Equal Expectations:
A Belief Paradigm or a Politically Correct, Feel-Good Phrase?
by Eric Vasiliauskas
Blind without Borders
This article is modified from DrV’s Keynote Address on March 2, 2007 at the California Teachers and Educators of the Visually Handicapped (CTEVH) Yearly Conference & subsequently published in the in the Winter/Spring 2008 issue of Future Reflections.
This Article is Under Construction . . .
More to come soon 🙂
It is a pleasure to have the privilege to address you today, especially since CTEVH has had such a profound impact on our family, through what we have learned by attending the annual conferences and through the individuals we have met and interacted with over the years.
Our blindness journey began a little over ten years ago with the birth of our eldest son Vejas. Petras joined our family four years later.
As our boys have grown, we have grown with them. In fact, I must admit that, despite all my schooling and training, this has been the most educationally intense and the most educationally rich decade of my life.
While I had heard educators in the blindness field and parents of blind children warn of the dangers of being overprotective, it wasn’t until our first CTEVH conference nine years ago, that I heard the term “equal expectations” for the first time. Dan Kish’s family was presenting a workshop and his father honed in on the concept of equal expectations. He emphasized that we must demand higher expectations of our blind youth, and that our kids need the skills to make it in the real world where they will not be given a break just because they have a visual impairment. They will not be given twice as much time as their co-workers to complete their projects. Once your child graduates, it’s survival of the fittest.
“Equal Expectations.” I must admit that, as a father, the first time I heard this catchy phrase my ears perked up and I thought “How refreshing! Now this is a philosophy I can identify with and aspire to.” During today’s presentation I will start out by sharing with you how our family has chosen to address the challenges associated with raising blind children and preparing them for life. I intend to be provocative and to challenge each and every one of you to honestly assess whether you indeed have equal expectations of blind children. While some of what I share with you and propose to you will undoubtedly be controversial, I sincerely ask each of you to listen to what I have to say with an open mind.
To start I would like to share some photos of our boys, and in doing so give you a better sense of where we are coming from philosophically and to our approach to raising our children. As you will quickly gather, it would be hard to call us overprotective.
Vejas is now ten years old. He is fully mainstreamed and attends fourth grade at our local elementary school. In this slide we see Vejas on a field trip with his class onboard a sailing ship called the American Pride. Vejas helped hoist the massive sails, swab the ship’s tall-reaching masts, and he even had the opportunity to steer the ship for a stretch.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
This is a picture of Vejas’s third grade classroom, which was intentionally configured to encourage maximum independence.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
On the right we see Vejas writing on his BrailleNote, which is positioned in front of his Perkins Brailler [not shown]. He places his reading materials on the clear plastic stand that sits over the Perkins. Once he completes his classroom assignment, all he has to do is pick up his BrailleNote, turn around, and take a few steps to the counter in the back of the classroom, and he then either prints or embosses his work (wirelessly, via infrared ports) and turns the assignment in on the spot with the rest of his sighted classmates. The classroom teacher has instant print and doesn’t have to wait for days or longer for someone to ink print his work. This also allows for more real-time feedback and avoids transcription errors that, even in the best hands, are bound to occur during the ink printing process from time to time.
In second grade Vejas relied on his classroom aide to help with the cables. On the recommendation of the technology specialists from the California School for the Blind (<www.csb-cde.ca.gov/Documents/technology.htm>) who came down to assess Vejas in his classroom through the outreach program, we abandoned the cables by taking advantage of this simple wireless infrared technology. As a result, since third grade, Vejas has been able to independently do these tasks.
Petras just turned six a few days ago. He is fully mainstreamed in our local elementary school’s pre-kindergarten program.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Whether at home or on the road, both boys are expected to help out with chores and tasks.
When we travel, Vejas and Petras both help haul the luggage. After all, it’s “Too much for Dad to do all by himself,” isn’t it?
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
The boys help scoop out pumpkins and carve jack-o-lanterns every Halloween.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
From time to time they help prepare meals, desserts, or snacks like cookies, pudding, or guacamole.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
The boys help plant, care for, and harvest crops from the little garden in our backyard.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
In the left frame we see Petras carrying in a bowl of lemons he helped pick off the tree [not shown]. On the right, Vejas squeezes lemons with his cousins as they work together to make fresh homemade lemonade [not shown].
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Here, Vejas and my wife Rasa are putting together a gingerbread house [not shown]. (As you can see, Vejas has learned the secret that the chef never goes hungry 😉 )
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
And, of course, the best fruit salad is the one you make from scratch yourself — or so says Vejas.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Our children help pick out food at the store, carry it into the house, pull items out of the grocery bags, and from time to time even put them away.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Which reminds me, here is a parental O&M pearl: You know how tempted kids are to hold on to your hand when you are out and about with them? Well, if you have your child help you by carrying a bag or an item, he or she can’t grab your hand and so is forced to focus on his or her cane skills.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Vejas has figured this one out and now asks me, “So, Dad, what are YOU carrying?”
Rasa Brailled the microwave in our kitchen so that Vejas can independently heat things up.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Vejas has started clearing the table after dinner. Petras enjoys running the dishwasher by hitting the markers Rasa placed on the front panel. Time permitting, Vejas helps unload the dishwasher and put things away.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Rasa used raised markers to make our clothes washer and dryer accessible as well. Petras enjoys loading and unloading the dryer.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Here Vejas is using power tools to help me assemble his brother’s new bed [not shown]. Vejas in fact caught on a while back and, from time to time, will ask, “Dad do you really need my help, or are you showing me how to do this?”
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
My wife and I go out of our way to give our boys experiences that other sighted children have. As illustrated in this slide, this includes participating in birthday parties at the AdventurePlex gym complex, bowling, mini-golf, and even laser tag [not shown].
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
We take advantage of opportunities in the community to learn more about what our public servants do, whether it be climbing in a police car, flipping the switch for the siren, speaking over the car’s megaphone, hopping on an officer’s motorcycle, or trying on a heavy, well-insulated fireman’s outfit in the middle of the summer in Palm Springs.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
We enjoy tandem biking and flying kites at the beach.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Vejas and Petras are both little fish. They love the water and have both been taking weekly swimming lessons since they were three or four years old.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Vejas is our family’s reigning whale-riding champion: last summer, despite three adults simultaneously performing cannonballs, we were still unable to dethrone Vejas from Shamu (an inflated killer whale).
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Vejas and Petras love water activities, including this 100-foot waterslide in Palm Springs and water parks, like Knott’s Soak City.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Theme parks are always lots of fun for children and adults of all ages.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
We try to take advantage of fun opportunities when we can. One weekend Vejas’s school held Dodger’s Day. We joined in the festivities at the ballpark. To give Vejas a better understanding of what was going on, I downloaded some general information on baseball, went to the Dodger’s Web site and downloaded information on each of the players, and then embossed and compiled this into a personalized program for him. We also brought along the Picture Maker Kit from the American Printing House (APH) to Dodger’s Stadium and with it I laid out the field to make it easier to explain what was going on.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
We did the same thing when we went to a Lakers game last year. As you can see Vejas even met some of the players, including Brian Cook and Luke Walton, who autographed his embossed program next to their Brailled names [not shown].
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Movies are a lot of fun. We enjoy DVS videos at home and on special occasions go for the all-out full experience of the movie theater.
5 ½ y/o Vejas on a Large Boogie Board
Waiting to Catch an Ocean Bay Wave
Large Wave Lifting 5 ½ y/o Vejas & his
Rental Boogie Board from Behind
Both of our boys have been searching for the raised dots of Braille on book pages since about nine months of age. Here we see my youngest son Petras enjoying his favorite nighttime book, Good Night Moon, with his Mom. It is important to start reading early. Reading contributes to concept development. It is fun, is a great bonding time, and creates discussion points; and early exposure sets the tone that reading is exciting. Early introduction to Braille does NOT mean waiting until kindergarten, or even preschool. Literacy begins at home. If you spend some time at the Borders’ or the Barnes and Noble’s children’s section, you will notice that even the simplest of children’s books includes print letters or words. Are our blind kids given equal access to Braille at the same age? The answer is simple: No. We need to get interesting Braille books and Brailed toys into the hands of our blind and low vision children before their first birthdays. When exposed early, kids search (look) for Braille in books before their first birthdays.
Petras Standing on Dad's New Surfboard Exclaiming:
“Hey, Where’s My Surfboard?”
Petras Standing on Dad's New Surfboard Exclaiming:
“Hey, Where’s My Surfboard?”
Both of our boys love stories. As you can see here, we are high-volume users of the Braille Institute Library <www.brailleinstitute.org> and the Kenneth Jernigan Library <www.actionfund.org/kjlibaps.htm>, both of which mail volumes of books every few weeks for the boys to enjoy. Our mailman gets quite the workout. When requesting specific books, we always opt for an electronic or embossed Braille version. We only ask for audiotapes when a Braille format is not available.
Vejas has been participating in the National Federation of the Blind’s (NFB’s) national Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest <www.nfb.org/nfb/NOPBC_Braille_Readers_Are_Leaders.asp> since he was in kindergarten. For pages to count in the contest, the children need to read the Brailled pages on their own. Tapes do not count. Participating in this contest in particular has been a truly rewarding experience. I literally get goose bumps thinking about how much progress Vejas has made in his Braille reading skills each year over the three-month contest period.