[blindkid] Ordered our free cane! wheeee!!!

[Susan Harper]

Given your writings and insights to date, you don't need any fancy awards to
tell you that you are as capable as ever.  Get in there and go for it!
Blessings and prayers will be coming your way,
Sue H.

On Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 10:49 AM, Albert J Rizzi <albert at myblindspot.org>wrote:

> Thanks so much for the words of hope and encouragement. I will share this
> with you all. I know it will be changing in a few months if not for any
> other reason but for a recent honor I just got. I have been selected as a
> regional finalist for a coveted White House Fellowship. I go on to the next
> phase of the interview this coming Monday and Tuesday. So keep your fingers
> crossed. But if nothing  else progresses past this level I will have a
> certificate with a white house seal and the Presidents signature on it.
> that
> will look so nice on a resume. The intimidating thing to tell you the
> truth,
> is that it is a competition for people of all abilities. I am going up
> against Harvard and Yale graduates, doctors and lawyers, etc. it is an
> honor, so maybe just maybe the hr deprrtments at some of the schools I want
> to work at will take a closer look next time I submit a resume for a
> position,.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Susan Harper
>  Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 8:11 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Ordered our free cane! wheeee!!!
>
> Yes and I would give anything to have someone like you to help me with home
> schooling my son and I bet there are a lot of schools out there that would
> love to have you as a teacher.  You should think about it.  I bet you would
> not only be good, but you would be great with all children!  Kids need
> positive male role models.
> Blessings,
> Sue H.
>
> On Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 4:32 PM, Carol Castellano <
> blindchildren at verizon.net
> > wrote:
>
> > Ah, I remember the Fifty Nifty United States.  Brings back happy memories
> > of my kids' childhood.
> >
> > Albert, have you joined the NFB blind teachers division?  Maybe you can
> get
> > back into the classroom!
> >
> > Carol
> >
> > At 02:59 PM 3/28/2010, you wrote:
> >
> >> I whole heartedly agree with you on how effective lessons and learning
> can
> >> be when music is introduced to children of all abilities. I taught my
> >> kindergarten children a song called fifty nifty united states. All of my
> >> kids were able to recite all 50 states alphabetically and eventually we
> >> moved to maps and boy did they love that. it really made a difference in
> >> there map skills even though it is really not a kindergarten focus, ii
> >> felt
> >> they were able to take it with them and onto the next level and it was a
> >> whole lot of fun practicing with them. every once in a while we would
> get
> >> a
> >> comment my nana lives in Florida, where is Florida and that is how the
> map
> >> was introduced in my classroom every year. It was their own inquiry and
> >> desire to know more that directed my teaching. I am going on, oh how I
> >> miss
> >> those days. Since loosing my eye sight, no one will consider me a viable
> >> candidate any longer. Someday though.
> >>
> >> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> >> CEO/Founder
> >> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> >> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> >> New York, New York  10004
> >> www.myblindspot.org
> >> PH: 917-553-0347
> >> Fax: 212-858-5759
> >> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who
> is
> >> doing it."
> >>
> >>
> >> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On
> >> Behalf Of Susan Harper
> >> Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2010 2:11 PM
> >> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> >> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Ordered our free cane! wheeee!!!
> >>
> >> I just sing tap, tap, tap, tap, alternating between C and F, alternating
> >> my
> >> vocalization, then make up rhyming verses as appropriate to the
> situation.
> >> So it goes like this:
> >> F    C     F    C     G    G    G    B    C    B    C
> >> tap  tap  tap  tap  tap  tap  tap  tap  tap  tap  tap
> >>
> >> C is middle C and F is the F above middle C, and G & B are be low middle
> >> C.
> >> So you have a 7 note range all quarter notes.  Sorry, I haven't figured
> >> out
> >> how to put a staff and notes in an email.
> >>
> >> You can substitute the words, left right left right...  I can sing this
> in
> >> his ear to get him started and the he's off on his own.  It just gets a
> >> rhythm going, which is what you teach when someone is learning to use a
> >> cane.  I can use it to remind my son to use his can rather than carry it
> >> like a drawn sword!  It is unobtrusive in a crowd as well.
> >>
> >> I had to go sit down at my piano and figure out what I was singing.   I
> am
> >> a
> >> Special Education Teacher, and I have been home schooling for 20 years
> and
> >> have made up many songs or used tunes and put words to them.  Music is
> >> easier for kids who have speech and auditory processing problems to
> follow
> >> and learn from.  It may just be that sung words are said more slowly,
> but
> >> I
> >> think it is much more than that.  I think that the brain processes music
> >> differently and bypasses some part of the brain and routes to another.
>  I
> >> also think rhythm and rhyming tap into the brain in a different way.  I
> >> think I will have to ask our neurologist next month when I see him.  But
> >> anyway, kids seem to learn better and faster with song.  Makes sense,
> >> because kids learn the ABC song long before they actually associate the
> >> letters with the written letters.
> >>
> >> I have a vowel song:  "A E I O U, they're the ones for you.  They're the
> >> ones, so much fun, A E I O U!  And Sometimes Y."  No I am not going to
> go
> >> plunk out the tune, but you get the idea.
> >> Blessings,
> >> Sue H.
> >>
> >> On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 9:42 PM, Albert J Rizzi
> >> <albert at myblindspot.org>wrote:
> >>
> >> > Can you please share the song or rhyme you did with your son as you
> >> taught
> >> > him how to move the cane to and fro? I as a kindergarten teacher put
> as
> >> > many
> >> > things I could to song or rhythmic wording so as to reinforce the
> >> lessons
> >> > at
> >> > hand. I would so like to learn how you did this to reinforce skills of
> >> cane
> >> > techniques
> >> >
> >> > Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> >> > CEO/Founder
> >> > My Blind Spot, Inc.
> >> > 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> >> > New York, New York  10004
> >> > www.myblindspot.org
> >> > PH: 917-553-0347
> >> > Fax: 212-858-5759
> >> > "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one
> who
> >> is
> >> > doing it."
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > -----Original Message-----
> >> > From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org
> ]
> >> On
> >> > Behalf Of Susan Harper
> >> > Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 6:33 PM
> >> > To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> >> > Subject: Re: [blindkid] Ordered our free cane! wheeee!!!
> >> >
> >> > Oh Good for you Marie!  We had to go ahead and just order/buy our own
> >> cane
> >> > before we found out about the free ones.  But it was a small
> investment
> >> in
> >> > our son's independence.  I hope you have as good a luck as we did.
> >>  Don't
> >> > worry that he doesn't hold it totally correct.  He just needs a good
> >> grasp
> >> > and to hold it in front of him.  Think of it as a pointer from his
> >> navel,
> >> > up
> >> > a little is okay.  He'll find what is right for him.  We started our
> son
> >> > with a "tap, tap" song that we made up, sweeping the ground from left
> to
> >> > right and back again.  There are some great books and articles out
> >> there,
> >> > but the most important thing is to get started and let your some
> explore
> >> > and
> >> > learn from his cane.  My son, now 3 1/2 still likes to reach down and
> >> feel
> >> > when the terrain changes and see what his cane has found and process
> it
> >> > with
> >> > his hands.  Many advocates like the pointer finger to point down to
> the
> >> > ground with the fisted grip.  I say let you son explore and find his
> >> > comfort
> >> > and then refine the techniques.
> >> >
> >> > Best of luck and Blessings,
> >> > Sue H.
> >> >
> >> > On Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 9:34 AM, Marie <empwrn at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > > I am so excited to report that after thinking about it FOR A YEAR, I
> >> > > finally
> >> > > ordered my son a free long white cane from NFB. Why a year? Over the
> >> past
> >> > > year, my husband's feelings about the need for Braille and cane use
> >> have
> >> > > changed or he has verbalized them more clearly to me<--he's a man so
> >> you
> >> > > never really know which, LOL! I pushed early and hard for Braille
> and
> >> he
> >> > > did
> >> > > not jump on the bandwagon right away. In fact, the last year has had
> >> him
> >> > > pointing out to me other legally blind people who read really well
> and
> >> > fast
> >> > > holding books up to their noses. What a relief it was to hear him
> say
> >> one
> >> > > day how great that was but then he wondered how much easier it would
> >> be
> >> > for
> >> > > those folks to have learned Braille and perhaps they would have done
> >> even
> >> > > better!
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > When I brought up cane use before, it was met with a lukewarm
> >> reception
> >> > and
> >> > > much discussion about how Jack gets around really really well and
> has
> >> > > learned to memorize the layout of wherever he is and how fantastic
> >> that
> >> > is.
> >> > > Over the past week, I brought up a cane again and now I am hearing
> my
> >> own
> >> > > thoughts echoed back to me. If we help Jack to navigate his
> >> environment
> >> > > more
> >> > > easily and independently, it will free him up to focus on other
> >> > > developmental tasks and not use so much brain power to focus on not
> >> > falling
> >> > > or bumping into stuff.
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > We had planned to just buy a cane and start working with it. What a
> >> nice
> >> > > surprise to realize that we could get one for free (I think I knew
> >> this
> >> > > before and forgot).  The fact that it is free makes it an even
> easier
> >> > > decision to move forward although we have no support for our
> decision
> >> > from
> >> > > either Jack's school TVI or our vision rehab doc.
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > So.tips, anyone? Jack has fine motor impairment so we'll have to see
> >> how
> >> > we
> >> > > can work out his grasp on the cane once we get it. Tips for
> >> introduction
> >> > of
> >> > > the cane would be welcomed.
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > Thanks so much!
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > Marie (mother of Jack, 4 yrs old with Apert Syndrome)
> >> > >  <http://www.allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com>
> >> > > http://www.allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com
> >> > > Learn more about Apert Syndrome
> >> > >  <http://www.thecraniofacialcenter.org/apert.html>
> >> > > http://www.thecraniofacialcenter.org/apert.html
> >> > > Get information and support at Teeter's page
> >> > >  <http://www.apert.org> http://www.apert.org
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > _______________________________________________
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> >> >
> >>
> >>
>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/sueharper%40firstc
> >> > hurchgriswold.org
> >> > >
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> >> >  ot.org
> >> >
> >> >
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> >> hurchgriswold.org
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> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/blindchildren%40ve
> rizon.net
> >>
> >
> > Carol Castellano, President
> > National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> > 973-377-0976
> > carol_castellano at verizon.net
> > www.nfb.org/nopbc
> >
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