[stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #151- The Braille Princess

[Judith Bron]

Robert, Is it realistic for a first grade teacher, whose mission it is to 
teach her students reading with all that entails, beginning math and other 
subjects to teach her class braille also?  If a blind child is mainstreamed 
it is important to point out the differences in learning and mobility, but 
this sounds like a pretty heavy load for a regular first grade classroom. 
Judith
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 10:43 AM
Subject: [stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #151- The Braille Princess


> Fellow Writers
> RE: The Braille Princess
>
> With this 200th year celebration of Louis Braille's birthday and our thank
> you to him for Braille, I have written a TP centering on the importance of
> literacy and learning to read early, print for the print reader and 
> Braille
> for the Braille reader. If you have not read the PROVOKER, it follows.
> Recall that I collect responses and post them upon my web site for all the
> WWW to read and learn from and that URL is- Http://thoughtprovoker.info
> <http://thoughtprovoker.info/>   If you wish to receive THOUGHT PROVOKERS
> sent directly to you, just write me and ask, at-  newmanrl at cox.net
>
> THOUGHT PROVOKER 151
> The Braille Princess
>
> "This is our first day of kindergarten." The faces of the small children
> grouped around the teacher all looked up with energy filled expectation. 
> "I
> want us to talk about one very, very important skill all teachers want 
> their
> students to learn. It is reading. First, to make sure we understand new
> words --- what is a skill?" Teacher and students shared back and forth,
> clarifying several key words.
>
> The teacher asked, "How many of you can read?" Nearly all hands shot up. 
> "Oh
> my, what a smart class." Testing prior to the beginning of school had 
> shown
> the teacher each student's skill level. Nearly all of them could read, 
> most
> only a few words and a very few could actually read beginning children's
> books.
>
> "Why do you think being able to read is important?" Many voices and hands
> answered her question.
>
> Pointing to a small girl bouncing on her knees, hand pumping, the teacher
> chose, "Breanna."
>
> "To read to your mommy and daddy."
>
> "Good answer. Reading to your parents is an excellent reason. Thank you."
>
> After taking several more answers the teacher moved into the next phase of
> the day's plan. "It is also important for you children to learn from one
> another. Today, I have asked two students to bring one of their favorite
> books and read it to the class. And by the end of this school year, I 
> expect
> that you all will have your turn." Indicating the kid-size chair at her
> side, "Michael, you are first."
>
> Seated, the small boy nervously fingered his brightly colored book, 
> holding
> its cover forward to show it to his audience. "My favorite book is 
> 'Ruffles,
> The Big Red Dog." Positioning it on his lap, he began reading.
>
> "Thank you Michael. And now, Kendra. Please come up to our reading chair."
> Tapping the chair, the teacher watched the small girl with her arching 
> cane
> home in on the sound guide.
>
> "Students, remember, earlier today, we learned about why Kendra uses a 
> white
> cane when she moves around the school."
>
> A young voice from the audience said, "She blind."
>
> "Yes, she is blind." Carrying on, the teacher said, "And so now we are 
> going
> to learn about Braille, which is how Kendra can read."
>
> The small girl seated, cane at her feet, the teacher asked, "Kendra, first
> please show and tell us the name of your book. Then tell the class a 
> little
> about Braille."
>
> Composure intact, Kendra answered, "I learned to read when I was three. 
> You
> read print because you can see it. I read Braille, because I am blind and
> blind people read Braille with their fingers. Braille is raised dots. I 
> can
> read as good as anybody." She raised the book up for all to see its cover.
> "My favorite book is the 'Princess and the Pea.' My daddy calls me his
> Princess."
>
> "Hey," exclaimed a student! "No picture! No letters!"
>
> After the stories were read, the teacher again addressed her class. "Miss
> Young, my assistant has arranged the chairs in a circle. Each of you have
> your own chair, your name is on it. So to find your chair, you must read 
> the
> name-tag." The classroom noise level fell, then swelled; expressions on
> faces ranged from blank wonderment, to knowing intelligence. "Reading is
> important. I know some of you cannot read yet. However, soon I expect that
> you will. So for help now, ask your neighbor or Miss Young or me to assist
> you." The noisy reading and sorting began.
>
> "She's sitting in my chair!" The outcry of the small red-haired boy was 
> all
> but lost in the overall noise level.
>
> "Kendra --- Tommy, we need to check the label," intervened the frazzled
> Para. Lightly touching the petite blind girl sitting quietly on the chair 
> in
> question, "Honey, did you feel for the Braille label on the back of the
> seat?" Leaning forward to look herself as she spoke.
>
> "A problem here?" The teacher walked up.
>
> "Oh my," Miss Young looked at her boss, "the name-tag is missing."
>
> "Tommy knocked it off and it fell on the seat," said the boy from the next
> chair over.
>
> "Yes, I'm sitting on my name," said Kendra. "And Tommy, you need to learn 
> to
> read Braille."
>
> The eyes of the two adults met, both smiled, the teacher said, "Kendra, we
> are going to call you, our Braille Princess."
>
>
>
> Robert Leslie Newman
> Email- newmanrl at cox.net
> THOUGHT PROVOKER Website-
> Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info
>
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