Category: Let's talk
I was discussing Louis' appreciation of colour last night and it struck me that most blind/vi children with colour perception are not taught to explore this within the life skills cirriculum of the average blind school....
In Edinburgh the children are taught the sky is blue, the grass is green and the sun is yellow..and nothing else.I find it deplorable, that teachers of blind/vi children, are choosing to neglect this vital skill.Then they wonder why the children cannot identify or choose colours, that match, when buying clothes ect..as far as I can see its a terrible oversight in the education of blind/vi children..
Also to be taught that many times color is used in relation to emotion... like red for excitement, anger, love ....... blue for calm, moody, lonesome, true ....... green for growth, envy, or Luck O' Irish ....... yellow for coward, lively, ....... etc...
It's such a pity isn't it? Colour has so many associations for people. Emotionally, mentallyk, spiritually... I find that in creative writing, (which luckily is never read by anyone), I still use a lot of light and colour imagery. It just seems to be something that resonates with people as a concept, as well as in actual visual form. Just my late night musings, Erin.
Dothey really need to be "taught" that? I've talked to many people that are blind since birth and they know all those associations quite well. Plus associations are simply suggestive. Blue doesn't have to mean calm and sad, in fact my friends and I use "blue" to mean cool and awesome. We did this because we feel that anything can be given whatever connotation you choose. Anyway back to the colors...I think that's something they're going to learn, explore, and encounter on their own. I don't think it needs to be taught in school.
Resonant I agree its the association and perception of things that is been lost here the children are being taught to neglect the visual aspect it's as if the school has decided well children your all total now, and the colours you see are all a lie...
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M.P: Of course imagine the hassle if a child, who can see certain colours, wanted to decorate their bedroom,and thanks to their education, these colours are little more than words and vague descriptions.They would be totally reliant on sighted assistance,which would further limit their independence. Also it's as if the teachers are saying forget about colour you are blind/vi so it doesnt apply to you I cannot condone such ignorant arrogance...
Not necessarily, you can teach the children how to match colors and which shades of which color match with what other colors, but I think the emotional connotation you mentioned like yellow = bright vibrant or red = angry/excited don't need to be taught.
ok thats possible but as I said its the neglect of the children's useful sight that annoy's me why is deemed to unimportant...they are teaching the child to disregard this completely...what does that tell them.....
Also the Royal Blind school in Edinburgh do not teach children to write their own name ...this is a deliberate infringment of their independence and while I'm on the subject, they also categorise the children as either blind or Vi there is no distinction made as to the degree of a child's visual perception.Neither are they seen or treated, as individuals, this will teach the children that their disability is more important than their identity as people...how wrong can you be!.
I’ve continued to think on this topic. Back several years ago one of the clothing stores came out with a tag system so as to shoppers who basically had “no clue” as to what colors/prints of fabrics went together could simply line up tag with tag and there were say like triangles on one tag and circles on another, etc.. So if you had a shirt with a tag that had a circle on it then you would go to the slack or jacket section and any tag with a circle on it would be considered a match according to what styles were dictating at that time. The thing is these were not raised symbol tags say that a blind/VI would know by simply touching the symbol on a given tag. So yes I can get an understanding of what you are saying in regards to education being upgraded as well as the market place. Like these clothing tags could have had Braille used also in conjunction with the symbols or the symbols “raised.” .................. Also I understand what was previously said about how any color can come to mean anything by what a couple of persons deem a color to come to mean between them or even a group for that matter. Like currently the trend of wearing pink to any/all functions that have to do with Cancer Awareness. Like there are those who participate in say 5-mile walks, raising funds by having sponsors, etc. the color of t-shirts worn or jackets or ribbons in hair/caps/hats etc. to signify a group participation is pink. So yes awareness teaching is important for those who might desire to participate and do so as being one with the group they are participating in. .................. Back a couple of weeks ago in the Detroit area a youth was murdered and the mother of the teen murdered made a request that the media give the report that no one was to wear black to the funeral as per this mother’s request as it was thot there would be a large turn-out to the funeral. She gave her reasons that as much as this was a difficult time to say the least and generally black is the norm when it comes to the color of clothing that is worn, it was rather her belief that this was a time to Celebrate the Life of her child that had departed. To remember all the good times and she wanted persons to wear only the brightest of colors. I have noticed this manner of thinking is say becoming a “trend” in this area and whether in other areas this I do not know, perhaps others could share. The thing is there is a continual need for education and giving the reason “why” a particular color scheme is being requested and this for all persons blind/VI/sighted.