An Update and Some Thoughts on Preparing for a Job

Hello, everyone. I hope this first, full month of  spring finds you well. Anita here with you today, and Spring has been a rather snowy and busy one here in WV. Goalball season has recently ended, and gives me a small break. Spring break has also allowed me a chance to rejuvenate for school, but I have been very busy at home.

My Mom, who lives in a nearby nursing home, came to spend the weekend with me. We played cards and fried potatoes. Ruth Ann, my cousin, stopped in to visit us as well. Then, Joy, my cousin came over to spend the night. Then, I went to her house to spend the night. While there I Took advantage of her WiFi and updated my iPhone. I  put Word Pro on my new MacBook, but at the moment, it is about to be thrown out the window. I couldn’t figure out how to save an article I wrote, though I did eventually succeed. So my brain is foggy just now.

During my break, my friend, Nancy, and I spent a day shopping at the mall. My bank account is way lower, but I have a couple of new bowls and a new kitchen gadget to play with. It is a rice cooker. I found a pasta rice cooker that is useful for all kinds of things a few months back, and I wanted another one. It is so frustrating when something I like disappears from the shelves at Walmart.

Anyhow, the point here is that I’ve been busy. Generally, I like to cook on vacation, but I haven’t had a lot of time for that. Currently, I have a hash brown casserole in the crockpot. When I was preparing it, I decided to add in bacon bits. I found a little bag that felt like the bacon bits. After opening it, I realized it was nuts. I had used Seeing AI, an app on my iPhone designed to tell me barcodes and read text, and while it couldn’t find the barcode, it did read something about almonds. I didn’t believe it because I don’t remember buying any almonds. I should have listened to it though because almonds they were. LOL

This blog post is really me ranting to you. I just wrote an article about "DUCKING INTO UEB", the book S. J. Wells and I wrote. In the article, I mentioned how I wanted to get a job like my sighted family members way back in the ’90’s. As blind people, obtaining a job is more difficult. It is important that we have the skills, training, and opportunity to do the job. Also, accessibility needs are important. Yes, the law requires that reasonable accommodations be made for us. But what does reasonable mean? And, it is a sighted world. A sighted person could apply for and potentially acquire a job in the local area easily enough, though it may be a minimum wage position. But a person who is blind requires accessibility to be included with the package.

I remember years ago in Parkersburg when I wanted to work at a call center. The software at the time was not accessible for screenreaders. Maybe nowadays, I could tackle the challenge of insuring such accommodations were met, but back then, I did not possess the knowledge or bravery. And, I’m glad I didn’t because working at a call center is not where I feel the Lord wants me to be. Still, I sometimes feel that a realistic job option be a consideration. What would I do if I was suddenly rifted from my current position as others have been? What skills and training would I need to acquire employment? Could I still live here in the town I consider as my home? Truth is that most people must relocate in order to be employed. But could their possibly be virtual jobs in the education field for me? Or, are there other career options I haven’t explored? I do not plan to leave my current position in the near future. But where will I be in ten years or so? If I want to make a career move, I need to plan now so I can be properly trained for the transition. And, if I decide to stay in this position forever, educating myself about other careers and even completing some of the training will not be a waste of my time. 

Part of my reason for bringing up this topic on this blog is because on one of my facebook lists, someone wanted to know what jobs are out there for blind people. There are not specific jobs for blind people. There are jobs in the field of blindness. There are companies that focus on hiring blind people, such as Industries for the Blind. But a person who is blind should really focus on their strengths and weakness and job interests. Filling out a job inventory is a great first step. Getting in touch with blind people in an interested field is also important, though not required. 

The ACB, www.acb.org and NFB, www.nfb.org both offer mentorship programs to people who are blind and visually impaired. AFB, www.afb.org also has Career Connect, a program that matches one with someone who has a job in the interested field. Finally, determining the accommodations is key. And, while the employer is required to make the reasonable accommodations, any accommodations we can make on our behalf will help to make us more successful candidates. Blindness skills training and training required for the specific career are also appropriate steps. Have fun searching! In the mean time, here is a link that will allow you to search virtual jobs. The site also allows you to search for jobs that require your physical presence. https://www.indeed.com/q-Virtual-jobs.html

That's it for today, but be sure and come back in 2 weeks for another edition of Interviews to Empower. Until then, be safe and remember to laugh often.

Interviews to Empower Presents, Conrad Bennett

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Interviews to Empower! Often, we look to those individuals whose names are well-known for inspiration. However, it is in the everyday living where miracles are born. This months interviewee is a regular guy doing normal things, and yet he is inspiring, because he does not let his disability stand in the way of being a regular, normal guy. Come with me and meet Conrad Bennett, a man who’s motto could be “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”.

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.

A: Well, I’m 32 years old, I love computers, and I love helping students. Actually, I love to help anybody. I consider myself to be religious, I’ve been married for 12 years, I have a son who is 12 and I am totally blind.

Q: What eye condition do you have, and how long have you had it?

A: I was born premature, and too much oxygen in the incubator caused my redness to not grow or attach. I’ve been blind ever since birth.

Q: What strategies, techniques and/or tools do you use to accommodate for your vision loss?

A: I use a computer with a screen reader, an iPhone with voiceover, my oven is labeled in braille, I use a guide dog and a cane, and I also have a touchscreen washing machine and dryer that is labeled in braille.

Q: Can you tell us about your post high school life, meaning about various jobs or other pursuits? Also, feel free to tell us about any non-work related activities—hobbies, etc.

A: After high school I worked at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, BISM. Then, I worked from home doing data entry. After that, on the side I would help set up wireless networks for various people and businesses. Then, I began restoring and fixing computers. That is still a side hobby as well. Whenever I need to see the computer screen but can’t use a speech program, like with windows there are times when the speech can not work, I use my iPhone’s camera to read the screen. I really enjoy Apple products and love helping people learn how to use them, whether they are sided or blind. At present, I am a classroom aid at the WV School for the Blind.

Q: Are you affiliated with any organizations, such as Lions Club or a blindness-specific organization? Why or why not?

A: I am a member of the Lions Club. I joined this organization, because I like to see them out doing something to actually help people. They go out in their community and help folks obtain glasses, hearing aids and even help get glasses fixed. They are also active in supporting guide dog schools such as Leader Dogs in Rochester Hills, MI and Pilot Dogs in Columbus, OH, which is where I got my guide dog.

I am also a member of the American Council of the Blind, ACB. Actually, I am the current president of the Potomac Valley chapter of the Mountain State Council of the Blind.

Q: What keeps you going when life gets you down?

A: Well, when life gets too tough, I just remember to stop and say a prayer. That’s what gets me through.

Conrad, thank you for allowing us to interview you. It has been a pleasure.

And, thank you, dear readers for being with us today. Be sure and come back on the second Thursday in February, that is the 8th for more inspiration from your favorite writing team, Adkins and Wells. :) Until then, remember to say a prayer and keep on smiling.

For more information about the schools or organizations mentioned, below are links you can follow.

Blind Industries and Services of Maryland www.bism.org

West Virginia School for the Blind, www.wvsdb2.state.k12.wv.us

Lions Club, www.lionsclubs.org

Mountain State Council of the Blind, www.mscbwv.org

Leader Dogs, www.leaderdog.org

Pilot Dogs, www.pilotdogs.org

Blessings.

An Update from Anita

Hello, and welcome to the blog. Anita here this time.

First, let me say that it is my fault we are late at delivering this month's blog. I turned 40 recently, and that means I'm getting old and forgetful, :) and so I left the thumb drive at work. I save the blog post on the thumb drive so I can then insert it into my iPhone and attach the post to an email I sent to S.J. So, my apologies. And, thank you, S.J., for telling me about flashdrives for iPhones. It makes it easier for me to transfer files to and from my iPhone and other devices.

I have been very busy since I last wrote to you here on the blog. For one thing, I attended the annual conference at the American Printing House for the Blind, or APH. While there, I was able to do a lot of networking with other people in the teaching field and with other blind people from all around the world. At the World Blind Union meeting, I happened to sit beside Mark Maurer, former president of the National Federation of the Blind, NFB, and Mark Riccobono, current president of the NFB. Networking is an awesome thing because this gave me an opportunity to speak to these gentlemen on a personal basis, and it was not at a convention. They meet many people, and so I am sure it is hard for them to remember all of the people they meet. But now, I have a stronger voice should I need one pertaining to any assistance I may need from them. Several members of the American Council of the Blind, ACB, were also present at this meeting. Lou Tutt, a member of from AER, was also present. While you are hearing me mention several educational organizations, remember I am a teacher. In your profession, whatever it may be, it is a good idea to attend conferences for networking purposes. This is how you gain a deeper knowledge in your field and a body of support that can prove invaluable in your personal and professional life.

While at the APH convention, I was also privileged to tour the printing house. I was surprised at all I didn't know about what they did, though I should have known it. I worked as a seamstress at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, or BISM, several years ago. APH was similar, though the type of production was different. We discovered how braille and large print books and magazines went through stages of processing before being printed. They used several embossers and printing machines, some of them enormous. We also stopped by the booth where an audiobook for the National Library Service, NLS was in the process of being recorded. To me, this was special because I listen to these books and I recognized the name of the narrator, Jack Fox. Also, I learned that the reader gets paid by how quickly they can accurately record the book rather than by how long it takes to complete the recording. At another place in this plant, we were in a huge room with worktables all around. Silent workers were working to assemble kits, for example, APH has a Jump Rope To Fitness Kit. Each item in the kit has a specific item number, and these specific bins with these numbered items were in another area just beyond this work area. I was also able to tour the APH museum.

While on this tour, I continued to meet people in my field, some blind like myself, but many with vision. While not attending meetings where I was exploring APH products and providing input on products and services, I spent my moments of spare time enjoying Louisville. I enjoyed a nighttime horse and carriage ride through the city streets and dining at The Old Spaghetti Factory. I also did a bit of shopping at the gift shop, where I purchased a horse. No, it wasn't real.

To move on to other things I've been doing since I last wrote to you, I was a foster Mom for about a month or longer. Due to needs of the child, I requested a different placement for the child, but I learned a lot. I also discovered that I live in a supportive community. This world is better than we think it is, if we choose to take the time to dwell on its good. Many friends and acquaintances stepped in to assist me. I had to make unexpected trips to the doctor's office to pick up prescriptions that could not be faxed to the local pharmacy. I had to go to Morgantown  for appointments. I had to have assistance each medicine time because, regardless of my level of vision, this job required two people, the key reason I requested another placement for the child. One day, I had to rely on a driver and friend to drive around between pharmacies and wait while prescriptions were being filled. Also, I had to make a number of phone calls pertaining to the child. Taking care of the child  at home was the easy part, though before I accepted the child, I figured this would be the hard part. Thank you to all who helped me during this time. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. When the right child comes along, I look forward to being so busy again, but I am thankful for my "me" or "Mommy" time in the meanwhile. :)

And, of course, I've been very busy at work. Our first nine weeks just ended, and I think it is the busiest nine weeks I've experienced in my five years at the West Virginia School for the Blind. But it has been fun and rewarding. The children have been busy learning my braille songs and working to build braille contraction knowledge. And, I've been busy planning their work and taking on extra responsibilities this year.

That is a brief snapshot of how I have been filling my days. Currently, I'm sitting on my couch, wondering if my Mom's birthday present is tucked out there in my mailbox. One of my cats, Tiger Lee is lying on the chair arm beside me, and I just heard my Mom get out of bed and wheel herself into my downstairs bathroom. She is spending the weekend out of the nursing home. I am having her a surprise birthday party tomorrow. Sue Smith, who used to be my night houseparent when I was a student at WVSB, owns a bakery. I called upon her to make my Mom a Mario birthday cake as she will only be turning 69 on November 15, which is this coming Wednesday. A breakfast walk to pick up food from the Romney Diner is calling and my cousin, Ruth Ann, who helped me tremendously with my foster daughter is hoping I'm awake to be ready when she gets here after while to take me grocery shopping. So bye until next post.

And, please remember to say "Thank you!" to all the Veterans you meet for what they've done for our country. Also, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, since it falls on the fourth Thursday of the month, our edition of Interviews to Empower will be posted the following Thursday, Nov. 30. We hope you will join us then. Thank you for being with us today, and we’re praying you have a fantastic weekend.

Blessings.

After the Convention and Some Other Stuff

Hello and welcome to the blog. Anita here with you this week, talking about independence, the WV NFB convention, some technology and anything else that pops out of my head. LOL Read on; we’re going to have fun.

I’m tired. But that's a good thing, because it helped me realize, taking a toddler bed to my basement by myself might not be a wise decision. Fortunately, I know when to forge on with endless determination and when to wait for someone to help me. I haven't always known that, and even now, I will still unwisely do things I really shouldn't. For example, while waiting at High Street, I take a chance and cross before I confirm a standstill has occurred. I'm not intentionally walking out in front of a moving vehicle, but at the same time, I'm taking a risk. I know when it is and isn't safe to cross a street, but when I'm in a hurry, the Lord continues to protect me, for which I'm thankful. But what I'm trying to say to you is that many times it is when we get in a hurry or tired of waiting for someone else that we tend to make errors. Still, my motto is: I am glad to accept assistance with this activity, but since no one is offering or available, I will conquer it on my own. I hate waiting on other people to do things for me, and I try not to rely on others for activities I can safely do on my own, if I can avoid it. I do ask for help when I need it and accept assistance on occasion in order to respect someone who is only trying to be kind. I will also accept it to open a door that will allow me to develop a relationship that will give me the opportunity to teach a lesson on blindness.

That might sound radical, but I just did return from the West Virginia State National Federation of the Blind convention after all. :) My favorite parts of the convention were seeing my friend, Shannon, meeting Peggy Hoy who is editing and assisting with putting “Ducking into UEB” on Create Space, and exploring the technology exhibits. I also enjoyed the reception and saying hello to acquaintances and friends.

I enjoy learning new skills, and I especially love playing with new technology. The newest version of the BrailleNote was on display, and I was given the chance to sit and play with it for a while. Because I heard it was an Android-based device, I arrived with the notion I didn't want it personally or professionally. But I have an open mind, which is a great thing. It feels like a BrailleNote Apex, but the keyboard lifts up to reveal a touch screen, which provides a visual display for instructors, and a fabulous touch keyboard for its blind users, like me. Surprisingly, this keyboard is quite accurate and I could braille fast with it. Don't worry; it still contains physical keys for those of us who still prefer that method, but the touch keyboard is quieter, and thus, means the romance  novel you are writing during a boring history class is less likely to disturb the other students. :) That reminds me of my Kutztown University teacher from many years ago saying, "Geography lives, amen." I don't remember his name, but I did think he was friendly. While he lectured, I wrote a story about two guys in Southern WV who were trying to solve a crime. He never noticed, or he never said so if he did. But I received a d in the class, and not a dime for that never-published story. To get back on topic, I loved the BrailleNote Touch, and I plan to share information about it with the school where I teach.

The goal of blindness organizations is to advocate for and conduct legislative work to benefit its members and also nonmembers who are blind. My least favorite part of the NFB convention was sitting in the general sessions. This is partly because the speakers are ones who are regular presenters and because I am not the right audience for the remaining presenters as they were geared toward people interested in attending blindness training centers. I am a strong advocate of these centers, but information in these speeches were not relevant to me. Some of the speakers also talked about the legislative process, and I am not as interested in that process as some, even though I know and value the work done by our organization since it has provided me with many freedoms I would otherwise not have. If you want more information about the National Federation of the Blind, visit their website, nfb.org.

I bring up this convention because I just attended it. Also, the American Council of the Blind convention is coming up soon. And, after reading about the activities, I am not sure I will attend. It will have a technology time also, but I will be at work during that time. I might join them for dinner that evening, but as I am about to foster a little girl, that decision to attend is not as likely as it would have been a couple of weeks ago. Still, I would like to go since it is right here in my hometown. I want to know more about how NFB and ACB are alike and different, and this would give me that opportunity. Both organizations benefit the blind, but they have some different views on things. I like to learn and to be informed, and so I may just stop in and see how the ACB impacts me.

If you are interested to learn more about the ACB Convention in WV, some info is provided below.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Mountain State Council of the Blind’s annual convention at the South Branch Inn, 64 Heritage Circle, Romney, WV 26757; phone (304) 822-2444

For questions about the convention or MSCB, please call (304) 933-9540, or email Donna Brown at dandmbrown@atlanticbb.net or president Kevin Maynus at president@mscbwv.org

Did you know Adkins and Wells is on Facebook? Yep, and we would love for you to come over and “like” our page. It can be found at facebook.com/adkinsandwells/

Thanks for being with us today. Drop us a comment or question below. We would love to hear from you. Until next time, have a blessed weekend.

For Caregivers

A couple of weeks ago, we discussed how teachers should define expectations by working toward a big goal. To recap, in order to accomplish this goal, first have the student focus on learning the subskills necessary to achieve that goal and have a can-do attitude about the student's ability to attain the big goal. Remember, the student may never attain the big goal, which is okay, but if she is expected to attain it, she will come closer to reaching it, and thus, will be able to accomplish more.

Today, we shall briefly discuss the caregiver's role in setting expectations. Really, the idea is the same; people who are blind should be expected to do everything a person with vision can do. Keep in mind they will do it differently, and their way may not make sense to you. It may even seem dangerous to someone with vision. Also, as they are learning alternative techniques and building confidence, they may perform the skill slower than someone with normal vision. You may need to adjust your schedule so you can plan time for children with blindness and low vision to do things independently. You may focus on having them do certain things, and then add in a new task once they become competent and confident at the current one.

For example, if you want them to make dinner, don't have them do it on a night when soccer practice occurs. Pick a Saturday. Then, after several weekend cooking sessions, maybe they will be capable of making hotdogs and fries on soccer night. And for a cooking lesson, you might start with having them set the table. Then, they might learn how to make a microwave meal or even just a snack. Start in small steps and build on skills once former skills are mastered.  Plan a special night  in which the child makes a special treat for a friend or family member so they can practice their skills for a real-world purpose. This might be serving popcorn and m&m's   on a movie night, or baking a cake for Grandma's birthday.  Either way, it will be a big deal to the child.

When you go to the store, have them help  choose what they will need in order to accomplish the cooking session. Also, give them experiences feeling different fruits and vegetables as you name them. Remember that we blind people cannot see these kinds of things automatically as sighted people can, and so we need to be encouraged to touch them and be given opportunities to explore them.

Tell us what you see - what a license plate says, that the stoplight has three lights, each a different color, whether or not you think pink and white look good together, that a sighted person looks at someone they are talking to, etc. Have the child to behave as a sighted person would; no rocking or keeping the head down. Give the child replacement behaviors, such as tapping a foot. Show us models, such as a realistic toy elephant or a demonstration of you modeling a hand gesture. Teach children how to organize their money by consistently folding each denomination in a unique way and by using a talking money identifier (there is a money identifier app for the iPhone); note that the money identifier should be used at home and not in a store. The folding system will enable the individual who is blind to identify a bill in a store before she removes it from the wallet or purse, and thus, will mean someone will be less likely to steal it.

Now that we've discussed some ways to help someone to work with a child, let's  discuss some examples of how people who are blind do things differently from people with vision. For example, someone who is blind will use a cane to inform other's about her visual disability and also to verify the  area she is about to step her foot in is clear of obstacles and/or is not lower or higher than the current surface. The cane does not reach clear across the room, but  is within a couple feet of its user. This means someone who is blind will choose to travel quite close to an obstacle before veering away from it or will even move close enough for the cane to alert her of its presence, while still being safe. To someone with vision, this is scary since the blind person may appear to  be about to walk straight into a tree or fall down some steps. People with vision veer away from an object at a greater distance than people who are blind, and so when they observe someone getting closer than they define as "normal", they become afraid the person is about to become injured. A person who is blind may also seem to take a "wrong" route when they are maybe following a perimeter or traveling a given path that is different from one a person with vision might take. Learning blindness skills at a quality training center is essential because the person who has blindness or low vision will learn how to travel without reliance on a perimeter, but many blind people have not received such training, and so you will see them traveling around the long way.

Expanded core skills should also be planned into a student's IEP, and the parent or caregiver should make sure these skills are being taught, and this can be accomplished  through conversations with the child and communication with the child's school. As a blind person who has attended a school for the blind from kindergarten through 12th grade, I want to suggest that not all of these critical expanded core skills are taught to students, and when they are, they are not taught with the rigor they should be. Just because a teacher is certified as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, or TVI, (a title that implies low expectations from the get-go), or happens to work at a school for the blind does not guarantee they know all of the blindness skills, embrace a positive blindness philosophy, or define  their expectations by focusing on teaching students the necessary subskills for reaching those big goals we talked about two weeks ago.

As an advocate, it is the job of the caregiver to make sure a student is provided with the knowledge and confidence she needs. Also, check out summer camps, such as the ones held at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland or the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Be aware that the child may need to go to a quality blindness training center as an adult, preferably before entering the workforce. Doing so could mean the difference between a productive, quality life and a limited existence.

More examples of how people with blindness and people with vision do things differently include:

Someone with vision will verify a dish is clean by looking at it (often a less effective method) whereas a person who is blind will use her sense of touch to verify a dish is clean (a more effective method.)

A person with vision will look to see if meat is brown; a person who is blind will use the smell of the meat, the quieter sound it makes after frying is complete, and its feel to determine it is done.

A sighted person will read the print label on her washer to know where start is; a blind person will touch a raised tactile symbol or braille label to locate this position.

A sighted person will glance at an envelope to see who it is from; a blind person will use a talking scanner to read it or a human reader to identify it.

A sighted person will visually identify a can of green beans; a blind person will organize her cabinet, and even if she doesn't, maybe use a talking barcode scanner to identify this product.

Most sighted people store stuff in their cars; blind people manage to carry all their stuff in backpacks and bags, and/or use a cart they can pull behind them.

Sighted people just hop in and drive to a destination, use public transportation, and/or  walk, whether they preplan the trip or do it on-the-fly; blind people schedule a friend or family member to drive them, use public transportation, and/or walk to a destination.

Sometimes, blind people use home delivery services, such as Schwan's or amazon.com or take in a deep breath and change their plan from going shopping at the mall to walking about town. And, the list goes on and on.

How a task is done is not as important as insuring it is done safely and efficiently.

And now, you are saying, "But, I don't have time. Or it is just easier for me to do it for my child or my blind family member."

That makes sense. But, remember, if you do things for a person who has blindness or low vision that she can do for herself, then you are limiting her and teaching her to rely on other people. And from the perspective of someone who is blind, I can assure you this is not fun in the long run. People don't want to hang around with someone they have to "babysit." I remember several years ago when I worked at BISM, a colleague kept saying "Anita, you should go get your own drink." I had the ability. I was just used to having it done for me. The day I finally got up at a restaurant and got my own drink was the first day I realized that too much assistance from my friends and family in all those years before that had robbed me of my freedom. And, by that point, I had been working in the blindness field for a few years and insisting my students do for themselves, not realizing I should do as I preached. Now, I don't have to wait for someone to get me another drink; I can get it when I want it.

It is okay to help other people. It is sometimes ok to do something for someone else, even if that person is capable of completing that task. The key is that doing so should not be a habit or should not be done because the person is too slow or because you are afraid of that person being harmed. If you don't know how to do a task safely without vision, ask someone who is blind. Call the National Federation of the Blind, NFB or the American Council of the Blind, ACB. Don't let a lack of knowledge mingled with fear limit a person who is blind. We deserve a high quality of life just like someone who is sighted does, and a quality of life is reached with blindness skills training, a positive view of the capabilities of the blind, family/friend support, and regular practice of doing skills to build confidence.

Thank you for being with us today. Be sure and come back next Thursday for another interview to empower.

Be blessed.

It's A New Day

Good morning, and welcome to our blog. So glad you decided to join us today. Once again, the Adkins half of our team is leaving this week’s post up to me, S. J. Wells, as she is completing a college course. So, buckle up, because there just might be an excerpt for you to read.

Last week, we interviewed Maria Morais, and something she said sparked a thought. Why do we tend to believe that our lives would be better, if only… Plug in your own circumstances, here.

Maria Morais said, “I strongly believe that if I could have my sight back, my life would be different but certainly not better.”

The phrase, ‘If only” is laced with poison. If only I could see, life would be perfect. If only I could walk, I would be happy. If only I could hear, I wouldn’t miss out on so much. Repeating “if only” over and over leaves little time for learning to thrive in the here and now.

I once read a quote that stuck with me, although I know not from where it came. “History is a different country,” it said. “They do things different there.” So true, and so worth taking to heart. How we do things today cannot have been done the same way in our past. I have an illustration for your reading enjoyment. Consider the following scene.

*****

“Remember that song you sang to me the night I called you?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Is there more of it?”

The corner of his mouth tipped up. “There might be. I’ll sing it for you, some time.”

“I’d love to hear it. It is one of yours, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “Wrote it the day the rest of my vision went. I kept thinking how scary it was doing things without being able to see. I remember I was trying to pour formula into the babies’ bottles, and I kept spilling it. At first, I was frustrated, because i couldn’t see that bottle’s opening. I tried using my fingers as I had been taught to do, but my fingers kept getting in the way. Then, after I got that mess cleaned up, I went looking for the girls. Missy had put them in separate walkers and closed off the stairs to the basement, so I knew they were on the main floor, but I couldn’t find them, the quiet, little boogers.”

“What did you do?”

“I sat down in the middle of the living room floor, lifted my face to heaven and told God I didn’t know how to find my own children. Told Him I didn’t think it was fare, Him asking me to work so hard. Asked Him how He expected me to be a dad, husband and teacher when I couldn’t even see to pour milk.”

“And?” I asked, when he fell silent.

“After a few minutes, I hear this rolling noise and babies laughing. Together, they came up to me, stretched out their arms toward me and said, ‘Dada, out.’ I pulled them out, one by one, sat them on my lap, bowed my head and said, ‘Lord where are you?’ Just then, Britney and Brooke wrapped their arms around my neck, and it was like the Lord said, ‘I am right here, Connor. I’m in your babies’ laughter, in their touch. I’m in the light and in the darkness. Trust me, I’m here.’ So, after Miss and I put the girls to bed that night, I pulled out my guitar and out came the song.”

“Is that how you approach your disability? Trusting God to supply the need at the moment?”

“That’s how I manage,” he said. “He knows I can’t see, and He’s planned ahead for it. Take today, He knew that girl would walk off, so He sent you to read for me.”

When he put it like that, it seemed so simple. Shifting my position, I sighed. “I wish I knew how to do that.”

“They key is to stop trying to make yesterday fit into today. History is history. What worked before won’t work now. Tell your students Monday morning to pull out their slates, and see what kind of reaction you get.”

“They’ll look at me like I’ve gone crazy,” I laughed.

“That’s because what they used for school back in the eighteen hundreds isn’t used anymore. Same way with life. The old Rae could run without thinking about it. Now, you need a special leg just for running, which, by the way, I think you should get. It doesn’t mean you can’t run; it means you have to run differently. As for me, the old Connor could look at your face and tell whether you were uncomfortable because of the storm raging outside or because I’m sitting so close to you.”

*****

Did you catch what Connor said, here? He said, “The key is to stop trying to make yesterday fit into today.” He realizes his life is different after losing his sight; what worked back then does not work now. He must search for a new way of doing things.

He tells the woman with him, “The old Rae could run without thinking about it. Now, you need a special leg just for running, which, by the way, I think you should get. It doesn’t mean you can’t run; it means you have to run differently.”

This scenario is fiction, but I think it makes a good point. If you or someone you know has recently lost their vision, then you understand, it is very difficult to learn new ways of doing things. Frequently, you may hear, “I can’t.” After a while, saying, “I can’t” leads to a belief system called, “I can’t…ever.” Pretty soon, that evolves into “If only I could, but I can’t ever.”

The remedy? Go back up there and read what Connor did after cleaning up the spilled baby formula, when he couldn’t find his twins. He gave up and called on God. Admitting we are at the end of our rope is not a crime. In fact, whatever your belief system, the first steps to a successful life as a person who is blind or visually impaired, is realizing you need help. Even for those of us who have been blind since birth, admitting on a daily basis that we don’t have all the answers keeps us encouraged.

The next step is finding someone who has the answers that you do not. Do you need to learn blindness skills? Get in touch with folks at the National Federation of the Blind or American Council of the Blind. Ask your doctor if he/she knows of any Independent Living Centers who can help you learn new ways of doing things. Then, when you have contact numbers or email addresses, get in touch with these folks. Don’t be afraid to say, “I need help.”

Finally, let go of your fear of the unknown. My daughter just finished reading in her history book about the frontiersmen and frontierswomen who crossed the Appalachian Mountains, even though they knew very little about the habitat or inhabitants beyond those mountains. The unknown is just that-unknown. It something new to learn. It is only impossible if you believe it to be.

So, y’all want to read the lyrics to Connor’s song? Well, here they are. Enjoy and be blessed, and be sure to come back next week.

*****

Connor’s Song

Sometimes, I’m in a valley low,

And, I can’t see which way to go,

Because, the way is hid from me.

But in the darkness I hear Jesus say,

“Trust me, Friend, I’m on my way.

I’ll lead you to a place where you can see.”

Sometimes, it’s up a mountain,

Sometimes, it’s walking on the sea.

Sometimes, I’m on solid ground,

But mostly, I’m on my knees.

But no matter where He’s leading,

It’s all right with me,

Because I’m trusting in the Master

Who gave me eyes to see.

Introduction

Welcome to the blog of Adkins and Wells. Are you a teacher of the visually impaired or a blindness professional? Or, are you blind or visually impaired? If so, you are in the right place. This blog was created to serve as a home where we can exchange resources and to share ideas about blindness. As we like to put it, we are lifelong learners, authors, and educators of students with blindness and visual impairments.

Like some of you, we are also blind. We have experienced what it is like to be educated as a blind student and what it is like to be a blind adult living in the real world and working outside the home. We have learned how to advocate and we have learned when and when not to do a given task ourselves. Independence means knowing the safest and most effective method for accomplishing a goal as a result of mastering alternative techniques, embracing a positive blindness philosophy, and learning to accept that all people, regardless of level of vision, sometimes need help. Before we can know what we can do or what we may need help with, we must first develop a habit of performing tasks with no assistance. Sometimes it is a misunderstanding about the abilities of the blind, fear or the habits of always asking someone else to do something for us that makes us less independent. Independence equals freedom and success in personal, educational, and professional pursuits. Independence improves our quality of life. The best place for achieving the goal of independence is attending a blindness training program, like the one at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland or the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Contacting the National Federation of the blind or the American Council of the Blind to learn more about blindness is also a great idea.

We will sometimes be posting questions on this blog to encourage blindness professionals and blind people to debate a topic, meaning we want people to think and share their viewpoints. Please be respectful to others and use only appropriate language since anyone, regardless of age, may visit our site. Don't criticize other people; you may disagree with an opinion, but debate against the opinion rather than the person. Our goal is to improve the lives of blind people everywhere by sharing our own experiences as blind individuals. Please understand we are only sharing our opinions. What we say does not replace that of a physician or other expert in the field. We are not responsible for any injuries or other negative effects that you may experience as a result of information provided on this blog. With that said, our goal is for the information to be as accurate as it can be.

Who we are

Adkins and Wells is the writing team of Anita Adkins, braille teacher at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind and inspirational fiction author S. J. Wells. Best friends ever since we met at WVSB, we have been using braille for over 35 years.

Prior to teaching at WVSB, Anita was a braille proof reader and web accessibility tester, then a blindness rehabilitation teacher at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland. She currently holds national certifications in Unified English Braille and literary braille, and certification as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired.  She is a member of both the Braille Literacy Division and At Large Chapter of the WV division of the National Federation of the Blind.  She is also a member of the Romney Lions Club and The National Association of Special Education Teachers. She has been blind since birth due to Optic Atrophy and retinitis pigmentosa. When she is not spending time with her close family and friends, she is enjoying the company of her two cats, Tiger Lee and Whiskers Elizabeth.  She enjoys delving into a good book, writing, learning, pretending to exercise by playing in the pool and walking about town, and playing word games.

S. J. Wells started writing when she was 8 years old, and published her first novel, “Wild Heart” in 2009. Since then, she has went on to publish two more novels, “To Tame A Heart” in 2011 and “A Moment in Time” in 2014. She is currently at work on her fourth and fifth books. A minister’s wife, S. J. homeschools her two daughters, enjoys writing, reading, baking, yarn crafting, outings with her family and friends, singing and playing the piano and learning new things. Blind since birth due to glaucoma, cataracts and scar tissue, she spent most of her elementary years in a public school setting with a teacher for the visually impaired working with her and her teachers to insure books and other printed materials were made accessible. She spent her eleventh and twelfth grade years of high school at the West Virginia School for the Blind, graduating in 1997 as salutatorian of her class. Before becoming a full time parent and author, she worked as a braille proof reader, then a sewing machine operator at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland. To learn more about S. J. Wells, visit her blog.

Put us together, and what do you get? Adkins and Wells, A dynamic duo collaborating on a new project. “DUCKING into UEB”, was born out of a desire to provide students with a quality UEB curriculum. Creative writers, Adkins and Wells , are lifelong learners who are not afraid to try something new. We believe our current project is the only curriculum geared toward students in fourth to twelfth grade. Our hope is this blog will serve as a virtual classroom for all.

Thank you for reading and actively participating. Be sure to come back next Thursday, as we are posting once a week.