`A Gentle Hand Calms A Shy Heart - Meet Kaijah

Hi I'm Kaijah

This is my Teacher for Visual Impairment Miss Mathew.

In the picture we are running together in the field after flying kites at Easter time.

I have some vision difficulties but other than that I'm just like everyone else. I go to a school like everyone else, i like to run and jump and play and learn and have fun like everyone else.

It's just that since my vision isn't like everyone else the things most children do at my age are little difficult for me...
Sometimes i feel a bit shy around others and in my classroom sometimes it is hard for me to read and learn as quickly as my classmates.

That's why i have a special teacher! Miss Mathew comes to see me from the Grenada Resource Centre for the Blind. She makes sure i don't get left behind in my work because sometimes it''s hard to go as fast as everyone else. She helps me feel comfortable and encourages me to do all the things everyone else does she lets me know it's okay to be shy but encourages me and helps me to be brave too!

She is patient with me, which is very important because sometimes i get really frustrated that i have to do things differently than others and when i don't understand things, she helps me and my mainstream teacher find a solutions, sometimes by myself and sometimes with others. We all work together to make sure i get the concepts that i need to grow up smart, healthy, independent and feeling confident in myself.

That doesn't stop me from feeling a little shy when i meet new people though but I'm working on that too!

 

Oh! I forgot to mention another really really special person. This is my daddy!
He is always a big supporter in my life!

He, my mommy, grandpa and all the rest of my family love me so much and always makes sure i have the things i need to grow up into a great member of society. They takes me not just to school but to Resource Centre for the Blind events where i meet lots of other children who, like me, struggle with their vision sometimes too. This is great because it reminds me that i am not the only one with this difficulty and i love meeting new friends that understand what it's like to be visually impaired.

When i am tired after a hard day of playing, meeting new friends, eating lots of yummy food, flying kites, learning new techniques to see things in a way that is most comfortable for me or learning in the classroom he takes me home to rest (it's hard being a little girl you know!)

I know he loves me so much and is proud of me and i love him too and love making him proud!

Miss Mathew is a great teacher! She always tries to make sure i don't forget anything at the end of the day when daddy comes to get me, she tries to makes sure I'm mentally and physically equipped for all the sight challenges i face and may face someday. She greets me with love and encouragement at the beginning of my days with her and at the end!

 

I'm so lucky to have not one teacher in school but a special teacher as well, both of them trying to understand my educational needs. Plus a daddy, relatives and all the teachers at the Grenada Resource Centre for the Blind and my mainstream school who encourage me to be the best person i can grow up to be!.

It is wonderful to be surrounded by so much love!

Republic Bank Handing Over Ceremony

No words can express how grateful we are to have had your help and interest in blind eduation. Thank you for doing your part to build our country.

Let us continue to work together to build our tri island state.

Resource Centre for the Blind Easter Get Together

The end of the term is upon us.

Time sure seems to fly!

To cap it off we had our annual Easter Get Together for our many students.

Old and New!

Take a look at some of the events of the day.

Braille Workshop with Teachers in Mainstream Schools

Well Hello there!
It's been quite some time since an update hasn't it?
What has GRCB been up to?
busily righting for the rights and equality for the blind in education of course!
Added to that?
We have been hosting a Braille workshop for teachers in the mainstream schools in an attempt to foster preparedness in dealing with blind and visually impaired students in the mainstream education system.
After all, these teachers are with our students SO MUCH more than we are and we want everyone involved to feel as comfortable and as competent as is possible.
To do this upon request of the Grenada Ministry of Education a workshop was helled that featured many aspects of day to day blind education.
Such as

Braille
Orientation and Mobility
Tactile Aid Making and Aid adaptation
Skills for dealing with Low vision students Psychology wise
The history of Blindness and Eye Disease

Needless to say it was well received and kept us on our toes for the full six weeks!

Here, enjoy this slide show we've but together of the events that took place

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