Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center

CCRC

Regan's class is studying the human body this session, and they had one of the best study trips EVER! We went to the Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center for the Blind. I wasn't sure what to expect, or whether or not the kids would enjoy a trip to such a place, but everyone had such a great time and the people who worked there were all so patient and nice, and just incredible.

First we split into groups, and Regan's group put on blindfolds and they learned how to use the walking sticks, how to tap them back and forth, how to listen for the different sounds and what those sounds mean. They showed them how to listen for sounds of the kitchen, or listen for an echo that might mean you are in a hallway, or feel for the rubber mat that might mean you are by the front door. They had a great time tapping their way around the entire center.

Then we went to the Braille station, and worked on a Braille cell, which is a wooden box with 6 pegs that show how the Braille alphabet works. The kids learned the first letter of their name, and got a take home sheet of the alphabet.

After that we went to learn all about guide dogs (this was my favorite!) The kids had great questions for the two ladies who had their dogs there. We got to meet a guide dog named Madigan, and learn about the process that the dogs go through to be trained as guide dogs, and how people apply and also get matched up with a dog.

Then we went to the computer room and saw some of the computers that blind people use. There was something called a note taker, where the kids could type their name and as they typed each letter, it would say it, and the letter would pop up in Braille. The next computer would say the words as they typed them, and the last computer had games! There was a driving game where you had to listen carefully for the driving instructions, or you would crash.

Lastly, we went to do a craft, where the kids put their blindfolds back on and had to string fruit loops or Cheerios on a string to make a necklace. It was harder than they thought it would be! Then they tried to count to see who got the most on their necklace.

One of the workers there told me that everyone has to wear the blindfolds for 6 weeks when they start, so they can empathize with the people they are working with. It was a really awesome place, and everyone there was very friendly and worked great with the kids.