7 things awesome TVIs DON’T do

1. Don’t take shortcuts I think we all know what it’s like to be rushing a student out the door to recess, only to have them stumble getting their coat on. Remember, each time we offer a student a shortcut (by helping them to do …

Purpose Revisited

I’m professionally exhausted. It’s not something I was prepared to share, until another brave soul recently exposed her emotions on social media. With complete vulnerability a Teacher of the Visually Impaired shared that she feels like “such a mess most of the time” in the …

The Expanded Core Curriculum Through the Eyes of Sesame Street

Compensatory While there is much more to Compensatory Skills besides reading braille, who can pass up an opportunity to watch Big Bird learn about braille? Certainly, not the High-Heeled TVI! Exposure to braille is everything. Big Bird learns about braille   Career Education Career skills …

Thanksgiving for the TVI

As educators we come out of the Beginning-of-the-School-Year starting gate bright-eyed with boundless energy and a mind full of ideas gathered from summerlong binge surfing on Pinterest. Little by little we are whittled down to a syrupy pulp come Thanksgiving Day, all in the name …

Thanks for Making me a Fighter…

Dedicated to Francis Mary D’Andrea (FM) who remains to be one of many braille advocates, keeping the braille path well lit for all who follow. I’m a peacemaker through and through. Disagreement usually causes me to feel uneasy. If you didn’t know me better, you’d call …

State of Our Profession Address

Preface I call myself a REAList, while some may point the finger and call me pessimistic. (Perhaps I shouldn’t fret so much about possible finger pointing, because REALism just might be that no one even reads the High Heeled TVI.) Onward I tread. It’s true …

Too Little Too Late

I’m 41 and not ashamed to admit that I’ve crossed the 40 Threshold. In some ways this threshold has offered the freedom to be me, unlike never before. I could care less about going to the store without makeup. Reality. I don’t seem to apologize …