[blindkid] preschool options

Wed May 26 13:56:01 UTC 2010

Thanks for the aha moment.  Vinnie hates to write or color.  We do it
anyway.  He just doesn't like to get his hands dirty, that I get.  All I can
say is practise, repetition, practise, repetition......  An adventure awaits
us.

By the way, did I tell you we are going across country this year in our RV.
We figure now is best as all can come.  Another year and we'll have another
in college.  So wish us luck all.  If you want to follow our travels, log
onto  revlou.com to see what is happening.  We leave June 30.

Happy Summer and Blessings to All
Sue H.

On Wed, May 26, 2010 at 7:50 AM, Carol Castellano <blindchildren at verizon.net
> wrote:

> I remember very well the first time Serena had to sign her name.  This
> skill was difficult for her to learn and she was completely uninterested in
> learning it.  Then came the night of the lecture at the middle school.  Any
> student who attended could sign at the door and be excused from homework.
>  Suddenly, there was MOTIVATION!  She learned how to do it that week.
>
> Now, she signs and endorses checks, signs credit card receipts, insurance
> info at the doctor's office, school applications--just like a real live
> grown up!
> Carol
>
> Carol Castellano, President
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> 973-377-0976
> carol_castellano at verizon.net
> www.nopbc.org
>
>
> At 09:26 PM 5/25/2010, you wrote:
>
>>  What I have found is that my son does not have patience to wait for
>> things.
>> However, in the real world, he will wait often, so this is a lesson we
>> work
>> on daily.  I try to stretch the time and acknowledge his frustration while
>> talking to him.  None of us likes waiting, however, we can see what might
>> be
>> precipitating this need to wait.  My son can not, so hence, the need to
>> work
>> on why this is happening and help him develop patience.  Me too!  I teach
>> my
>> children because I want them to know what society has for expectations.  I
>> also do not put limits on their abilities.  Sometimes I work forward for
>> many days waiting for results.  However, when I get them they are
>> phenomenal.
>>
>> We too are working on print and Braille.  My friend Brandy told me that
>> there will be times when my adult child will need to sign his name.
>>
>> Blessings,
>> Sue H.
>>
>> On Tue, May 25, 2010 at 8:06 PM, Heather <craney07 at rochester.rr.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > I would never send my blind child to a school or even one class just for
>> > blind or just for disabled children, but this is just my opinion of
>> course.
>> > Some things to stress are that if she is doing something unsightly or
>> > socially unacceptable such as scratching herself, picking her nose,
>> rubbing
>> > her eyes excessively or prressing them, rocking, flapping, etc, that the
>> > teacher be sure to gently call her on it, so that she doesn't get into
>> the
>> > habbit.  I'm sure you've done a good job of this, but some blind kids
>> pick
>> > up behaviors like this at school and teachers, ignorant teachers, not
>> > wanting to hurt their feelings, and figuring that it is normal and
>> > unavoidable for a blind kid just let it continue.  Remind them that
>> while it
>> > is never acceptable for a child to hit or bite another, a big two to
>> > four-year-old stage, other things that might appear to be
>> confrontational,
>> > such as pushing or grabbing other students might happen at first as her
>> > three-year-old frustration tries to cope with the rough and tumble play
>> of
>> > her classmates at recess and any normative toddler squabbles that might
>> > break out, instigated by her or another student.  If she has some
>> vission,
>> > remind them that little requests, such as having only white paper to
>> draw
>> > on, or not sitting on the side of the table where the sun is coming
>> from, so
>> > that her shaddow won't obscure her paper, might be harder to recognize.
>>  I
>> > remember screaming and throwing tantrums because they would not give me
>> > white paper "Heather, Johny already got the last white piece, now, let's
>> > have this nice blue piece.  We have to share, and he already got the
>> white,
>> > so you'll have to pick another colour."  All I was verbally and
>> emotionally
>> > able to do was yell, insist that I needed it, something that most
>> toddlers
>> > say when they want, not need it.  They would also get mad at me for
>> > insisting on sitting on the side of the table that was in sunlight, but
>> > where I was not between my paper and the light.  A three year old can't
>> > usually verbalize "If I sit here my shadow makes the contrast less
>> > effective."  or "Yeah, I know it's a light blue, but it really has to be
>> > white.  I hate to be picky, but Johny doesn't need that paper, I do.  If
>> you
>> > don't give it to me, I can't draw."  Also make sure that they teach her
>> > print letters, as well as Braille.  It is important to be able to at
>> least
>> > recognize, and read slowly print letters and numbers.  If she has any
>> mild
>> > tactile deffensiveness, that is not enough to warent a diagnosis, but
>> does
>> > bother her, tell them this.  They will realize that when she is done
>> > painting or gluing that she is really bothered by the texture of dried
>> ick
>> > on her hands, and waiting in line for a turn at the sink may be
>> unpleasant,
>> > not painful, but very very unpleasant, if she has that particular
>> tendency.
>> > I do in a mild way and many many blind people, especially young
>> children,
>> > who can't easily explain that they need to wash their hands now, right
>> now,
>> > have this difficulty.  Try and see that realistic models, figurines,
>> stuffed
>> > animals and plastic animals are available.  Abstract looking or cute
>> > cartoonish animal representations will do ziltch for her, in
>> understanding.
>> > Sighted kids can see that the truck on TV doesn't look like the overly
>> > rounded, dispreportional truck toy they have, or that an Orka on the
>> Free
>> > Willie movie looks nothing like the non-discript lump with two eyes and
>> a
>> > sideways tale fin that is supposed to be a wale stuffed animal.  Sighted
>> > kids subconsciously understand artistic licence and can apply
>> imagination to
>> > make an inaccurate toy acceptable and fun, but your daughter will, at
>> that
>> > age, take it to literally mean that the real things look like what toys
>> she
>> > is seeing.  I'll give it more thought and add more later if I think of
>> it.
>> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joy Orton" <ortonsmom at gmail.com>
>> > To: "NFB Blindkid list" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>> > Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 3:42 PM
>> > Subject: [blindkid] preschool options
>> >
>> >
>> > Hi Julie,
>> >> The first (and later) IEP meeting can be overwhelming. I would advise
>> you
>> >> to
>> >> get a notebook and designate it for IEP and other school-related
>> meeting
>> >> notes. Take your own notes during the meeting. Then you can look back
>> at
>> >> them later when you wonder, "Did we agree to that?" or "Did we ask
>> about
>> >> that?"
>> >>
>> >> If you can find a friend to go with you to the IEP, it can be great.
>> Not
>> >> just any friend: You want someone who knows your child and has a
>> positive
>> >> attitude about blindness and the capability of blind people. This could
>> be
>> >> a
>> >> friend from your local NFB chapter, or a representative from your state
>> >> school for the blind, or a caseworker from your state agency for the
>> >> blind.
>> >>
>> >> On preschool: Our daughter attended a regular preschool class rather
>> than
>> >> a
>> >> preschool program for children with disabilities. She came to the US
>> from
>> >> China at age 4 and was learning English. Her "ESL" status qualified her
>> >> for
>> >> public school preschool here in Texas. We have a great braillist in our
>> >> district, and our daughter's preschool materials were provided in
>> braille
>> >> and tactual format from the beginning.
>> >>
>> >> Our daughter had lots of pullout time with the teacher of the visually
>> >> impaired, the orientation and mobility teacher, and some other
>> >> specialists.
>> >> I think she had physical therapy and occupational therapy also. Before
>> >> first
>> >> grade, all of the physical delays they had noticed were caught up to
>> what
>> >> her sighted classmates were doing developmentally.
>> >>
>> >> She also spent two years in kindergarten to "front-load" the braille
>> >> instruction, and now, in third grade, she is above grade level in her
>> >> reading. I think she has been above grade level for a while, actually.
>> I
>> >> remember that in first grade she was ahead of the reading standards
>> they
>> >> tested her for.
>> >>
>> >> We have great services for blind students, and I was pleased with the
>> >> result
>> >> of public preschool in a class of "regular" kids. Hope this helps.
>> >>
>> >> Joy Orton
>> >>
>> >> Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 14:22:12 -0700
>> >> From: julietnan <julietnan at aol.com>
>> >> To: blindkid at nfbnet.org
>> >> Subject: [blindkid] IEP
>> >> Message-ID: <0d4b92f9.f739.4e31.8e41.7de91e761797 at aol.com>
>> >> Content-Type: TEXT/plain; charset=us-ascii
>> >>
>> >> Hi,
>> >> My husband and I are gong to be attending out daughters first IEP
>> meeting
>> >> next month. Our daughter will be 3 in July and will be starting
>> preschool
>> >> in
>> >> the fall. Since we are new to all this, I was wondering if I could ask
>> for
>> >> advise, suggetions, things I need to know, things I need to ask, etc.
>> Any
>> >> advise would be welcomed! How many of you had your children attend
>> >> mainstream preschool and how many had your child attend a special
>> >> preschool
>> >> for VI kids. What are the pros and cons of both? Thank you so much,  I
>> >> really learn a lot from you guys!
>> >> Julie
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >
>> >
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