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

Mon Nov 16 14:32:38 UTC 2009

Aziza, Perhaps once the class masters reading hard copy, they can be 
introduced to Braille, but what I know is that a first grade child is 
overwhelmed with all the new material he or she is being introduced to.  If 
a child in the first grade class speaks Japanese, does this mean the entire 
class should learn that language?  Judith
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Aziza C" <daydreamingncolor at gmail.com>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 9:35 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #151- The Braille Princess


>I like what Robert's done. Yes, it'll be a heavy load for the class,
> however, Braille interests sighted youngsters. And, if this student is
> willing to share what she knows with her classmates, and the teacher
> is willing to encourage it, then by all means, let the class learn
> Braille. I commend the child for being so firm in her belief that her
> fellow classmates should learn how to read like she does, and being
> able to explain the differences between her form of reading and
> theres.
>
> Thank you.
> Aziza
>
> On 11/15/09, Justin Williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I like the open mindedness of the teacher, but she shouldn't teach the 
>> other
>> kids to read Braille.  Its not necessary.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Robert Newman
>> Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 10:43 AM
>> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
>> 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
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Writers Division web site:
>> http://www.nfb-writers-division.org 
>> <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>
>>
>> stylist mailing list
>> stylist at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> stylist:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/justin.williams2%40
>> gmail.com
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Writers Division web site:
>> http://www.nfb-writers-division.org 
>> <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>
>>
>> stylist mailing list
>> stylist at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> stylist:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/daydreamingncolor%40gmail.com
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Writers Division web site:
> http://www.nfb-writers-division.org <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>
>
> stylist mailing list
> stylist at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> stylist:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/jbron%40optonline.net
>