[nagdu] presentation about blindness

[Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)]

The sports analogy does work with adults. My husband used it once with a
guy who simply would not or could not understand my rationale for not
viging scraps to my dog. Husband said something like "The dog is like an
athlete that needs the right food at the right time so they can dow hat
they need to do". It worked and the anagoly is a good one.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Linda Gwizdak
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:47 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] presentation about blindness

Hi Mark,
I, too, speak to school kids with my dog.  I also demonstrate the white
cane 
as well.

I think people view the dog as superior to the cane because they think
the 
dog just drags us around and people "bump" into stuff with the cane.
they 
don't realize the team work involved in for sucessful guide dog work.
they 
don't understand about how the white cane touches stuff when we use it.
And 
they see the people with poor skills - more noticeable when the person
is 
using a cane.  I've seen my share of poor guide dog users as well.

When I talk to kids, I equate the teamwork guide dog and handler use to 
teamwork in sports.  Many of the kids are in one sport or antother and 
understand the concept of team work and the role each player has in the 
game. they really get it - much more than the adults - maybe I should
use 
the sports concept with them, too!

Another thing I see differently is when I'm walking down the sidewalk
with 
my cane, people walk right through me like I"M the one who is supposed
to 
see them and move out of their way.  when I have my dog, I don't have
this 
problem. I wondered why. Someone did tell me that the other pedestrian
and 
my dog do eye contact like two sighted people do to avoid collision.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 6:11 PM
Subject: [nagdu] presentation about blindness


> Does anyone recognize a difference in the way people act towards you
when 
> you have a cane verses a dog? What about when you have no blindness 
> mobility devices with you? I have to give a presentation about
blindness 
> to a class of 5th graders, and I was wondering how to make them
understand 
> that someone with a mobility device is no different than anyone else.
I 
> think they are more afraid of the fact that I carry a cane, than the
fact 
> that I am blind.
>
> PS why are people so afraid of blindness?
>
>
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