Last week I covered the visually impaired classes for two days. One of the students is mostly mainstreamed, and she only joins us for 6th period. Another student is only with us for half the day as she takes regular classes the rest of the day. One student has a one-to-one aide who she spends most of her time with.
I spent most of the two days with Ubaldo.
Ubaldo has a kind of gangster vibe going. He acts tough. But he's struggling.
Each period was a different topic. We went through his English assignment, and then he had time to answer some questions. We went through the geography chapter, and then he had questions to do. Same for government. Same for economics.
He had braille copies of the books and assignments. I had print copies, so I knew what his braille copies said. He would get frustrated that he couldn't find answers. I would give him hints to help him figure out where those answers were.
Things went pretty well, but because he took so much time in finding answers, by 6th period, he had quite a bit of work to finish up. And since he had not done his homework from earlier in the week, that work was really piling up.
6th period on my last day, Ubaldo went through what he needed to get done with the help of an aide. Which did he want to do: the easier work or the harder work? (I can make arguments for either, depending.) Get more done or get the harder government assignment out of the way? They decided, and I focused on the student in math.
Suddenly, Ubaldo exploded. He stormed out of the room, hitting the doorframe on the way out. And pounding on the wall once he was outside.
His aide explained that he has a tendency to act out, but they've been trying to curb him of that habit.
Well, he saved the explosion for the end of the second day. So, pretty good all in all.
*Not his real name. I never use the students' real names here. They are minors, after all.
Do you know how to read braille? If you could, would you learn? We're almost done with the Challenge--are you ready for it to be over?
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
 |
| U is available. Have you entered the giveaway? Only one more week! |
I guess he hit his limit. Yes, curb that now, because that will be dangerous when he's an adult.
ReplyDeleteUbaldo is a fitting name for the student, considering today's letter in the A to Zero Challenge is "u." :-)
ReplyDeleteTo answer your questions, No, I don't know how to read braille, but if I became blind, I would certainly learn.
Yeah, well I cheated with the name. But I change students' names always anyway...
DeleteOops, meant to write "A to Z Challenge," not "A to Zero." Autocorrect. A to Zero makes me laugh, though, for some reason...
ReplyDeleteI never thought about learning to read braille. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for students like Ubaldo. It must be easy to want to give him a little slack, but better in the long run to push him to his potential.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be interesting to read braille and do sign language, but don't know how to do either. Ubaldo did try; he did hold out until almost the end of the day so that could be considered an accomplishment right?
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about the A/z challenge being almost done. I've enjoyed visiting blogs, etc., but like I said before I'm stuck in mandatory overtime at work so its biting into my blog time; that is not fun, but no end in sight for that so in a way I'm glad the challenge is wrapping up next week.
betty
I've seen shows on sign language, and it's not that hard to learn. Just a lot of vocabulary, but it's fun.
DeleteI imagine it's frustrating living in a world that revolves around the sighted. Using your fingers to read sounds interesting. I wonder what it's like to learn Braille.
ReplyDeleteMeNoBaldo. Me have hair.
ReplyDeleteLOL
DeleteNo I can't read braille but have no objection to learning. I love learning new things. My father went blind when I was nineteen so he learned to read braille.
ReplyDeleteNo, the challenge is fun and I'm not ready for it to be over, but I did write all my posts last month and scheduled them so it would be easier. I don't know how long I could keep that up. Posting almost every day of the month is tough.
Sunni
http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/
It is a lot of posts.
DeleteOnly 5 letters left!!
ReplyDeleteYvonne
And I've only got three of them still to write ;)
DeleteSounds like he has some frustration building up. I can relate, I think we all get to that point sometimes, and studying with an impairment must be a challenge.
ReplyDeleteNo. No. YES!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteYou can find me here:
ClarabelleRant
Yes, April can be a long month, can't it?
DeleteGreat scenario for future books. Conflict, tension, explosion!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely.
DeletePoor guy. I realize you can't account for the entire day, but did he ever get a significant break? If I had to sit at a desk and do reading and questions all day, I might lose it too.
ReplyDeleteI don't know braille and I sure hope I never have to learn, but it would be cool to learn for fun.
I know you said it's not his real name, but Ubaldo is an interesting name. Nice choice for U. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I stole it off another student (at a different school). I didn't realize that's where I got it from until I had him in class this last week.
DeleteNo I don't know how to read braille. I think it would be neat to learn. I hope I never need to learn it.
ReplyDeleteI hope no one ever "has" to learn it. But I find it fascinating.
DeleteMy biggest fear of having MS is that I will wake up blind (it's rare but it does happen). I can't learn to read braille since I don't have any feeling in my fingertips... I had to give up needlework and piano playing but at least I still manage to type pretty fast.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a St. John's Ambulance Cadet we learnt a little sign language and also had some sessions on braille. We had a couple of activities and I was okay at recognising the dots when they were printed, but when they were embossed I couldn't tell what they were. I suppose it's something you'd get the hang of with practice.
ReplyDeleteA friend and I did use the dots to send secret messages to each other in school for a while though. :-)
Yes, that would be a way to disguise your notes.
Delete