Preparing for the New School Year

If you do high school - or even if you don't - you might enjoy my mission statement that I posted at my primary blog: http://margmary.blogspot.com/2007/08/mission-statement-for-our-high-school.html Although parts of it were directed particularly to high school, much of it was part of my mission all through the years. After all, we enjoy their childhood with them, but raise them to be adults.

I also posted seven ways that I'm preparing for the new school year here: http://margmary.blogspot.com/2007/08/preparing-for-new-school-year.html. Although these postings were not specifically regarding visual impairment, they do apply to homeschooling (and of course, one of my two that I'll be homeschooling for high school this year is legally blind). If anyone would like to share ways that they prepare for a new school year (for any age level), please share in the comments.

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Touch Typing Important For Everyone

I've learned a lot in my 54 years. I've learned that some things just aren't all that important. I've also learned that some things are more important than I may have thought!

If someone can type very well and is an expert on the computer, what does it matter if he uses the "hunt and peck" technique? (Looking at the keys.) He's comfortable with it, he's efficient, and he's better at computers than anyone else in the family. Is it really worth the discipline to make sure he does all those boring drills? I didn't think all that out in words, but those were the general thoughts...back all those years ago.

So, what happens if that person loses his vision? All of a sudden, typing isn't the easy option that it once was.

I would like to challenge you - anyone reading my post - to please be sure that all of your children become proficient at touch-typing (regardless of how totally sighted they may be today). I would even add, the earlier, the better.

I would also like to share with you a link for a keyboard, which I think might be good at least for those who need to temporarily see which letters and characters are which. I know that companies who deal specifically in materials for visually impaired people have keyboards with large print letters, but I always think it's fascinating when others jump into the game...and I plan to compare this one to other keyboards designed for the same purpose.

Hat tip to my sister Chris for spotting this information and passing it on to me. By the way, she tells me that shopping through QVC is "safe", because they have a reputation to keep.