by Tanya Stewart
EDITOR�S NOTE: Tanya Stewart is an active student leader in the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana.
In March of 1998 I began my first quarter at Louisiana Tech University.� I had just graduated from the Louisiana Center for the Blind and was eager to try out my new-found skills and confidence.� One of my courses that I was to take was Education 125.� This class introduces the basic concepts of education.� As a course requirement I had to observe an elementary classroom for ten hours.� I was very excited about this class for it was here that I would find out if� I wanted to continue my long time goal to teach.� However, I was not prepared for the obstacles that I would face on the first day of class.
At the Louisiana Center, I had learned about blindness and the negative attitudes that many people have towards it.� My family and friends were somewhat skeptical of my decision to teach.� However, after seeing me read Braille and use a cane to travel, their support grew.� The question was no longer if I could teach, but whether I wanted to teach.� So when I walked into class with my yet untried philosophy, I was not prepared for my instructor's attitude towards me.� At first, she would not talk to me.� When she took roll, my name was not called.�
Thinking that this was some mix up, I ignored it.� However, when I approached her after class to discuss testing modifications and to sort out the problem of the roll, she informed me that my name was on the roll.� She then proceeded to ask me if I wanted to be in this class.� She was not sure how I would observe a class or how I would ever be able to teach.� I explained to her that I was intending to be a teacher and that this course was required.� She said that she understood and the matter was dropped, or so I thought.
As the quarter progressed, I noticed that she would never call on me to answer questions or to discuss parts of the text.� I was not sure how to bring this matter up, so I let it go.� After the first test, matters improved.� I scored well on the test, and the teacher was shown that I could complete my work competently.� I noticed that after the test, she would walk by my desk and feel my Braille paper where I had used my slate.� As the quarter progressed, she began calling on me.� I delivered my article review in front of the class, like the rest of the students, and handed in quality work on time.�� After awhile, she began to warm up to me.�
Toward the end of the quarter, my instructor asked to speak to me.� She wanted to know how I observed the classes and how I completed type-written notes.� She was no longer afraid of approaching me, and was beginning to believe that I wasn't a waste of her time.
When, at first, my instructor showed no belief in my ability to teach, I was hurt.� I knew that I could learn the material needed to become a teacher, but if I had not met other blind teachers, I may have been persuaded to drop the coarse.� The Federation and the center have given me the skills and confidence to follow my dreams.