I do like the way some states are allowing people who were in other professions go into teaching. And getting an eventual license, similar to the provinsional license. They require the people to prove their teaching skills by doing student teaching, then they have to go and get a degree in teaching while working in the classroom after that time, they can sit for the exam. In several states you only need 60 credits of college to be a substitute teacher. Perhaps we need to have VRT assistants? however I really don't think 60 hours is enough time. That is a week and a half of full time instruction is that enough?
There is a TVI program, or at least there was, that would certify you as a TVI in a six week course. Even that I frankly don't think is enough to know what you need to know. As a blind person myself I thought I had it done when it came to this blind thing, but you know I learned a lot in the four years spent in undergrad as a TVI in training and the year spent in my RT masters learning more. It is a different side of the coin, I find myself on these days side of the provider not the consumer.
I do agree with the idea of being under valued. We are kind of the Fix its of the blindness professions, and perhaps we don't take ourselves so seriously.
I do know as a recent graduate it was actually difficult to find a job as a VRt. I worked as a private contracted TVI for a year and a half before I heard of the job I have now, and that was after being on our state list for over a year. Several of the open positions were part time, or were very low wage, and required vasts amounts of travel.
The shortage is coming, but at least here perhaps not here yet? Shelley L. Rhodes, M.A., VRT And Guinevere: Golden Lady Guide Dog guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx Guide Dogs for the Blind Alumni Association www.guidedogs.comThe people who burned witches at the stake never for one moment thought of their act as violence;
rather they thought of it as an act of divinely mandated righteousness.The same can be said of most of the violence we humans have ever committed. -Gil Bailie, author and lecturer (b. 1944)
----- Original Message ----- From: "McInnis, Janet (DLEG)" <mcinnisj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <l.mowerson@xxxxxxxxxxx>; <sheinrich@xxxxxxxxx>Cc: <DeannaA@xxxxxxxxx>; <Maduffy@xxxxxxx>; <visionrehabtherapist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 9:25 PM Subject: [visionrehabtherapist]While lowering the bar is rarely a good idea if indeed that is what the ACVREP would have done,, the points Lisa-Anne brings up are valid and need to be explored.
Janet M ________________________________From: visionrehabtherapist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of l.mowerson@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu 1/15/2009 8:49 PM To: sheinrich@xxxxxxxxx Cc: DeannaA@xxxxxxxxx; Maduffy@xxxxxxx; visionrehabtherapist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxSubject: [visionrehabtherapist] Re: What do you think about the newACVREP Certification requiremetns?
First of all, I must say, I have been in the field for over 20 years now. I have served in AER as a state chair of RT, as national RT division, on the AER Board of Dirctors, and helped to organize the 1999 Rt conference. I am quite proud to be a CVRT.
However, when I saw the postponement today I was upset! I think it was a good and brave move on the part of ACVREP to move in the direction of two levels of certification. Prior to 1986, there were BA's with ceritification in the field of blindnes for VRt, O&M amd TVI. unfortunately grant funding and univeristy support moved away from these low incident programs (translation, low interest and low enrollments) to Master's level programming were they could be tagged onto existing higher student programs. To my fellow professionals that believe this two track system will water down the profession and lessen our programs, I say get real! With only 6, count them 6, universities in all of the US offering VRT training, 1 offering LV and whoopie, 20 offering O&M how the HELL are we going to prepare enough professionals to meet the shortage! With the growing older adult populations growing and demending our serives, the younger multi-impaired population growing and retirements occurring at a rapid pace, we are opening the flood gates to agencies and adminstrations to offer jobs to unqualified similiar professions. We can't wait for people to 'discover" the "ideal" in training and certification.We have no professional career ladder of an assistant, like nursing with aides, LPN and RN or OT with COTA's. We say to interested professionals, especially ethnic or disabled individuals, come back in 6 years after you get a Masters! With track certifcation we are aligning with teaching and state certification requirements. We are offering individuals a chance to learn about our professions, work in our professions with appropriate guidance and with more training reach the "ideal".
To ACVREP on postponing the implimentation, My first reaction, whimps! It needs to be done, should have been done years ago and offers the only I hope of beefing up a profession on its way obscurity.
Respectfully, Lisa-Anne Mowerson *********************************** To view archives, edit list settings, subscribe or unsubscribe from list: www.freelists.org/list/visionrehabtherapistAdministrator e-mail: dietz1112@xxxxxxxxx
*********************************** To view archives, edit list settings, subscribe or unsubscribe from list: www.freelists.org/list/visionrehabtherapist Administrator e-mail: dietz1112@xxxxxxxxx
