Teacher Recognition

Teacher Recognition

Future Reflections Spring 1999, Vol. 18 No. 1
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Teacher Recognition
Kim Challand, Braille Instructor

From the Editor: Ed Zehner,
President of the Illinois Parents of Blind Children, sent me a copy of the following
letter for consideration for publication in our Teacher Recognition feature.
Here is what Ed says about Kim Challand:
Mr.
William Peters
DeKalb County Special Education Association
DeKalb, Illinois
Greg Romanek
Special Education Liaison
DeKalb School District
DeKalb, Illinois
Dear Sirs,
I am writing
to commend the fine work of Kim Challand, the Braille instructor who has been
working with my daughter, Mingkhwan (10 years old, third grade) at Tyler Elementary
School since September 1997. Here are some of the things we like about her:
She is enthusiastic
about the Braille medium and expects our daughter to perform well using it.
She has never tried to steer Mingkhwan away from Braille to tapes. She shows
concern when our daughter reads slowly, rather than assuming the slowness is
a fault of the medium itself. In short, she is a model of good attitudes about
Braille.
She listened
to our desire to foster improvement in our daughter’s independent travel
skills. She worked repeatedly with aides, teachers, and students to get them
to curb their desire to “help.” Her efforts have really paid off in
improved independent travel skills.
Kim incorporates
slate practice in class work so that our daughter’s skills on this instrument
continue to improve.
The physical
education teacher, the adaptive PE instructor, the aide, and Kim have promoted
full inclusion in gym class—including full participation in team sports
such as basketball (which another vision specialist had once told me was impossible!)
Kim has actively
sought ways to demonstrate Braille and independent travel skills to Mingkhwan’s
sighted classmates, and has included Mingkhwan in the demonstrations. Mingkhwan
was initially hesitant about participating, but now takes pride in these experiences.
Kim introduced
a simple drawing tool that Mingkhwan and sighted students can use with equal
ease. Mingkwan draws, with crayon or pen, on a piece of Braille paper which
is laid on top of a wire screen attached to a clipboard. These drawings
are equally decernible by sight and by touch. This is the first time that Mingkhwan
has been able to enjoy independent drawing with other kids.
A few weeks
into the school year, Kim began Brailling the classroom teacher’s
grade and comments on a strip of paper which she then staples to Mingkhwan’s
returned assignments. This allows Mingkhwan to monitor her own work.
Last spring
we had tried and failed to get Braille music incorporated into the IEP. When
Kim Challand took over the case, she asked why music wasn’t included, and
then proceeded to get it transcribed. (Last year, it would have taken a special,
formal IEP meeting to get this done. This year, such common sense moves have
been made administratively).
Kim gracefully
handled the frustration of a computer system that failed to work as expected.
This system, which should have made it possible for a classroom aide to prepare
Mingkhwan’s handouts and other class assignments for Braille translation
and printout, was non-operational for some four months. In that time, Kim simply
worked with another Braille transcriber and did extra transcribing work herself.
And she took the initiative to call the specialists—repeatedly—until
they got the equipment working right.
Two different
aides received training in Braille from Kim. Within a couple of weeks the aides
were preparing simple Braille materials on a Braille writer and interlining
(copying print letters above the Braille letters) some of Mingkhwan’s work
for the regular teacher.
Kim has promoted
among the entire school staff a positive attitude towards us as parents
and high expectations for our daughter. She has been an extremely patient, determined,
and creative instructor when working with Mingkhwan (believe me, we understand
the need for all these qualities).
When we have
found a new resource through mail or the Internet, Kim is as eager as we to
see what can be learned from it. She has returned the favor by passing along
materials that might interest us.
All in all,
we are extremely pleased with Kim’s competence, with her positive attitude
towards the skills Mingkhwan is learning, with her high expectations for our
daughter’s future, and with the way she has been working with us and with
the other members of the school team. We hope we will be able to look forward
to additional work with her in the future.
Sincerely,
Edwin Zehner
Recognition for Teachers of the Visually Impaired

Has your son or daughter had an exceptional
Braille teacher, early childhood specialist, Orientation and Mobility instructor,
or other teacher of the visually impaired? Would you like for him or her to
receive public recognition for the difference he or she is making in your child’s
education? Future Reflections will publish letters of recognition from
parents or other caretakers of blind children.
The letters should be one to three typewritten
pages in length and include sufficient detail about the teacher and the circumstances
to be of interest and inspiration to our readers. Please be sure to include:
the name and address of the sender, the teacher’s name, the student’s
name, the name of the school district, and any other pertinent details. Photographs,
color or black and white (no slides, please) would be helpful. If you want the
photograph returned, please include a self-addressed envelope. If you want multiple
copies of the print issue should your letter be published, please indicate how
many you want. We will send them to you free of charge.
Send your Teacher Recognition Letter, other
information as requested, and photos (if any) to:
Future Reflections
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230.
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