Parent Involvement

It is a well known fact that the success of a student is ideally supported by three significant parties: A teacher, A student and A parent. This is no exception for the students of the Grenada Resource Centre for the Blind.

Whatever the nature of your child whether it be blind, visually impaired or regularly sighted, parent involvement is crucial to a child's success. Having that support system at home is nothing but a plus. Be it looking over homework and school work to check that it has not been left on finished, that it has showed signs of being seen, helping with research or simply imparting a comforting word to your child, reassuring them that they have tried, worked hard, can do better or has done better.

Being a supportive and involved parent means liaising with the school, keeping teachers up to date as to the needs, interests and habits of your child, giving suggestions for better results or expressing concerns or lack there of.

whether it be stimulating your visually impaired child through play, bouncing for the toddlers, quizzes and other inventive ways, it is no doubt that the care and attention of every parent in all of our lives is unforgettable and we at the Grenada Resource Centre for the Blind want an unforgettable experience for our own students. So lets work together, at home and in the schools to make sure it happens.

A prime example the Resource Centre for the Blind was proud to witness is this proud daddy who came out along side his wife, bouncing his joyous baby girl on his knees as she began to fret while the culminating activities were under way

We hope to see more of this soon!

Here is an articule that has more useful information about being an effectivly involved parent

New Braillers Compliments DigiCel

The Grenada Resource Centre for the Blind previously received a donation from Digicel and was able to purchase couple of new note taking technology machinary for blind students in the main stream schools. These braillers unlike their old, aged counter parts, are half as light, run smoothly and will allow students to take their notes more effectively alongside their sighted peers.

Just another step towards independence and blind students becoming contributing members of society. The Grenada Resource Centre for the Blind thanks ALL it's supports and

for their interest in equal education for all!

Goodbyes and Thank Yous

We at the Resource Centre for the blind were blessed with the aid of a Peace Corp member for the past two years. She's worked hard, helped us do unimaginable things and now? Exits out life to enter a new stage.

To Alyssa Gaalema Resource Centre for the Blind says Good Bye...and THANK YOU!

2009-2011

Student Beach Day

If you are a blind student living on a Caribbean island...how do you know what a beach is? The feel of sand, the smell of the ocean, the roar of the waves, the taste and refreshing cool of sea water...how do you know it?

You have wonderful teachers get full permission from your parents and take you there when school is out for summer! (as the Ministry Of Education adivces against school beach visits) you have it be an informal outting and then finally?

You Love It!





It was a good day.

ABCDE Workshop part IV: Certificate Ceremony

At the conclusion of our workshop on June 16th, teachers learned about how Sex Ed. for blind/visually impaired students begins at birth in identifying gender differences. We had homemade roti from Mrs. Licorish's kitchen, with the chicken provided from Mrs. Morain's farm for lunch. Roti so big, we had to take our leftovers to the beach after!

Mrs. Frankie Swift, another professor in the Visual Impairment Ed. program at SFASU, felt it necessary to have certificates for the graduates, a detail that Doc and Alyssa Gaalema forgot. She went and ordered the certificates and holders for our staff to enjoy and remember their accomplishments from the two weeks. They were so thrilled to receive them! A HUGE "Big Up," Frankie!

We had a slideshow of all the pictures from their experiences together and the staff presented Barry and Doc with beautiful, Grenadian gifts. They exchanged contact info and Doc and Barry assured them that they would always be a phone call or email away if teachers needed assistance.

Pictured below:
Back- Mrs. Emlyn Raeburn, Mrs. Leolyn Christopher, Ms. Tamara Jones, Mr. Ellis Ogilvie, Mr. Jamal Phillip, Dr. Dixie Mercer, Mr. Barry Stafford.
Front- Mrs. Leaneth Prince, Ms. Sherry Hamlet, Ms. Jahlyna Matthew, Mrs. Ingrid Licorish, Mrs. Vernice Morain, Ms. Carlene Sergeant

ABCDE Workshop part III: Orientation and Mobility

I have never seen teachers so excited as when Barry handed each of our teachers a retractable white cane! Mellyssa Lyght at Ambutech liaised with Barry prior to the trip and was able to get us 78 canes at a reduced cost...ON CREDIT until our SPA grant check came in the mail. It was unbelievable! We also feared the canes would not clear customs at the airport when Barry and Doc arrived. We did not contact the Ministry of Ed. in time to write a concessions letter via Ministry of Finance (lots of formal channels...not enough time). Sure enough, Barry dragged the heavy duffel full of canes, reflective tape, cane tips and accessories all through customs, declared it and spoke to the officer about he and Doc's purpose in Grenada. Would you know the officer waved (and waived) them through without a wink!? "Enjoy Grenada," he said! Amazing blessings!

At Resource Centre for the Blind, we do not have a trained mobility instructor on staff, so it was one of the aims of the workshop to give teachers some of the basic fundamentals to pass onto their students. Barry's idea behind giving the teachers canes was so that when they are in public places with their student, it draws attention, alerts drivers and helps educate the public about the capability of independent travel for blind persons. Students also don't have to feel like their the only ones walking with a cane. The idea was brilliant.



We went all over Grenada blindfolded for our two O&M days. Half the staff went to Grenville to work on L-shaped outdoor routes, battling the unobliging streets full of potholes, random holes, drains and grates. The St. Georges team walked the cruise ship terminal and learned how to use the stairs, escalator, elevator and how to stand in line and pay a bill at the Bruce Street Mall. All staff members were educated in sighted guide techniques, the Heinze Break technique in declining assistance, and search patterns.

ABCDE Workshop part II: Functional Vision Assessment

Teachers at Resource Centre forthe Blind were equipped with their own Functional Vision Assessment kit made from locally sourced materials and some they were able to hand-make for themselves. These assessments allow teachers of the visually impaired to "see what their students see" and figure out what accommodations can be made in their classroom to make life easier for them.



Students can have difficulty in 1 or more of 4 areas assessed: binocularity (how well both eyes work together), acuity (seeing fine detail or reading print from near and far), peripheral (vision on the sides of your face) and cortical visual impairment or CVI (problems that may arise from faulty connections to the brain via the visual cortex area). Using basic materials like puzzles, beads, and even decorated fly swatters, each teacher was able to assess a student on the RCB caseload in either the St. Georges or Grenville parishes.



Here, Doc is testing a student's peripheral vision with a decorated fly swatter, better known as a PTD. I was so impressed with how creative teachers were with their decorations! Doc was really amazing and bought each teacher a goody bag of craft supplies from the states.



I really have to commend our students who allowed us to scrutinize over them, ask lots of questions and study them as we performed assessments. The library at St. Andrews R.C. Primary was colorful, spacious and perfect for testing.



Mr. Ogilvie is looking at the reflection in this this student's eyes to detect balance- this helps test for binocularity.

"ABCDE: Assessing Blind Children, Doing the Essentials to make their lives better" Workshop

Something new and exciting hit Grenada's shores on June 5th, 2011...professors Dr. Dixie Mercer and Mr. Barry Stafford from Stephen F. Austin State University arrived and over the next two weeks to follow, from June 6-16th, we conducted a workshop with the itinerant staff of teachers of the visually impaired from Resource Centre for the Blind. Many of whom did not receive the formal training in visual impairment education that and yet still were doing what they could for the students they were responsible for. It takes a lot of courage, adaptability and patience to do what they do with the limited resources available to work with.



The aim of the workshop was to provide materials to construct "Functional Vision Evaluation Kits" from local sources and train the teachers in how to administer the evals on their students to better "see how they see". When a teacher knows the acuity and scope of a student's vision, they can better program for them and assess their individual needs.



Other areas that were discussed included: Orientation and Mobility, Early Childhood Intervention, Parent-teacher relationships, Activity-based routines, and Sex Ed. for blind students with emphasis on HIV/AIDS.

We had a special opening ceremony or "meet n greet" with the professors, the workshop participants and Ministry of Education officials who all came to Resource Centre on our first day of the workshop. Mrs. Raeburn did an incredible job as MC and we even had MTV news come out and provide coverage for the event.



Dr. Mercer, Sherry and Mrs. Hyacinth were interviewed for the news story.


"ABCDE: Assessing Blind Children, Doing the Essentials to make their lives better" workshop featuring the teachers of the Resource Centre for the Blind in Grenada in conjunction with Peace Corps and Stephen F. Austin State University.



Disclaimer: The anchor called it a one-day workshop, but it actually took two weeks!
Enjoy!

Thanks to A.Gaalema for her contribution to this post.

Walk With Me Walk Grenville

Our Resource Centre for the Blind did our second and final walkathon for the year, last Wednesday, May 25th. We would have hit the streets of our capital, St. Georges, just a week before, with two objectives: sensitizing the public to the fact that blind and visually impaired students are being educated in mainstream schools and the equipment they use is in short supply and they need braille writers! We began at Progress Park in Paradise, St. Andrews and walked through Grenville-town to reach Victoria Park.

This round we would have teamed up with schools around Grenville- St. Joseph's Convent (Saint Andrews), St. Andrew's Methodist, St. Andrew's School for Special Education, St. Andrew's Anglican Secondary School (SASS) and others. With the support of their sighted peers, they were able to help collect donations from passerbys and hold placards. Their energy was incredible despite the hot hot sun!

At Victoria Park we had a few speeches and refreshments for all the participants. Here is a good shot of our wonderful, RCB student participants (below)!

Here we are walking through Grenville-town. We had an incredible turn out!

Thanks to our peace corp vulanteer A.Gaalema for her contribution to this post.

'Walk With Me' 2011 Walkathon

It's that time of year again. When staff and students of the Grenada Resource Centre for the Blind adorn our jerseys and take the streets by storm! Spreading blind and visual impaired education awareness, all over the country, to all of the masses.

This year we did so in St Georges on Wednesday 18th 2011

Last year we staged our walk in hopes of attaining enough money to buy a Braille Embosser so that textbooks could be provided to our students in Braille.

We did not raise enough but we WERE blessed enough to be seen by generous GRENLEC, willing to sponsor our embosser. Now the tool is primed and ready to copy textbooks into Braille so that our students can follow along with their sited peers. One battle one!

This year we face another challenge, though our embosser is bought our brailler are still not all functional. Our students use their personal brailler as textbooks and without them they have no way to independently right.

So this year we were out again, never failing to walk for the rights of the blind and visually impaired of Grenada. Making a bold and true statement, that blindness does not mean a life of dismal limitations in a dark world. That with education, blind and visually impaired students of Grenada can grow into capable able blind and visually impaired capable and functioning contributors of society

Below are pictures from the St George's 'Walk With Me' Walkathon:

Join us NEXT WEEK when we take our 'Walk With Me Walk,' to Grenville! On Wednesday 25th 2011!

Easter 2011 Kite Flying Event

On the 5th April 2011 The Resource Centre for the Blind executed our second Easter Get Together.

The air was brisk and clean, the sky was clear and the wide open pasture unlike last year, showed no sign of drought.

It is a priceless and rare occation to see so many of our students smiles all gathered in one place. Though some could not attend this time the few that were gathered abounded with joy as they helped make kites.

Soon, said kites were kissing clouds and unfortunately, loosing battles with distant powerlines (only two though, which had broken away from it's owner and were carried far by the wind)

While our students harbour little to no sight, this did not crinkle in the least the joy they felt when their kites lifted high on a promising breeze up into the sky.

Lunch was dilicous roti and home made fruit juice with the occiational sweet treat, all of which was sponcered by Resource Centre for the Blind staff

It was a wonderful and recreational way to end of the terms, communing with ourselves, our students and remembering the reason for the season. :)

Doe enjoy our slideshow of the event!

Meet Cindy

A teacher’s job is never done, especially in the area of special education. We at the Resource Centre for the blind have found this to be so very true, this is the story of one such occasion.

Meet Cindy

Cindy went blind early in her life. after and unsuccessful eye operation said blindness became permanent. She has had previous mobility training, unfortunately has not had the opportunity to put it to use and has in fact held herself up in her home for the last NINE years.

When our teachers heard of this we at RCB decided it was time for a home visit. It was eventful, her family was welcoming and she was intrigued by the idea of leaving her home. RCB decided to help make this idea less of a possibility and more of a reality.

So, our present Peace Corp Volunteer Miss Alyssa Gaalema has been assigned to provide her Orientation and Mobility training and experience in the present absence of a ministry assigned Orientation and Mobility Teacher. She is also accompanied by our present TAMCC Vulunteer Miss Prince.

Miss Gaalema made now meets with Cindy once a week where she walks with her and helps her develop the skills necessary to navigate up and down the hill that separates her home from the main road, in an effort to inspire independence.

We hope that someday soon Cindy will be able to independently make the commute from her home to the Resource Centre for the Blind headquarters, where she already visits with the aid of said Peace Corp. volunteer, all on her own. However, we are not an organization that walks just by hope but by action and are going to do as much as is within our power to make it happen.

Can you imagine being way from society for over ten years only due to lack of knowledge of other possible options?

What it would be like to step into the swarmth of the unlight again and with safety and confidence walk from point A to point B carrying out an independent agenda?

How joyous and occasion!


Small victories!

Now for the big stuff, Bring it on May Way Walkathon!

We want equal rights and justice ♫

It's always important to educated on your rights and the rights of those around you so that you can be efficient in what you seek to do. We at the Resource Centre for the Blind are always seeking not just to educate but to BE educated ourselves. In this post we talk a little about the rights that govern the actions of our world. Join us as we take a look.

Convention

What is a convention?
A convention is an agreement between countries to obey the same law about a specific issue. When a country signs and
ratifies (approves) a convention, it becomes a legal promise and guides the actions of the government. It often leads the government To adapt and change its own laws to support the goals of the convention. Ratification occurs when a signed convention or
agreement is officially approved by a country and becomes the law in that country.
• Source: It’s About Ability, UNICEF, April 2008.


Persons with disabilities include those
who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”
• — Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 1.

United Nations

• The United Nations is an international organization formed by the governments of 192 member countries working together to bring peace and justice into the world. The UN was created in 1945 to prevent future wars, to protect human rights and to provide a place for all the countries in the world to come together and discuss important questions and problems that affect everyone. Source: United Nations Guidelines on Justice in Matters
Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crimes (Child-Friendly Version), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Human rights:
• Everyone in this world is protected by laws that defend their rights and inherent dignity (the dignity all people are born with). For example, every human being has the right to life and freedom from slavery. These rights are affirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by all member states of the United Nations in 1948. All children have the right to food and health care, the right to go to school and the right to be protected from violence and abuse. Children also have the right to say what they think should happen when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account. The rights of children are stated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• Source: It’s About Ability,UNICEF, April 2008.


Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

The rights in the Convention are intended to make sure that children have what they need to grow, develop and learn in safety and in good health to become full members of their communities. The CRC makes clear that all children have the same rights, including those with disabilities!

Convention
on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD)

The Convention entered into force (e.g., became international law) on 3 May 2008. The Convention protects and promotes the human rights of all persons with disabilities, including children and young people

The CRC lists all children’s rights. The convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities reaffirms these rights for children (and adults) who live with a disability and spells out what actions governments must take for children (and adults) with disabilities to realize their rights.

In the event that you want more information feel free to click this link:

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm

http://www.unicef.org/crcartoons/list.htm

there you can read in more detail the actually rights of the child and gain more information on the CRC.

And here is a fun way to put it:




No copyright infringement intended. All material mentioned is property of their respective owners.

Fun Fact

We're currently on the front page of the Ministry of Education Grenada Website, for our embosser Ceremony!! :D




here is a link to the little article they did on us:
http://www.grenadaedu.com/Home/tabid/213/ctl/Details/mid/662/ItemID/504/Default.aspx
Check them out and read it!

And incase you cant here it is ALL Credit for the blow article goes to the Ministry of Education Grenada and it's mentioned creator This NOT written by the Resource Centre for the Blind and we do not seek to take credit for this blow article:

ST. GEORGE'S, GRENADA, TUESDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2010 - MOEPRU - Blind and visually impaired students will benefit directly as a result of the donation of a Braille Embosser to the Resource Center for the blind.
The donation by the Grenada Electricity Services Limited GRENLC removes one more obstacle for the blind and visually impaired student as it now provides an opportunity for the 26 students in mainstream schools across the island to have access to the same texts which facilitate the learning process for their peers.

Chief Education Officer at the Ministry of Education Mrs. Pauline Finlay in reaffirming the ministry’s commitment toward improving access to education for the blind and visually impaired said the centre now having the equipment is a significant accomplishment with the students being the greatest beneficiaries.

“Things we take for granted” she says “is a big challenge for them. We can easily open a book and read it. They can’t do it like that.” The embosser she says will enable the visually impaired students to be able to open a book and read using their tactile sense, while also aiding teachers in preparing and facilitating the learning process.

GRENLEC’s Corporate Communications Manager, Prudence Greenidge said it is her hope that the embosser will not only serve the students but the wider community. An important part of development she says is access to education “and if we’re talking about access to education it must be for all of us.”

According to Ms. Greenidge “if we leave any members of our community out, we cannot speak about developing in any way.”

In her remarks Principal of the Resource Centre for the Blind Mrs. Vernice Morain said it was a proud moment and gave her commitment that all blind and visually impaired persons will benefit. She said the centre is now well placed to empower the people it serves.

Having access to the embosser according to Mrs. Morain will result in the blind and visually impaired students have equal opportunities as their sighted peers as they will no longer have to be dependent on reading escorts. “We look forward with eager anticipation to our new school year when our students will benefit from our free brailed textbooks.”

The centre originally had a Braille Embosser but it was lost during the passage of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Staff has since held several fundraising activities in an effort to have the equipment replaced. It was one of their fundraising activities that caught the eye of GRENLEC officials leading the company to partner with the Ministry of Education to replace the equipment.

The reacquired access to reading material for the blind and visually impaired strengthens the ministry’s thrust at inclusive education through it mission of ensuring equitable access to quality and relevant education for all citizens.

There are currently 26 blind and visually impaired students attending mainstream schools. 8 in kindergarten, 5 in primary and 13 at the secondary level.
Written By: IMI
Date Posted: 11/30/2010
Number of Views: 210