A Step Forward

At this day and age,  it is so essential that you are taking the time for yourself to continue your professional development and reaching out to seek information that will help guide you and help you succeed. And what better way for us to spend our free time at the moment than to enrich our minds and ourselves with positive and helpful information. But where do you go? And are these resource...

Are you about to start a new online teaching career but have children of your own at home as well? Are you excited to start this new career but but dread having to wrangle your children together to keep the peace? Let's get real and talk about how to handle your day so you can be an effective online teacher. Hopefully, today's episode is gonna be fun and a little insightful because this is somethi...

At this time of uncertainty, turmoil and chaos, our circumstances appear to be grim and hopeless.  So, what are you thinking about right now? What are your worries? Is happiness a possibility at this time? And how can we get there? My friend, I am happy to say that yes, it is absolutely possible. In fact, this is the perfect time for you to be learning new skills for how to manage our mind an...

What kind of Adaptive Mobility Device (AMD) does my student need? How will I know when they are ready for a different type, or to transition to a long cane?  In this episode, we break down what AMDs are, the types of AMD's, and how to know which type is right for your students.  Find the rest of the show notes on our Allied Independence blog page . 

Every single teacher, parent, person in themselves wants to see their skills improving. However, it can be frustrating when we don't see these skills emerging fast enough. It's okay to feel that way because that means that you care.  However, you can’t help but ask yourself, What could be causing this? Am I doing something wrong? So in this episode, I’d like to have a little real heart to hea...

Have you ever had a student who got lost easily? In 13+ years of teaching Orientation and Mobility, there has been one student who has had so much trouble with spatial awareness, that she got lost in the bathroom stall.   This episode will give you a sneak peek of these techniques which I’m sure you will find useful to help our Orientation and Mobility students become more independent travele...

In this episode, we are going to be chatting all about assessments for students with multiple impairments. One of the pitfalls of assessing students with multiple impairments is thinking that your student doesn't have multiple impairments.  So, today we will: Define what a student with multiple impairments is.  Assess the student with multiple impairments  Discuss the common pitfall...

In this episode, we will talk about the skills that your instructional aide can teach and also determine where the line is, as far as if you look at the O&M inventory. And we will discuss when you can release the skills to the instructional aide and so that you can start to move on with other skills. I will also be giving helpful tips on how to give anybody criticism so that way you can become...

When 4 successful people with visual impairments come together to share their life stories and their views on technology, independence, and O&M, it's magic. On today's episode, we have a panel of individuals who lead impressive lives and also happen to have visual impairments.  If you work with people who have visual impairments or have a visual impairment yourself, this inspirational epi...

In this episode, we're gonna talk specifically to those O&M specialists who kind of feel like you're still trying to tread water.  If you're still trying to figure out:  Where you fit in all this?  If you're still trying to figure out what would you present on? How would you share your message?  What message do you have to share?  If you're in the range, zero to 10 yea...

Want to rise up amongst the ranks to become an expert in our field? Need your presentation attendees to actually pay attention while they are there?  In this episode, we'll dive into the Art of Presenting so your in-service, presentation, and peer-led meeting participants stay engaged and you leave knowing you were able to actually make a difference in their lives.   If you’ve been wanti...

Let's take a walk down memory lane! In this episode, we'll go over the top 5 moments that made up the 2019 International O&M Online Symposium last year. The International O&M Online Symposium is the most efficient way to earn your CEU's and gain the tools you need to make a significant impact in the lives of your students.  With current O&M Strategies, a community of dedicated O&a...

It happens all the time. The moment we finally learn a new piece of technology, it changes. What if there was another way to think about how we teach technology skills? A way doesn't make us read every article and learn every new piece of technology? In this episode, we jump right into a casual conversation between myself, Kassy, and Tim Richard, a CATIS and COMS who owns his own business helping...

I've really been thinking about what makes an impactful Orientation and Mobility specialist. A couple of episodes back, we talked about how you can be more successful in your life and how to define what that looks like for you. Now, we're going to take that information and apply it here because I want to share with you the three traits that the most impactful O&M specialist has. Find the rest...

In this ever-changing world, those who hold back and refuse to adapt get left behind. As Grace Murray Hopper said, “The most damaging phrase in the language is, ‘We ' ve always done it this way’ .” It is crucial, more than ever, to be fluid, to think forward and face the changes head-on. We, as Orientation and Mobility specialists, want to be on that leading edge, at the forefront of what's coming...

We are officially entering a new decade. And these last few days of 2019, we are somehow expected to make it count and finish strong. Social standards have changed over the years and in this day and age, it feels like we have to tick all the boxes on this criterion set by the society before we can claim ourselves as winners. It has become such a competitive world that we find it hard to define SUC...

Have you ever met someone who has accomplished so much in her career but is still humble enough to say, “I am still learning!”? In this episode, I had the privilege to interview someone who takes every opportunity to continue to grow and further her knowledge so she can share new ways to help people with disabilities. Meet Dona Sauerburger, an Orientation and Mobility practitioner for 50 years. Sh...

Being a mother is not always about cute little smiles and kisses from our children; its beauty comes with struggles, too. More so, being a mother and a career woman is on another level. Finding a balance between family life and profession is one heck of a fight, especially for women. We often catch ourselves at a crossroad with hopes that we would make the best decision for our family. Making thin...

Lack of confidence can sometimes hold us back from doing things that we want to do, especially if it means stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s human nature to have mixed feelings about new challenges. There’s the excitement to learn and then we also have the fear of not measuring up. In this episode, we had a lovely time chatting with Anna Peskin. She is one of the best experts on teaching Ori...

It’s the time of the year again and I don’t know about you, but I am already feeling the holiday breeze in the air! As much as we want to keep our students exploring and learning outdoors, the cold may bother them at some point. So, you might want to start looking at things to do inside, because crossing the streets outside in the cold may be effective, but it’s not very fun. In this episode, I am...

Have you ever had trouble assessing your students' O&M Skills when they were 0-5 or had multiple impairments? On this week's episode, we are joined by Texas Two Steps creators for a casual conversation about the inconsistent evaluations they experienced and how they wanted to improve the assessment and curricula strategies being used with young children.  You'll get to hear all about Trac...

Have you ever felt overwhelmed because you have so much on your plate, you couldn't possibly get it all done? Well my friend. Today is your lucky day. I am taking you on a step by step journey detailing the exact system that I use to manage my time. It helps combat feelings of stress, overwhelm, and helps keep you on track so you can get more done in less time.  Learn how to throw away your t...

Teaching O&M in rural areas can be frustrating. The bus doesn't run on time- if at all. There are no sidewalks to help our students get a sense of orientation. The community, though well-meaning, can sometimes hinder our students' independence.  In this episode, Shannon Wright and Jeremy Hill come together from opposite sides of the world to discuss the challenges of teaching O&M in r...

In this lesson, Kassy shares 5 ways to get your students off of their school campus and in to appropriate learning environments.  See full show notes at https://alliedindependenceonline.com/episode5

You probably already know that our profession officially started during WW2 and then catapulted in the ’60s when the first university accredited programs were created. Although we started by inviting only World War 2 veterans to live their highest level of independence, we now serve a much broader range of students. Find out where we still struggle and how the veterans of WW2 are still influencing...