PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com November 14, 2015 Professional practice should include standards for high quality instruction as well as ongoing professional development to remain current on best practice. As with any profession, Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments as well as Orientation and Mobility Specialists can face ethical issues. It is important to follow personal as well as industry professionals standards to address issues. |
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Professional Development
Part of professional practice is to remain a lifelong learner and stay current with developments in the field of visual impairments. This includes engaging in ongoing professional development to expand and develop your professional knowledge and skills. This page details ways to stay current and develop your career.
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Teacher Standards
This page identifies unique knowledge areas and skills that are required by Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments. Use this page to reflect on your current skills and identify areas in which you need to grow.
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Professional Ethics
As with all professions, Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments will face ethical dilemmas and need to use personal and professional standards to handle these issues. This page discusses some of those issues.
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Itinerant Teacher Tips
Itinerant teaching can be very rewarding but can also be challenging. This page provides suggestions on staying organized as well as other tips for fellow itinerant teachers.
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VI Program Handbook
This page provides information on putting together a VI Program Handbook. This handbook contains all vital information TVI's will want to carry with them when serving students who are blind or visually impaired.
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Year at a Glance
Itinerant teaching can be very rewarding but can also be challenging. This page provides suggestions on time management, planning the year in advance and other tips for fellow itinerant teachers.
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Federal Quota Funds
Some
students who are eligible for Vision Services will also be eligible to
receive Quota Funds. The eligibility criteria for these funds is
different than for vision services. If the student is eligible, these
funds can be used to obtain materials available from the American
Printing House for the Blind (APH). This page provides guidelines for quota funds.
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Deaf-Blind Child Count
Each December in the United States, the National Center on Deaf-Blindness conducts a deaf-blind report on children identified in each state as deaf-blind. It is the longest running registry of children who are deaf-blind in the world. This page provides information on the annual child count.
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Caseload Analysis
An
important component of program management involves caseload analysis in
order to determine the need for changes in staffing based on current
students and projection for growth with population changes.
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Role of the Classroom Teacher
The classroom teacher is responsible for instructing the student in the core curriculum as well as collaborating with the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) and other support staff to ensure that the student's unique needs are being met. This page details the role of the general education teacher.
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Simulation Activities
It can be beneficial, and in some cases necessary, to formally instruct those new to the vision field, team members, or peers with the opportunity to experience some of what it is like to be blind or have a visual impairment. This page provides suggestions for activities to use when planning an in-service.
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Free Matter for the Blind
If the student is legally blind, remember that he is entitled to send and receive certain materials through the US Postal Service for free. Materials such as textbooks, educational materials, braille letters, and books on tape from The Library for the Blind may be mailed without postage. The package/envelope must have the words "free matter for the blind" stamped or handwritten on them. It is important to remember that these materials must be for the use of someone who is legally blind so be cautious.
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