for me. So I guess it really is a lucky thing I 
have such really great vision, or we would be doomed! /evil grin/

Tami

On 10/18/2011 11:44 AM, RJ Sandefur wrote:
> Are OandM instructors trained to give assessments for guide dogs? Why do guide dog schools ask you for the name of your orientation and mobility instructor if they're going to do a juno walk with you any way. RJ
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