The National Commission on Teaching and America’s
Future has calculated that nearly a third of all new teachers leave
the profession after just three years, and that after five years
almost half the new teachers have left the profession (46%). The
National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future finds this to
be internationally true. (No Dream Denied; A Pledge to America’s
Children, January, 2003) The reason? Isolation, frustration, lack of
professional networking, and the lack of confidence in the required
knowledge base; new professionals in education are expected to do
the same job, same tasks, and same duties as those of the 20-year
veteran. I say, enough! It is time for the educators of New Mexico
to take action toward improving the quality of the professional life
for those who provide vision support services, and thereby, improve
the quality of education for children with visual impairments. As
Thomas Edison said, “There’s a way to do it better…find it.”
Through the
Mentorship Support Services program, Teachers for the Visually
Impaired and Orientation and Mobility Specialists may find
resources, support, and networking opportunities to ease the
stresses of this very specialized job we do each day. You may
access information and support through this web page, through
provided networking opportunities, workshops and conferences, and by
contacting me directly to arrange for personal visits and
consultations. I invite you to explore this ever-evolving web page
to find what you need to make your job more comfortable and more
fun. I also invite you to contact me directly.
For more information, please
contact:
Valerie Tiensvold at
505-859-0430
or
VTiensvold@nmsbvi.k12.nm.us
NM Directory of Resources
for Individuals who are Blind and Visually Impaired (PDF
File)
Learning Arc / Curriculum
Development
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NMSU's VIP Teacher Certification Program (PDF File)
