# How do your teachers react when they first see you in their class (if you're visually impaired or totally blind?)

Category: Cram Session

## Post 1 by sandrita87 (Zone BBS Addict) on Saturday, 23-Jul-2005 21:42:25

How do you feel your teachers treat you when they first meet you and find you have a visual impairment?

## Post 2 by Goblin (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Sunday, 24-Jul-2005 9:08:19

My teachers were on the whole ok, especially my music teacher, who was accustomed to it..though there were the odd few who made litle or no attempt to understand..ok how could they be expected to..smile but a little consideration would have gone some way to easing my discomfort..

## Post 3 by Telemachus (Death: the destroyer of worlds.) on Sunday, 24-Jul-2005 10:20:09

Generally speaking, my teachers (and professors now that I'm in college) reacted very positively to having me as a student. If there was something that they weren't sure how to teach me they'd work with me and find a way to do it, or alternate assignments, stuff like that. I had one who never understood that print to braille translation, as done by vision teachers, was not an instant thing. This teacher was always like "I put it in his box this morning, and I still don't have a braille copy for you!!" Oh well... the rest of my experiences so far have been really good.

## Post 4 by Japanimangel (Account disabled) on Sunday, 24-Jul-2005 11:05:52

most of my teachers genorally were good about having me in their classes. I made a point of helping them understand, and things generally ran smoothley. If it didn't, I made it clear that it had to lol

## Post 5 by chrimeB (Newborn Zoner) on Sunday, 24-Jul-2005 12:59:20

my teachers treat me unlike the other kids in the class and i haf to tell them how it is

## Post 6 by Twinklestar09 (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Sunday, 24-Jul-2005 13:31:40

I think I've only had maybe like 3 teachers who were not good. One just had me sitting out in PE without making much effort to include me in things. (I was in middle school and didn't think at the time to say anything on it.) However, the other PE coach who wasn't even my assigned coach and also had her own large class took the time to work with me one-on-one while mine worked with the other students (both classes). Then in high school, I had a math teacher who was more interested in trying to be one of us and talking to the guys rather than help me and this other girl (who didn't even have a disability that I know of). Well, he did try but didn't have to much patience when we wouldn't get what he was talking about. So I was switched to another math class when the first grading period was up. That teacher was much better, although I still couldn't grasp a lot of the concepts, he would work with me after school to explain it. Then the then in college, I was going to get into a math class with this teacher that everyone had positive things to say on his class. But in a way, thankfully I chose not to. It's that when I met him beforehand, he kept saying how I should take the class over the Internet; in other words, he didn't even sound like he wanted to deal with me as he made no comments of looking forward to it or even showing interest. SO I went to talk to another teacher that someone else recommended as good, and that one was eager to work with me. I eventually had to drop it though because he turned out to be too fast, but it was something I was thinking of doing anyways for that reason, plus me not having all the materials I needed to keep up. So despite only a few teachers attitudes, the majority were pretty good in working with me.
Leilani

## Post 7 by Twinklestar09 (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Sunday, 24-Jul-2005 13:35:36

And of course, there were some positive ones as I described above. (I just meant to put that on my last post.
Leilani

## Post 8 by louiano (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Sunday, 24-Jul-2005 21:25:54

well. from the bunch of teacers i have had, there were these that were too fast, these that would let you just sit there and not do anything, which is *really* boring, and the others which were nice and comprehensive, and others were really interested to see me "function" or work with the claass just as normal. So yah, my few words to this post have been hopefully added.

## Post 9 by Flidais (WISEST IS SHE WHO KNOWS THAT SHE DOES NOT KNOW) on Tuesday, 26-Jul-2005 14:32:39

Yeah, I've had interesting experiences with teachers. Most were just really nervous around me like they didn't want to asy/do the wrong thing. After a few weeks in their class however, they usually became more comfortable with me and it ended up being a lot of fun. I've had a couple teachers who were absolutely terrible to work with becasue they didn't even want to ask me if I could do something and instead went to the disabled students office at our school to ask questions about me, it was weird. Anyway, teachers usually are ok if you show them that you can do stuff and explain to them a little how you go about doing stuff.+

## Post 10 by laurenkh (Newborn Zoner) on Saturday, 30-Jul-2005 1:28:27

In highschool to begin with a lot of my teachers were quite terrified about having a blind student in there class, but over the years they learned how to "deal with it". By my last couple of years of highschool my teachers were awesome mostly, making a great effort to give me my matterials on time and explaining things again if necessary. Now that I'm in university it's a mixture of approaches again. Some are willing to work with me cooperatively, while others (some of whom have worked with blind students before) still don't quite get it. On the whole though now I don't have too many major issues.

## Post 11 by dissonance (Help me, I'm stuck to my chair!) on Wednesday, 03-Aug-2005 2:17:47

I have only had a few instances when teachers were unwilling to work with my vission teachers and me. For the most part, they have been quite open and understanding about the whole thing. There are some times that I find they over react way too much, and start giving me treatment I don't really need. That's when I have to start speaking up for myself in a kind yet forceful way, which is sometimes hard. Then again it depends on how I present myself the moment I walk in to their class the first day. If I act like I don't know what I'm doing, and am not willing to learn, then what else can I expect? It's easier for teachers to be more comfortable around me if I teach them and approach matters with a positive attitude.

## Post 12 by Belinda (Veteran Zoner) on Tuesday, 18-Oct-2005 3:17:11

There was a teacher i had last year who i found igt hard to get to u8nderstand how "blind" i was. I am vision impared and people dont seem to get how blind i am because i am pretty independant. she just took longer then others to "get it"

## Post 13 by The Roman Battle Mask (Making great use of my Employer's time.) on Tuesday, 18-Oct-2005 9:45:47

I still haven't told one of my teachers I'm blind, but I don't think I go to class enough for it to matter either...

## Post 14 by Blair (Generic Zoner) on Wednesday, 19-Oct-2005 3:25:50

Well, I am in college and my professor is ok with it. But A year ago she was like Huh?
The only thing that bugs me is that why can't professors send tests over to where we need to get it Brailled?
It took us a whole year for my professor to send over the tests to where I need have it Brailled on time.
I guess I am the only blind person in the travel program at my college.
She told me that I was the first blind study that she evey had in her program.

## Post 15 by HauntedReverie (doing the bad mango) on Friday, 25-Nov-2005 20:31:38

I like dragging up old posts...
yeah, nearly all my teachers go through my braillest and not me. Any work, it gets given to her like I can't give it to her myself. But I'm in high school and some are great! I had a really bad time of it in algebra, learning it, the teacher did stay with me though and was interested in braille. I agree that it's your appearence that determines the aditude of a teacher at first

## Post 16 by bashful (professional hypocrite) on Friday, 25-Nov-2005 22:42:48

I always go in and talk to my teachers a few days before school starts, and I get what will need to be brailled for the first couple of days. I explain what does and doesn't need to be done, and express that I am no different than any other student. Generally, this works very well. There is usually at least one teacher who has troubles with getting things brailled on time, but they all catch on eventually. By the end of first quarter, I have eased all tentions and worries usually I think. Well, that's it.
Meghan

## Post 17 by Belinda (Veteran Zoner) on Tuesday, 10-Jan-2006 5:03:29

I had a teacher that tried to get me kicked out of a radio announcers class thing our school had (station was on school grounds) was so annoying
but generally they are pretty good

## Post 18 by LP08 (Veteran Zoner) on Wednesday, 11-Jan-2006 16:11:43

my teachers were pritty good about getting my assignments to me in time to get brailled. I mean I would have a few teachers sometimes that didn't understand that they couldn't give me something to get brailled before class and then when I came in to the class later that same day they were like do you have that paper that I gave you to braille? But for the most part I had teachers that were cool with me being in their classes.

## Post 19 by Perestroika (Her Swissness) on Thursday, 12-Jan-2006 8:20:08

hmmm, i have found it depends on the subject. for subjects that it is not uncommon for vision impared people to take i have had no trouble, such as music or history or english. but, when it comes to subjects like maths, physics or chemestry, i have encountered several problems. the first of wich is that they try to get me not to take the subject in the first place. they just don't seem to get their head around alternative methods of teaching. Although, my last maths teacher was a brilliant man because he always took my side over that of the visiting teachers who came to many of my classes and who told me i couldn't do higher levil math.

## Post 20 by kristabell (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Friday, 30-Jun-2006 17:49:45

When I was in high school, I had great teachers. I was once in a district in elementary school, and the PE teacher wouldnt let me participate for anything! My used 2 b friend used 2 try 2 help me, but when he would, the teacher would always yell at him and stuff like that.. But, he always helped me anyway. It felt good 2 have someone 2 help u when the teacher didn't want 2 cooporate with you. But when I moved 2 another district in 6th grade, I never had any problems. In high school, all the teachers were good thanks to my vision teacher. I had trouble with substitutes though.... Well, not really, but sometimes. I think that it depends on how u r treated by your attitude and how much u advicate for yourself....

## Post 21 by sparkie (the hilljack) on Friday, 30-Jun-2006 19:37:57

Most of my teachers were good having stuff brailled, etc. Of course they had a lot of questions at first, but that was understandable. I had one teacher in 5th grade who took me out of my class because she didn't want to deal with me which was fine with me, I really didn't like her too well anyways.
Troy

## Post 22 by blbobby (Ooo you're gona like this!) on Friday, 30-Jun-2006 22:46:31

Boy, this topic brings back many memories.

## Post 23 by The SHU interpreter (I just keep on posting!) on Thursday, 06-Jul-2006 18:00:06

Well, most teachers were very good with visually impaired people like me. but a few like my computer teacher, my geometry teacher and my guidance councelor were not that understanding.

## Post 24 by basketballfreakslive (Veteran Zoner) on Saturday, 10-Feb-2007 22:06:57

My teachers hi high school and first part of college were. great. My technical school I have problems getting my software and I have to use my own. But the teachers are very understanding

## Post 25 by bozmagic (The rottie's your best friend if you want him/her to be, lol.) on Sunday, 11-Feb-2007 10:05:51

Well, at Primary and Secondary School for me, it wasn't a problem as Dorton House in Kent and New College Worcester're both "special schools" so of course, all the teachers who taught me were used to children with a visual impairment and the maximum group/class size was eight children in two or three year groups to each year in the school, but when I went to College, the tutors used to working with fully-sighted, the first two years, I had a tutor who'd worked with other Visually Impaired students on my health and Social Care course and she knew how to work with me and what materials needed to be transcribed for me and stuff. Anything the tutors couldn't do was left to me and the LSAs who went to class with me, so the tutors in the mainstream College, Loughborough Tech reacted as I expected them to react really, having a visually impaired student in their classes. I never really got in to any difficult situations or faced problems with them or my fully-sighted piers.

## Post 26 by retrieverdog (when I'm in seventh hour, my work does show.) on Tuesday, 13-Feb-2007 15:16:44

It really depends who the teacher is. A sub that I had a while ago completely freaked out but then when I met my english teacher for this year she was totally excited.

## Post 27 by Miss Gorgeous (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Sunday, 11-Mar-2007 22:15:15

The teacher will not know that i am visually impared untill i tell her because its not noticeable, but as far as reactions go. They were okay with it. They were not even aware of it untill i came up to them and told them about my sight. But i could get around campus pretty well with out a cane. I can manage it.

## Post 28 by HauntedReverie (doing the bad mango) on Monday, 12-Mar-2007 5:39:26

lol. we went to my statistics teacher (high school teacher) to ask about stuff and books I might need.
She was all uptight and throwing out graphs and names and freaking out and I'm thinking, "God I hope the class isn't like this."

## Post 29 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Monday, 19-Mar-2007 22:01:30

Overall, I had a very pleasant experience with my teachers in school. Of course, there were some who just didn't fully understand the concept of getting the things which needed transcribing in to Braille to my vision teachers early enough.

## Post 30 by massage queen (Generic Zoner) on Friday, 08-Jun-2007 23:12:09

my teachers treat me like every one else. My teachers are fine with having a blind student in there class. I am the first blind student to take part in the massage therapy program at my local community college. I made sure they new what my needs were and how to help me. I have them ask me questions if they are not sure how to help me with something. Rania,

## Post 31 by HauntedReverie (doing the bad mango) on Saturday, 09-Jun-2007 8:29:27

I'm going to this camp this summer, and I'll be the only blind person out of I don't know how many. I'm interested to see how the teachers there react, because it's more like a mini course than a camp

## Post 32 by lauralou (Account disabled) on Tuesday, 10-Jul-2007 23:10:59

teachers at my school are pretty bad about getting stuff transcribed, the math teacher was great, but the rest of them *shudder*
but at first they always treat me different, but after the second week and fourth detention they usually start to treat me like everyone, but sometimes you have to be a jack ass for them to see that you're lik everyone else
but my spanish teacher does . not . get . it.
its so annoying, anyway... that's a different topic for a different board

## Post 33 by battle star queen (I just keep on posting!) on Sunday, 22-Jul-2007 21:52:07

I've had some teacher that were really greate, some that didn't want me in their class at first, and some that were total disasters1! My surramic teacher didn't understand how to help me and she din't want me in the class but after a few weeks she came around and near the end ovf theclass actually told the person who was helping me toback off and let me do the work. Then I had this one eacher who was just a total scrwball. Actually shewas a sub for teregullar. My best friend who iis ao blind had to deal with her to. We were just getting toknow each other when this teache threw the btraille science book at us! And 'mnot kidding!

## Post 34 by cjohnmurph (Newborn Zoner) on Thursday, 18-Oct-2007 21:21:09

My teachers now that I'm in coolege react pritty well. They also did in high school as well. If I can be any help to you guys with any other suggestions, feel free and add me to msn it's in my profile, or send me an email at: cjohnmurph@wdjm3.com

## Post 35 by Librated dilapidation (Zone BBS Addict) on Thursday, 29-Nov-2007 20:53:39

Excellent, shitty, mediocre

## Post 36 by BrailleNote Nut (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Monday, 31-Dec-2007 16:35:52

I dunno; most of my teachers have been pretty good. There's been some issues in the past with things not getting to my braille instructor to braille early enough for it to be done, but it was usually fine

## Post 37 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Monday, 04-Feb-2008 8:00:57

they knew i was joining their classes at the beginning of this semester, and thus far, I have had a very positive experience with all of them.

## Post 38 by Siriusly Severus (The ESTJ 1w9 3w4 6w7 The Taskmaste) on Thursday, 15-Jan-2009 2:48:57

Most of my teachers are terrified, and some ask for my ade, who follows me around the first day of every school year, because it’s short, and she has to fulfill her hours, to be there everyday that period. My current Spanish teacher made a big fuss about it, and she still is doing it. Well, the aid doesn’t anything but sit there anyways, so I don’t know why my teacher wants her there in the first place. she just feels insecure, I suppose.

## Post 39 by cumbiambera2005 (i just keep on posting!) on Thursday, 15-Jan-2009 8:20:52

The majority of my teachers have been pretty good! The last prof I had for College Algebra just kind of helped me through it and passed me, but oh well...I know he had good intentions, and I really liked him! And he generally used graphics and things like that to teach, so it would have been almost impossible to do it without his help! And he was pretty good at showing me things using graph paper; he wanted to learn to teach visually impaired students, and since he was doing a project of it, he wanted me to help him, and so that was kind of how that went. But generallly speaking, most of my teachers have been pretty good!

## Post 40 by blindndangerous (the blind and dangerous one) on Thursday, 15-Jan-2009 10:27:37

Most of my teachers are good about me. My mobility instructor and I will go to the school a few days before it starts to learn the campus, and talk to my new teachers. I know for a fact that my honors english teacher knew I would be joining her class before the previous year was out, and she had actually given my braillest work in the spring of that year. Most of my teachers are good at getting work to her before class, but I have had a few times where my english teahcer will do things up really quickly, and ask me to run it down to get brailled. My math teacher is the same way, but my braillest is in that class with me, so if we don't have the sheet, or the teacher is doing a lot on the board, she'll help me out with that.

## Post 41 by Siriusly Severus (The ESTJ 1w9 3w4 6w7 The Taskmaste) on Thursday, 15-Jan-2009 21:39:47

Yeah, my Spanish teacher too. It’s like, “Gee, why don’t you take it to the vision box, yourself? Your next period is your conference anyways.” So, I have to make an extra trip all the way on to the other side of campus, where I don’t go to at the end of even days.

## Post 42 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Friday, 16-Jan-2009 16:45:15

I haven't had school yet, because I start on the twenty-sixth. Apparently, my philosophy instructor has a sister who is blind, so when my academic advisor asked for material in advance for Brailling, he just said, "Okay," like it wasn't ahuge deal. I hope this semester's very positive and all goes well.