"Distinguished Teacher of Blind Children Award"

"Distinguished Teacher of Blind Children Award"

Future Reflections Fall 1988, Vol. 7 No. 3
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DISTINGUISHED TEACHER
OF BLIND CHILDREN AWARD
[PICTURE] Evelyn Rlggan accepts the Distinguished Teacher
Award at the banquet of the National Federation of the
Blind 1988 convention. She is congratulated by Kenneth
Jernigan (left) and Marc Maurer, President of the National
Federation of the Blind.
Editor's Note: This is reprinted from the September/October,
1988 issue of the Braille Monitor.
In 1988 the National Federation of the Blind established
the "Distinguished Teacher of Blind
Children" award. Mrs. Ramona Walhof, who
chaired the selection committee, made the
presentation at the convention banquet on
Thursday evening, July 7. She said:
"We have talked a lot about the education of
blind children at this convention. We have talked
about the problems --and there are problems.
But there are also teachers who are working to
solve the problems. It seems appropriate for the
National Federation of the Blind to recognize
those teachers of blind children who are doing
good jobs.
"For the first time this year the National Federation
of the Blind has selected from all the
teachers throughout the country one distinguished
teacher of the blind. This is our way of
recognizing and congratulating this teacher for
optimistic expectation and tough instruction of
blind students. In our culture teachers of blind
children are still the role models for both the
children and their families. The teachers have
tremendous influence (whether for better or
worse) on young children. As we do with scholarship
winners, we bestow upon this teacher not
only an award but also our greatest gift, ourselves
and our Federation.
"We advertised for nominations and applications,
and we received many. Some of you have
heard from the woman we chose. She made a
presentation earlier in the week at the meeting of the Parents Division, a presentation which was
well received. She has attended as many of our
meetings as she could this week. Sitting with the
Oregon delegation, she has shared with us this
convention. I urge you to get acquainted with our
Distinguished Teacher.
"Evelyn Riggan works with children six and
under, primarily in the Portland, Oregon, public
schools. She has taught at three schools for the
blind--Utah, New Mexico, and Oregon. She has
also taught in an itinerant program in eastern
Oregon as well, and she is building a very strong
program in Portland.
"The Distinguished Teacher of Blind Children
Award includes a check for $500 and a plaque.
The plaque reads: 'Distinguished Teacher of
Blind Children Award, presented to Evelyn Riggan
for her outstanding dedication, service, and
talent from the National Federation of the Blind,
July 7,1988.'"
Following this presentation by Mrs. Walhof,
Evelyn Riggan spoke:
"It is indeed a pleasure for me to be with you.
When I was contacted if my name could be placed
in nomination for this award, I was told that I
would need to share something about my
philosophy of education, and I would like to comment
very briefly on that to you.
"I wrote something' like this. The following are
attitudes that I carry into my work with adults,
with children, with the blind, and with the
sighted. I believe that everyone has the right to
be respected, to be curious and explore, to make
mistakes, to laugh and have fun, to live independently,
and to make choices. And along with
rights come responsibilities. Everyone has the
responsibility to take care of one's own self, family,
belongings, and world--to take the consequences
of one's own actions and inactions -- to
respect other persons' property and rights. It is
the teacher's role, along with the family, to
facilitate experiences, mold self-discipline,
stimulate thinking, build a sense of self-worth,
promote common sense, and provide instruction
and skills to gain independence and self-sufficiency.
"It
was twenty-nine years ago that I met my first
blind child when I was a regular classroom
teacher in a fourth grade public school class. I
think I had only seen two blind people before that
time in my whole life. Jannie, who was my fourth
grade student, was expected to do everything that
all the other kids do. She had already had Braille
instruction. This was the fourth grade, period.
She had her books, and she did very well. I have,
of course, worked with many blind children since
that time --and my aims and my objectives are
still the same. "It is with honor that I accept this
award as a representative of all of the teachers
who are committed to having our blind children
become self-sufficient, socially assured, well
functioning adults in our community. Thank you
all."
APPLICATION FOR THE 1989
"DISTINGUISHED TEACHER OF BLIND CHILDREN AWARD"
By Sharon Maneki
The National Federation of the Blind will recognize
an outstanding teacher of blind children at
our 1989 annual convention, July 3-9 in Denver,
Colorado. The winner of this award will receive
an expense-paid trip to the convention. At the
convention banquet, the winner will also receive
a check for $500 and an attractive plaque. The
recipient will also be invited to make a presentation
about the education of blind children to the
National Federation of the Blind's Parents
Division early in the convention.
Anyone who is currently teaching, counseling or
administering a program for blind children is
eligible to receive this award. It is not necessary
to be a member of the National Federation of the
Blind to apply for or win this award. However, we
expect the winner to attend the National Convention.
Teachers may be nominated by colleagues,
supervisors, or friends. The letter of nomination
should state why the teacher is being recommended for this award. The nominee must meet
two additional requirements.
The nominee must write a one-page letter
describing his/her beliefs and approaches in
his/her work.
In addition, the nominee must answer the following
ten questions:
1. List your degrees, the institutions from which they were received, and your major area or
areas of study.
2. How long and in what programs have you taught blind children?
3. In what setting do you teach? Examples: classroom in school for the blind, special education
classroom, itinerant program, etc.
4. How many students do you teach regularly this year? What subjects do you teach them?
5. How many of your students read and write primarily: a) Braille, b) large print, c) closed circuit
television, d) recorded materials, e) small
print?
6. How many of your students use both print and Braille?
7. At what age do you recommend that your students begin: a) reading Braille, b) writing with
a slate and stylus c) writing with a Braille writer?
8. At what age do you recommend that your students begin to learn independent cane travel?
9. How do you determine which children should learn cane travel and which children
should not?
10. a) At what age do you recommend that students
begin typing? b) When do you expect them
to be able to hand in typed assignments?
Send all material by APRIL 15,1989, to:
Sharon Maneki, Chairman
Teacher Award Committee
9736 Basket Ring Road
Columbia, Maryland 21045
Telephone: (301) 992-9608
The education of blind children is one of our
most important concerns. Attendance at a National
Federation of the Blind Convention will
enrich a teacher's experience by affording the opportunity
to meet other teachers who work with
blind children, to meet parents, and to meet blind
adults who have had experiences in a variety of
educational programs.
Help us recognize a distinguished teacher by distributing
this announcement and encouraging
teachers to submit their applications. We are
pleased to offer this award and look forward to
receiving nominations from many well-qualified
educators.
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