Pre-Introduction
Welcome to another VIBES posting! This is another contributed article! Yes! Contributions are back! If you want to contribute an article for ANY section of the website, please get in touch! This is all about building teacher student relationships. This article was written by Courtney Greer, M.Ed. TSVI. That name may sound familiar to some of you readers. Maybe it is because we had an interview with her a long time ago! Go here and listen to episodes 1 through 5, or search for “Teachavision” on your podcast client of choice! Without any further writing, let’s begin this post! The next few headings will tell you all about some tips on starting off the year smoothly with your students, if you are a new teacher! Also, as we always say, “The views expressed on contributor articles are those of the contributor, and they do not represent Screenless Allies as a whole.”
Introduction
As I prepare for a new school year and reflect on the past year, I wanted to write a few tips for new Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVIs). I just completed my 15th year as a teacher and my 5th year as a TSVI working itinerantly for a district. However, I have worked around education for 25 years–first as a Braillist (someone who transcribes print to braille in a school setting) and Administrative Assistant to the VI team at a local service center. I also spent a couple of years working for an independent living center specifically focusing on individuals with sensory impairments, and I also worked for a state rehabilitation organization as a teacher and counselor for youth with special needs. Over the years, I have had a lot of training in the field of visual impairments and technology, but in my actual experiences with students, I find that I need to keep it simple and stick to some of the basics. Over the next few weeks, I hope to add several installments to encourage and support those who are new to this field. I, by no means, know it all. I am only sharing my own experiences and the lessons I have learned.
Building Relationships
The most important thing I have learned as a teacher, and especially as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, is that it is all about relationships–specifically building and maintaining a variety of relationships. First and foremost, working in this field is about building a relationship with the individual student. Secondly, relationships with parents, classroom / special unit teachers, team members (fellow TSVI’s), and administrators are imperative. I often remind myself of the importance of building strong relationships while doing my job and working with students with visual impairments. The majority of my students have multiple disabilities, which makes these my favorite students to teach because those relationships are so rewarding. I know that these students can often be intimidating to work with and some TSVI’s might prefer to leave these students in the hands of classroom or special education teachers. However, having done this for a few years, I believe that it is essential for a TSVI to be part of the team that assists with programming and serving these students.
Observations
One of the advantages of working as a TSVI is that there are multiple years to work with students and families. Again, this is why building relationships is so critical. One of my first-of-the-year practices is to sit in the classroom and observe my students, including how they interact with their teachers, peers, and classroom assistants. As a TSVI, we have specialized knowledge and skills, but I have learned that if I try to interject that knowledge before I have built a rapport with the student and the classroom staff, I will understandably not make any progress. President Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Consistency
Being itinerant, we often come in once a week and work with a particular student (usually a pull-out or push-in model) or we might visit with the teacher for a couple of minutes if he/she has time. Then, we don’t check in for another week. My experience with this has been that any techniques or tools I may have taught or provided are only reinforced when I am working with that student one-on-one once a week. To make true progress for the students I work with, that isn’t enough. They need skills to be taught—not in isolation–but with consistent repetition. In order for this to happen, TSVIs have to be humble, set aside their expertise and listen to those who may know my student better or spend more time with the student on a daily basis. Therefore, I watch, listen, ask questions, and then I just sit and share space with the students–especially those who have multiple disabilities or complex communication needs. This takes time and time is something we often don’t have enough of as an itinerant teacher with large caseloads of students, but I would still encourage new teachers to take that time, especially at the beginning of a new school year or when adding a new student to your caseload. I look for ways to build trust with the entire educational team. That always includes a face-to-face meeting with the classroom teacher before school starts. It also includes reaching out to the parent before the school year starts.
Environmental Considerations
Another part of my job in those rushed days before the school year starts is to meet the parents and students at the campus so they can learn where the classroom is, meet teachers and administrators, and sometimes just have some extra time to explore the space. Our students with visual impairments need extra time to explore new environments. Being in the environment when it is not filled with other students, staff, extra noise, and demands can help them feel more comfortable in the setting.
Meeting the Team
I also find that it is a good idea to meet with the team working with the students. This team might include parents, speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, music therapists, assistants, and definitely classroom teachers. This helps everyone to set the focus for the student. What I have found is that we are often working on a similar skill but from a different perspective. Moreover, if we all embrace that together with consistent language and techniques, the student makes progress faster. It is also helpful if the team agrees to meet at least 1-2 times during the grading period to determine what everyone is seeing and experiencing with the student. This helps to adjust instruction again to allow the student the greatest benefit from the experience.
Final Thoughts
As a new TSVI, I felt overwhelmed with all the things that needed to be accomplished in that very short amount of time I had before the students arrived. I learned to stretch my time into those first few weeks of school while students are learning routines. Remember, these relationships are essential for both you and your students. When the relationships are strong, there is a solid team to share experiences with and fall back on when things aren’t going well. Good luck and go build those relationships!