[nfbwatlk] Fw: READ AND WEEP!
Mike Freeman
k7uij at panix.com
Wed Aug 1 00:23:10 CDT 2007
I intend to attempt to arrange such a venue; no matter *who* is
responsible, we, the blind, are at least owed that!
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: Alco Canfield
To: 'NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List'
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:16 AM
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Fw: READ AND WEEP!
I am also wondering if the instructors worked with these teachers to
bring
them to a different place. When learning any new skill it can seem
difficult at first. Eating without seeing was obviously overwhelming
to
these people because they didn't stop to think that they were doing
what
they always do, just without looking. They got so overwhelmed that
their
common sense left them.
Long ago I sneaked in to what was called Dark Communications, a class
sponsored at the Experimental College. It consisted of people eating
while
not being able to see. It was totally ridiculous and I wrote an
article
about it for The Daily. It did little to further a real understanding
of
what blindness is and is not.
I hope that someone has talked to these teachers to explain and show a
different understanding of blindness than they obviously derived from
their
experience.
Alco
-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On
Behalf Of Mackenstadt, Gary
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 7:25 AM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Fw: READ AND WEEP!
This article does unbelievable damage. I would like to think that
there are
people at WSB who are also offended. We need to find out who is
responsible.
-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 7:03 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Fw: READ AND WEEP!
----- Original Message -----
From: Michelle Creedy
To: Elizabeth Lalonde ; list at cfb.ca
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 6:44 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] READ AND WEEP!
How stupid!!! That's not what its like to be blind! I don't
tollorate
my
blind students putting their hands in their food thank you very much!
Maybe
I'm too strict but that's just gross!!! Ew!!! That makes me feel
quite
ill!!! Not even our school in South Africa would have done something
like
that! At least teach them some skills if you have to do simulations!
Now I
see why the Federation is so against them!
Michelle Who is Rather Grossed out!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Elizabeth Lalonde" <elalonde at shaw.ca>
To: <list at cfb.ca>
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 4:47 PM
Subject: FW: [nfbwatlk] READ AND WEEP!
See article below.
This is why we in the Federation are against simulations. Because
they
do
not give people an accurate idea of what it is like to be blind.
Blindness
is a skill and it takes some practice to learn to be a competent blind
person. It isn't something you can learn in a half an hour. All the
simulations do is scare people and reinforce stereotypes of the
helpless,
fumbling blind person.
-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On
Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 4:36 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk
Subject: [nfbwatlk] READ AND WEEP!
A Feast Not for the Eyes
Turns out it's not so easy eating blind. From left, educators Heidi
Stump, Diana Graham and Cheryl Edmonds eat their entrees blindfolded
as
part of a five-day
intensive workshop through the Washington State School for the Blind.
(ISOLDE RAFTERY/The Columbian)
Sunday, July 29, 2007
BY ISOLDE RAFTERY, Columbian staff writer
Cheryl Edmonds is not, at first glance, the sort of person who would
plunge her hands into her salad bowl. But Wednesday evening, at the
Olive Garden in
Vancouver, Edmonds was blindfolded and desperate to connect with her
entree.
Edmonds, of Vancouver, was among 37 people, most of them educators,
who
agreed to a blind dinner. The exercise is part of a five-day intensive
workshop
on blindness.
By the end of the meal, Edmonds, who was seated with two other
blindfolded women, had ditched etiquette.
"I'd like to touch it all," she said, fingering a leaf. "I don't even
know how much I ate. Oh! There's a lot left."
Sitting next to her, Diana Graham, a kindergarten teacher from the
North
Mason School District, north of Olympia, used her fingers to wrap
fettuccine noodles
around her fork.
And Heidi Stump, a paraeducator seated at their table, was taking sips
from various glasses of soda.
The three women, poised and socially aware without their blindfolds,
behaved like giddy children learning table manners.
The idea behind the blind dinner was to provide a blind experience,
and
also to help explain how specific directions ("Your iced tea is 5
inches
in front
of you with the straw bobbing out") are key to working with blind
students. Educating the teachers
Dee Amundsen, director of outreach at the School for the Blind, said
the
five days are a time for teachers who work with blind students to
learn
about blindness.
In Washington, there are 80 teachers for 1,300 visually impaired
students, Amundsen said.
"Finding teachers for the visually impaired is like finding a needle
in
a haystack," she said. "A lot of kids don't get services. All these
people who are
teaching visually impaired kids don't know anything about blindness."
At the restaurant, the educators learned they can't just "say when" to
a
waiter grinding pepper over their entrees. Someone must read the menu
to
them.
And then there's going to the restroom - an awkward dance that
involves
dodging patrons, slinking into a stall and finding the toilet seat.
For Graham, the veteran kindergarten teacher from North Mason School
District, the five-day stint is worth it. She will have a blind
student
in her class
come fall.
"I want to figure out how best to teach a child," Graham said. "I want
to get her reading for Braille. I want to get some academics into
her."
Then she paused.
"Are you still there?" she asked, also attempting to land a small pile
of fettuccine into her mouth.
Yes, everyone was still there.
"I feel stupid," Graham said. "I don't normally miss my face when I
eat."
Cheryl Edmonds, a consultant, agreed.
"I get a sense for the independence thing," she said. "If the lights
went out tomorrow, I don't know what that would mean for me."
Did you know?
There are 1,300 visually impaired or blind students in Washington.
Eighty teachers are trained to teach blind students in the state.
About 70 students attend Washington State School for the Blind in
Vancouver. The school serves about 600 students per month statewide.
Isolde Raftery writes about education. She can be reached at
360-759-8047 or isolde.raftery at columbian.com.
C2007 Columbian.com. All Rights Reserved - Use of this site
constitutes
acceptance of our
User Agreement.
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-------------- next part --------------
I intend to attempt to arrange such a venue; no matter *who* is responsible, we, the blind, are at least owed that!
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From:
mailto:amcanfield at comcast.net Alco Canfield
To:
mailto:nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org 'NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List'
Sent:
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:16 AM
Subject:
Re: [nfbwatlk] Fw: READ AND WEEP!
I am also wondering if the instructors worked with these teachers to bring
them to a different place. When learning any new skill it can seem
difficult at first. Eating without seeing was obviously overwhelming to
these people because they didn't stop to think that they were doing what
they always do, just without looking. They got so overwhelmed that their
common sense left them.
Long ago I sneaked in to what was called Dark Communications, a class
sponsored at the Experimental College. It consisted of people eating while
not being able to see. It was totally ridiculous and I wrote an article
about it for The Daily. It did little to further a real understanding of
what blindness is and is not.
I hope that someone has talked to these teachers to explain and show a
different understanding of blindness than they obviously derived from their
experience.
Alco
-----Original Message-----
From: mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mackenstadt, Gary
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 7:25 AM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Fw: READ AND WEEP!
This article does unbelievable damage. I would like to think that there are
people at WSB who are also offended. We need to find out who is
responsible.
-----Original Message-----
From: mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 7:03 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Fw: READ AND WEEP!
----- Original Message -----
From: Michelle Creedy
To: Elizabeth Lalonde ; mailto:list at cfb.ca list at cfb.ca
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 6:44 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] READ AND WEEP!
How stupid!!! That's not what its like to be blind! I don't tollorate
my
blind students putting their hands in their food thank you very much!
Maybe
I'm too strict but that's just gross!!! Ew!!! That makes me feel quite
ill!!! Not even our school in South Africa would have done something
like
that! At least teach them some skills if you have to do simulations!
Now I
see why the Federation is so against them!
Michelle Who is Rather Grossed out!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Elizabeth Lalonde" < mailto:elalonde at shaw.ca elalonde at shaw.ca
>
To: < mailto:list at cfb.ca list at cfb.ca
>
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 4:47 PM
Subject: FW: [nfbwatlk] READ AND WEEP!
See article below.
This is why we in the Federation are against simulations. Because they
do
not give people an accurate idea of what it is like to be blind.
Blindness
is a skill and it takes some practice to learn to be a competent blind
person. It isn't something you can learn in a half an hour. All the
simulations do is scare people and reinforce stereotypes of the
helpless,
fumbling blind person.
-----Original Message-----
From: mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On
Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 4:36 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk
Subject: [nfbwatlk] READ AND WEEP!
A Feast Not for the Eyes
Turns out it's not so easy eating blind. From left, educators Heidi
Stump, Diana Graham and Cheryl Edmonds eat their entrees blindfolded as
part of a five-day
intensive workshop through the Washington State School for the Blind.
(ISOLDE RAFTERY/The Columbian)
Sunday, July 29, 2007
BY ISOLDE RAFTERY, Columbian staff writer
Cheryl Edmonds is not, at first glance, the sort of person who would
plunge her hands into her salad bowl. But Wednesday evening, at the
Olive Garden in
Vancouver, Edmonds was blindfolded and desperate to connect with her
entree.
Edmonds, of Vancouver, was among 37 people, most of them educators, who
agreed to a blind dinner. The exercise is part of a five-day intensive
workshop
on blindness.
By the end of the meal, Edmonds, who was seated with two other
blindfolded women, had ditched etiquette.
"I'd like to touch it all," she said, fingering a leaf. "I don't even
know how much I ate. Oh! There's a lot left."
Sitting next to her, Diana Graham, a kindergarten teacher from the North
Mason School District, north of Olympia, used her fingers to wrap
fettuccine noodles
around her fork.
And Heidi Stump, a paraeducator seated at their table, was taking sips
from various glasses of soda.
The three women, poised and socially aware without their blindfolds,
behaved like giddy children learning table manners.
The idea behind the blind dinner was to provide a blind experience, and
also to help explain how specific directions ("Your iced tea is 5 inches
in front
of you with the straw bobbing out") are key to working with blind
students. Educating the teachers
Dee Amundsen, director of outreach at the School for the Blind, said the
five days are a time for teachers who work with blind students to learn
about blindness.
In Washington, there are 80 teachers for 1,300 visually impaired
students, Amundsen said.
"Finding teachers for the visually impaired is like finding a needle in
a haystack," she said. "A lot of kids don't get services. All these
people who are
teaching visually impaired kids don't know anything about blindness."
At the restaurant, the educators learned they can't just "say when" to a
waiter grinding pepper over their entrees. Someone must read the menu to
them.
And then there's going to the restroom - an awkward dance that involves
dodging patrons, slinking into a stall and finding the toilet seat.
For Graham, the veteran kindergarten teacher from North Mason School
District, the five-day stint is worth it. She will have a blind student
in her class
come fall.
"I want to figure out how best to teach a child," Graham said. "I want
to get her reading for Braille. I want to get some academics into her."
Then she paused.
"Are you still there?" she asked, also attempting to land a small pile
of fettuccine into her mouth.
Yes, everyone was still there.
"I feel stupid," Graham said. "I don't normally miss my face when I
eat."
Cheryl Edmonds, a consultant, agreed.
"I get a sense for the independence thing," she said. "If the lights
went out tomorrow, I don't know what that would mean for me."
Did you know?
There are 1,300 visually impaired or blind students in Washington.
Eighty teachers are trained to teach blind students in the state.
About 70 students attend Washington State School for the Blind in
Vancouver. The school serves about 600 students per month statewide.
Isolde Raftery writes about education. She can be reached at
360-759-8047 or mailto:isolde.raftery at columbian.com isolde.raftery at columbian.com
.
C2007 Columbian.com. All Rights Reserved - Use of this site constitutes
acceptance of our
User Agreement.
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.23/924 - Release Date:
7/28/2007
3:50 PM
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.23/924 - Release Date:
7/28/2007
3:50 PM
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