Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) Molly Bryant paid Middle Gate Elementary School a special visit and taught students about blindness and visual impairment on Friday, May 2.

While Bryant started the day by talking to fourth graders in the gymnasium, she spent the rest of the school day going from classroom to classroom and teaching students across all grades about braille, guide dogs, and how to be a helpful friend to individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

The two terms are not the same. While people may think blindness is the total loss of sight, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) states that it exists across a wide spectrum, adding that most individuals still retain some vision. The AFB considers sight loss to fall within a spectrum “ranging from total blindness to low vision resulting from a wide range of conditions.”

Bryant talked about the difference between people who are blind and people who are visually impaired to students. She noted that people who are blind have no vision, while people who are visually impaired still have some vision, although it might be blurry or hard to see.

To help students understand the life of a blind individual, Bryant read the children’s book Exceptionally Special: I’m Blind, by Kathy Tarpley. Tarpley’s book covers the daily life of a young blind girl who wants her classmates to understand that, despite their differences, she wants to be treated the same as them.

As Bryant read the book out loud, she would occasionally stop and explain certain topics in more detail. For example, she taught students the important of letting a blind person know they are entering or leaving a room by saying “hi” or “bye.”

She added, “It’s really important that when you’re around someone who can’t see that you say ‘hi’ or ‘bye’ so that they know you’re there. This way, they don’t go to talk to you when you’re already gone.”

Bryant also taught everyone the importance about guide dogs, which help blind or visually impaired people navigate their surroundings. She described guide dogs as a “person’s eyes when they’re walking.” If a blind or visually impaired person is at the top of the stairs, their guide dog can take their nose, put it underneath the person’s hand, and safely guide it to the railing.

Seeing The World Differently

A big highlight for the students was when Bryant showed them a mechanical braille writer. Braille is a written language for blind individuals and is based off a six dot pattern. These raised dots can be arranged in different patterns to represent different characters, with people tracing over them with their fingertips to read words.

Mechanical braille writers imprint these dots onto paper, and are how books designed for blind or visually impaired people are made. Bryant walked around the room and held open Tarpley’s book on a page that showed the braille alphabet.

She also passed out a few tactile books, which are interactive books with textures that go along with the story. These can range from fluffy fur that mimics the softness of dog hair to sturdy bumps that mimic the hardness of porcupine quills. As Bryant said, these books give blind and visually impaired people “information that their eyes aren’t able to.”

Students “ooo’d” and “ahhh’d” most of all when Bryant showed them a cane. Bryant noted how people use the bottom of the cane to sweep the ground for obstacles, letting them walk around on their own.

She showed everyone how the particular cane she brought was collapsible and can easily fit inside someone’s pocket or backpack for ease of transport. Students even had the chance to learn how to properly use the cane themselves, with Bryant’s guidance.

Bryant also taught students that there are several things to keep in mind with canes. The first is to never touch somebody else’s cane, as the cane is essentially a part of their body. Even if a person might look like they need help, Bryant said they should never go to someone and grab their cane. Instead, Bryant encouraged students to ask people if they look like they’re struggling and see if they can help.

Another tip to help people who use canes, especially children, is telling them what’s happening around them. Bryant said it could be as simple as telling them, “Hey careful, there’s a friend on your left.”

“It’s important to use instructive words like right, left, front, or behind instead of just saying, ‘Hey, it’s over there.’”

The Beauty Of Differences

Middle Gate Lead Teacher John Sullivan said the goal of the event is to build awareness about differences and teach children about others who are blind or visually impaired.

“We’ve done it in the past, but now we’re sort of bringing it back,” Sullivan said.

Since Bryant is from Connecticut and the daughter of a Newtown employee, he felt like she would be a perfect fit to talk to their students.

This is far from the first time that Bryant has talked to students about blindness. A part of her job, she said, is that she’ll do brief trainings for the staff or peers of students she services. Bryant leads these trainings if she is asked, with her adding that they help teach children how to be a more helpful friend and understand how their friend sees differently.

“And it’s amazing to me because I find that kids are just so receptive,” Bryant said. “Some of the questions they ask me will just have me go, ‘Wow, you really thought about that. That’s so considerate.’”

Bryant said it is important for people to know that just because they might be visually impaired or blind doesn’t mean they can’t do what other kids do.

“They just might access things in a different way. So it’s important for people around them to be creative and figure out the best ways for them to learn. It’s not that they can’t learn, it’s just that they’re learning differently,” Bryant said.

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Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.