[blindkid] Aid in classroom?

Sat Dec 12 13:39:33 UTC 2009

Sorry to be getting in on this strand so late, but here are some 
additional thoughts.

I think Rosina's instincts are correct--wean him away from the aide 
asap without totally stranding her son.  In my book, I liken it to 
when a child begins to ride a bike without training wheels.  We run 
alongside for awhile, grabbing the bike seat when necessary, but 
little by little, the child can go for longer and longer times 
without the support until before we--and he-- know it, he is riding 
independently.

When the student has no other disabilities which might keep him or 
her from being independent in the classroom, I recommend a target of 
mid-third grade for the aide no longer being in the classroom.  At 
this point the aide can step into the background and concentrate on 
preparing accessible materials.

So, as others have suggested, observe the classroom situation and 
list the tasks that the aide is doing for your son that he could be 
doing for himself.  Then you can create an independence goal in his 
IEP with each of the tasks as objectives to meet on the way to the 
goal.  See where his is in being able to parts of each task and then 
focus on the next logical step for each.  You'll have him independent 
in no time!

Carol

Carol Castellano, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.nfb.org/nopbc

At 11:57 AM 11/9/2009, you wrote:
>I think step #1 is finding out specifically what is being done "for"
>him. You could have a huge problem on your hands or these could be
>reasonable support adaptations (or anywhere between the two).
>
>Some of the things that are done for my daughter (so to speak) include
>lots of adapting of lessons and explanations of what is going on
>around her. Often a para-pro does some of this while a teacher or TVI
>may also do some.
>
>Unless everything in your situation is entirely blind-friendly
>(unlikely in the mainstream classrooms I have dealt with) there is
>going to be some of that going on and it may or may not be
>inappropriate depending on a lot of factors.
>
>Another thing to keep in mind is that if teachers (correctly or
>incorrectly) think this assistance in needed, they may well try to
>replace what the assisting person is doing with efforts by other
>teachers, students, etc, so you are going to have to come to a meeting
>of the minds as to what help is appropriate.
>
>If you determine things are truly being done for him which are not
>appropriate, for myself, I'd want this same person (and all the
>teachers and staff possible) to shift from doing for him, to
>supporting and reminding and keeping watch (if needed and appropriate)
>and slowly stepping back.
>
>My child is much younger than yours (first grade) I am still having to
>fight and remind myself (and others in the family sometimes) to step
>back and let her find her own way, offering the least possible direct
>intervention and mostly verbal cues and reminders which I hope to
>continue to reduce over time, but even with that, I know that there
>will be some need for certain assistive input for a long time.
>
>Have you ever seen, what do they call them-- DVS videos I think it
>is?-- The described video programs? These are typical television
>programs where information that would normally be gotten from watching
>them is provided between dialogue by a narrator. We do this sort of
>thing for Kendra all the time-- "We're driving past a bank on the
>right and a shopping center on the left." Or, "It is quieter now
>because we're driving into a neighborhood with lots of houses and no
>businesses." We might walk into a new place and we describe what is
>around our daughter in the room, or tell her quietly what someone is
>doing as they talk to a group of people.
>
>Ideally, yes, I'd prefer lessons be planned so that there is the least
>possible need for any assistance, but my feeling is that unless
>classroom lessons are planned entirely to teach blind students first,
>there is very likely going to be a need to fill in the gaps by
>description for most of a blind child's education. (Parents of older
>kids, correct me if I am wrong.) I'd definitely be at least hesitant
>to dismiss any support services of that nature unless and until I was
>CERTAIN there was no value in them. They would probably be pretty hard
>to get back if you later learned they should not have been stopped.
>
>Good luck,
>
>Richard
>
>
>On Nov 9, 2009, at 10:58 AM, Rosina Solano wrote:
>
>>Okay, I have a rather long question here.  My son is in 6th grade.
>>I am trying to figure out ways to "wean" his aid from his
>>classroom.  When I talked to his teachers recently, they all
>>expressed total support of his aid in the classroom.  They would say
>>things like, "I don't know what I would do if she wasn't here.  She
>>does all kids of things for him!"
>>
>>Okay, I knew that his aid was in classroom part of the time.  I did
>>not realize how much.  What is a good age to get rid of the aid in
>>the classroom.  I mean he needs to be doing these things for
>>himself.  He is a great student, very smart, and everyone is amazed
>>at what he can do.  So I say, he can do more.  He dosen't need an
>>aid to do things for him.  How do we go about slowly taking her
>>away, without totally abandoning him all at once?
>>
>>Rosina
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
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