[Stylist] Food for Thought: NFB Literature for a Younger Audience

[Barbara HAMMEL]

A thought that popped in my mind is maybe Kernels book structure but with stories about children and how either they exemplify the philosophy or how an adult helped them achieve because of that person's understanding of the philosophy?   Barbara Hammel

> On Apr 15, 2019, at 12:46, Tina Hansen via Stylist <stylist at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I'm not sure I'd want to dumb down our philosophy. I'm after how to relate
> the philosophy to a younger audience.
> 
> Back in 1995, there was an issue of Future Reflections that tried to do
> that. We didn't have the one-minute message at the time, but the philosophy
> was there. Our philosophy has stood 79 years, and I don't see it changing.
> My thinking is that yes, kids may not yet have fully developed minds of an
> adult, but they do need to be able to appreciate our philosophy. That is why
> I'm asking this question. Is it necessary that the wording for a younger
> audience should be different from an adult audience? Also, since technology
> has indeed changed since that issue, how can we leverage technology to reach
> the younger generation?
> 
> I also got this idea thanks to a podcast.
> 
> https://www.dreambigpodcast.com/
> 
> The host is a young girl, Eva Cartman, with help from her parents. She
> started this because her parents were listening to self help podcasts in the
> car, and Eva says she wasn't relating to them. She wondered: Can a podcast
> be done that relates the concepts my parents are hearing, but in a way kids
> like her can understand and relate to. I was impressed, and I think what
> she's doing is blazing a trail. Not only do kids like it, but I also like
> it. I admire her youthful energy and her enthusiasm.
> 
> Face it, I'm not knocking anything we've put out for the parents, but I do
> wonder if there is a need for NFB literature targeted at a younger audience.
> Face it, these kids may have many of the same struggles adults do. They need
> to also be able to make friends, learn effective socialization, and other
> things. Like adults and work, kids are always needing to learn how to cope
> with school.
> 
> I'm also not intending the literature to take the place of interactive
> training. I believe kids learn best in a highly interactive environment,
> whether it's provided by a school or with the parents.
> 
> I'm also not wanting to say that parents can't do any teaching. They should.
> But again, should someone write or record something for kids? In the podcast
> I referred to, Eva uses examples from her own life to make her points. Her
> hope is that kids can relate to her stories, and as an adult, I feel drawn
> in just because she's being real.
> 
> And no, the last thing I want to do is to water down our philosophy. I want
> to keep it intact, but find out how we can help kids, especially elementary
> and middle school students, relate to it.
> 
> I'm not sure if there is a need for a lot of literature like this, but I'm
> just putting this out there as food for thought.
> 
> I also recognize this potential gap because apart from our own literature, I
> get nervous when I find a book for that audience with a blind character. I'm
> always aware that any book written for that audience could fall into that
> trap of going for the old stereotypes, unless it's been written by one of
> our own members.
> 
> Also, are there already books that do a good job of showing children the
> truth about blindness? If there are, I've not spotted them.
> 
> I think once they hit high school, there is less of a need for such targeted
> literature. They may need some things around being a teenager, but that's
> about it. Their minds are more developed, and with some guidance, they
> probably could work through our literature.
> 
> Any thoughts? Thanks.
> 
> 
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