By Carey Scouler

(Editor’s Note: Carey Scouler is an active member of the Metro Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota. She gave this presentation at our fall convention which highlights how fun braille can be and how rewarding she found it to teach the kids in our BELL program. There is even a birthday surprise in this story.)

When I first came to BLIND, Inc., the only way in which I had heard the word "bell" used was to describe what the students would ring when they accomplished a goal or graduated from their respective programs.  It wasn't until about six months into my training that I learned that bell also stands for the Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning program, and that the opportunity to teach braille to children was going to be given to kids in Minnesota.

When I first got asked to volunteer for the BELL program, I was more than a little hesitant.  I had never had any formal training in teaching young children, but my deep love and passion for braille were evident, and I decided the best course of action was to take each day as it came, and who knew, I may learn a few things myself.  This was different than any sort of activities which I had received as a blind child because I didn't know or stay in touch with too many blind children my age until I had grown a bit older.  I hoped that these kids would remain friends after the program ended.

As soon as I walked into the classroom on the first day and heard the kids joyfully playing with legos or doing arts and crafts, I knew I was going to be in for a treat.  What I didn't know, however, was how much I would enjoy getting to know each of the kids for the two weeks I got to work with them.  Also, how could I forget the enjoyment and sense of nostalgia I got out of drawing with scented markers or making goop!

When it came to teaching the kids braille, there was nothing I enjoyed more.  Whether it was witnessing one child write the words "sand, rose, and kite" when they had not wanted to even write their name on the previous day, or taking turns writing sentences to create a story with another, I loved the fact that I got to teach them the fun of reading and writing, while also getting to know their likes, dislikes, and personalities.  I was always glad when I got to help them write in their journals about what they had done each day, or I would help them be the silly, creative kids they are by allowing them to dictate fun stories and sentences for me to write in the journals for them.  These included stories about buffalo and warthogs driving trucks or having me write the lyrics to "Bad" by Michael Jackson.

Not only did I enjoy interacting with the kids, but I also loved seeing how they interacted with one another.  On one particular afternoon while playing in the park, I got to witness one child learn how to play tag using sounds, so that other children could follow.  I loved that the children were learning new ways to interact with each other, and I loved witnessing how much fun they had while doing it.

The impact both braille and I myself had made on the kids was made evident on the last day of the program, which also happened to be my 29th birthday.  The kids all hid in the basement of BLIND, Inc., and surprised me when I came down for snack time with hugs and pictures they had made for me the day before, each with some element of braille incorporated into them.  When they presented these adorable gifts to me, they each exclaimed how much fun they had had working with me!

That is when I knew this had been a phenomenal experience for all of us!