teaching

On Tuesday I think David did really well. He had to go through 3 separate building that he had not been in for a week or two. However, in a way, and I know is sounds bad and I don't mean for it to, but...I am glad he had some difficulties. I mean how can a teacher learn to teach if you have a perfect student?
I got to practice the fine line of allowing a student to explore while not letting his anxiety level get too high. I realized it can be difficult to judge the emotional state of your student, to know when to push them and when to help them. It was really interesting watching David explore the second floor of Dodd Hall. I feel like he finially had one of those moments Katie and I have experienced several times. He thought there was only 1 doorway, and when I told him there were actually 2 it was like his entire perception of the area was thrown off. I know how that feels, like Mickey says you try to change the environment so it will make sense with what you think you know. This happened to David again when I told him about the couches in the lounge area. I could tell his anxiety level was getting high. He seemed so discouraged, and maybe that is was caused him to get to the bathroom door and then turn around and walk away without realizing he was right where he needed to be. When I did not inform him that he had reached the bathroom and he walked away, it occurred to me that this might have been the first time I didn't tell him when he reached the bathroom. It was really interesting to ask him to tell me when he was there, and watch him turn away from the doors. I wondered how many times teachers just say "oh you're there" to their students, and their students were not sure if they had reached their destination yet. Because in a real independent situation there will not be a teacher there to tell you when you've reached the correct destination. I need to remember this when I am working with my future students. Over all I thought Tuesday was one of the most informative and helpful classes for me as the teacher.

Bellamy re-do

It was interesting watching David and Katie basicly re-do what we did on Tuesday. I know they had their experiences from 2 days ago to rely on, but in a way it felt like today was a fresh start in Bellamy. David seemed more confident and Katie was more determined.
It really was interesting to see what happened when Katie was not being given any information from Mickey and David. She kept asking questions and depnding on their responces to guide her. I do this in Rovetta all the time. "The stairs are to my . . . left. . . I think?" It can get really frustrating as you try to ease off the teacher's assistance, or when you ask a question and no one answers. I think Katie did a really great job transitionsing to walking her route mostly independently. She did get turned around a few times, but through simple questions Mickey was able to guide her to discovering the answer for herself, which is always a good feeling. I like observing Katie because I feel like we have similar issues, like getting to the edge of downward stairs, getting turned around, and not having a lot of confidence in new environments. When we are in Bellamy it's like I get to step back and visually observe some issues I have.

Observations

Watching Katie in Bellamy on Tuesday was the first time I felt like I was observing the role of the teacher more than the student. Katie was doing really well, but getting confused, and a few times I started to suggest something, but then didn't want to interrupt. David was great, and we all try different things when teaching a new route, but there were some ideas I had. Katie seemed to be having trouble making all the new turns, as well as staying on the correct side of the hallway. I walked the route behind Katie and noticed that after she crossed the T-intersection of the hall, there was really no 'wrong way' that she could get lost in. For the first few times traveling that route she could have trailed one side of the hallway all the way down following it's turns and would have ended up at her classroom. The same thing would have worked for her route back to the doorway by the stairs. One way to help with this new route that was full of turns could be to use velcro boards. I saw the O&M teachers at FSDB use them all the time. They would stick different shaped pieces of velcro together on a velcro board to make a tactile map of the route. The student could then feel it before they started the route to understand what was ahead of them. Student could also pause while walking the route and feel where they currently were on their velcro board map. From what I saw this really helped some students put the different steps of a new route together.
Another thing I noticed was that when Katie reached the classroom for the first time there was a discussion of what Katie could and couldn't do. Could she make it back to the front door? or the stairs? or the doorway? I was watching Katie, and I could picture the same situation I have been in when in Rovetta. Having everyone talk about what you may or may not be able to do. I felt like it might have been beneficial to include Katie in the discussion about her abilities. I know with all students this is not possible because some will not be willing to try new and challenging things, but with us I think it would be appropriate.
As soon as David told Katie to make a diagonal turn I could tell there were going to be problems. We had already noted that day how Katie had a tendency to "crab walk" sideways at funny angles off the wall. I could guess that she might have issues doing it intentionally because making a diagonal turn could be anything between walking straight to making a 90 degree turn. When I am under blindfold a diagonal turn feels like a huge area. I think once she had some more practice a diagonal turn could be tried again. She had learned so much in that one lesson it seemed like too much to add a diagonal turn.
David, I'm sorry if it made you feel weird that I was standing behind you writing furiously. I just had a lot of ideas and didn't want to forget them. I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable I think you're a great teacher!

class at the mall!

I learned a lot today, like that there are secret tunnels in the mall and if you really get desperate elevator doors can be forced open. Today was also really fun, seeing a route from start to finish, from where the bus would drop you off to a specific store. I really enjoyed trying to figure out the most efficient way for a blind person to get from one point to the other, it felt like real mobility! Not that what we have been doing wasn't 'real' mobility, but being out in public, seeing a more concrete hypothetical situation was a great experience. I know this sounds corny, but it kind of felt like solving a puzzle, trying to get all the pieces to fit together in the best possible way. I also liked that we looked into other possible routes to the same location, changing everything from which way to cross the street at the bus stop, to using stairs or the elevator.
The escalate was weirder that harder than I thought it would be. So many times when I am out with friends and I get on one I don't really look down, I just step out. Today getting on it going down was deceivingly easy, it just kind of carried me away. But after being reminded that there was a possibility that it could crew up my shoes as well as my toes, I felt a little anxious. Like I mentioned earlier today I had a bad childhood experience with a babydoll getting her legs amputated by an escalator, and as I got closer to the bottom all I could picture in my mind was the old dolls shredded melted lower half. Anyway, Micky is right, freaking out and jumping around at the bottom is worse and more dangerous than just taking a big confident step. It did help once I used Katie's cane. I have learned a lot using my cane, and so when it told me I was almost at the end I trusted it completely.

Ambutech Update

I called ambutech and tried so hard to be nice and ask if there was anything else they would possibly do. They'll only completely replace a cane for free within 30 days of delivery, but they will fix mine for $23, and it will take about 2 weeks to get it back. I'm going to get out the Gorilla Glue when I get home.

aparently I don't like stairs either

I started today with confidence.
I started today thinking "I am going to go into that building and show it who is boss!". I was so determined to do well, that when I didn't my frustration shot way up. I really don't know how I got so confused on the stairs. Well, it all started with assuming the stairs were in one place and internally freaking out when I realized they were actually somewhere else. When I found them I felt like there was a giant hole next to me and I came within inches of falling into it. Once that happened I lost all orientation, my 'string' became detached from my 'point'. It really showed me how even when I was trying my hardest to calm down, move on and stay focused, my brain still just shut off. I felt anxiety physically take over me today. I knew I needed to be confident and walk normally, but I couldn't. I was shaking every time I put my foot out to find another step, which made it really hard to walk. And no matter how hard my mind told my body to snap out of it I just couldn't. It wasn't until I reached the bottom and had a moment to regroup and reflect that I felt like I could go again.
Once I had a little more success, going back up the stairs and down again, I felt better. From that point on things were less scary...until I collided with some kind of doorway or pole.
Thank you Katie for saving my face! I would have thanked you profusely if I had realized Micky really was saying 'good job Katie' and not being sarcastic. A bruised knee is better than a broken nose, so I appreciate your quick reactions.
A weird thing I noticed today that I had never thought of before was how strange it was to use a new cane. I did not realize how accustomed I had become to mine, it's feel, the sounds it makes, it's weight, even the way it bounces off the ground in 2-point touch. The rigid cane today did give more feedback about the ground, but it was almost too much feedback. I kept getting out of step because the cane was so bouncy. It felt like I had a bouncy ball tipped cane! This will be important when working with students in the future, to understand if they have issues at first with a new style of cane. On that note I'm going to call Ambutech right now...

R.I.P. cane #1

Today I went through the full rage of emotions. Happy, sad, scared, irritated, relieved...
As soon as Katie said the word elevator I went on high alert. I think I was distracted when going to new areas because I kept wondering "is she going to make me get on it now? or around this corner? or after this set of stairs?" Micky is right, I needed to be present.

I know they were all separate events, but geez it felt like everything that could happen today did. I got hand sanitizer sprayed down my dress, someone apparently jumped over my cane and ran away laughing, and sadly my cane broke. Not to mention the very strong unsolicited advice about how to properly use "those stick thingies".

It's days like today where I can really understand why we are having these experiences under the blindfold. Feeling lost, uncomfortable, thinking you're in everyone's way and that you look like a total moron, plus having unnecessary and kind of embarrassing help from people that do not understand; these are all things my future students will go through. And while I know the 30 minutes I spend under the blindfold are nothing compared to what they have to deal with every second of the day, I think it will help to know where they are coming from. One day I can tell them all of my disastrous stories and hope it will build a little rapport, or at least make them laugh.