VIDBE-Q Volume 65 Issue 4
By providing pre-service teachers with a myriad of hands-on practice
opportunities with ECC skills, they are able to refine the assessment, educational
planning, and teaching skills they will need to increase positive student outcomes.
Through participation in community and school district partnerships that provide
enhanced practice experiences within the field, these pre-service teachers also gain
confidence in their ability to design instruction in the ECC that meets the
individual needs of their students and encourages their personal development as
dynamic educators who can effectively respond to the needs of their students.
Through collaboration with these agencies, pre-service teachers are mentored
while being afforded opportunities to practice designing and teaching
comprehensive ECC lessons to children and adolescents with visual impairments,
teaching them specialized techniques for activities such as cooking, shopping,
personal care, household maintenance, and recreation and leisure.
The need for effective mentorship does not stop when students complete
teacher preparation programs; it continues throughout internships and new career
placements. Our field needs experienced teachers to share their knowledge and
provide encouragement with novice TVIs. The expertise professionals may take for
granted can be eye-opening to a new colleague. Whether through a structured
mentorship program or developed between individual teachers, TVIs can benefit
from the support of fellow professionals throughout their careers.
