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

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