Intentional Thankfulness for TVIs

It was a year ago that  I decided to take the liberty of announcing the proclamation that the first Monday after Thanksgiving was a new professional holiday: Day of Thanksgiving for Teachers of the Visually Impaired. Typical for most TVIs is running in and out …

Confessions from a TVI

I’m tired. I’m really tired already. Rather than starting the new school year refreshed and filled with anticipation, I’m a Teacher of the Visually Impaired with a professional fuel tank running low on energy and motivation. This is as honest as it gets. Because while …

10 Reasons to Learn Braille

1. Use an ATM with your EYES closed 2. Read while traveling without getting carsick 3. Save energy by not using electricity when reading 4. Reading is for EVERYONE 5. Record user names and passwords in a code that ensures protection and privacy 6. Reduce …

10 Songs that Epitomize the Life of a TVI

There’s a lot to be said about the continued culture of the education system as we know it and how teachers continually try to move mountains for students with little political support and no resources. But given the oppressive climate here in my own state …

Convergence Insufficiency

I adore my Orientation and Mobility Specialist friends and colleagues, but for all intensive purposes, there is a real good reason why I never trained for this particular profession: I can’t find my way out of a paper bag. And if that’s not bad enough …

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 …