by Carla Hayes
I hope you are all planning to come to Jacksonville, Fla., from July 8-15, 2006 because the National Association of Blind Teachers has an exciting convention planned for you.
On Sunday, July 9, from 8-9:30 a.m., we will be having our annual breakfast and program. After a sumptuous breakfast and the opportunity to socialize with old and new friends, join us for a program entitled, "Don't Sit! Be Fit! How to Exercise When You Can't Use Your Eyes." Program presenters will be Oral Miller, president of the D.C. Council of the Blind and a member of the executive committee of the International Blind Sports Association, and Gerry Koors, a certified water aerobics instructor from Indianapolis, Ind. From 9:30 to 9:45, there will be a short break. Following the break, from 9:45 to 10:30, NABT will hold its annual business meeting. Come and help us make important decisions and plan our future. Finally, from 10:30 to 11:00, we will have our board meeting. Everyone is welcome.
On Monday, July 10, at 1:30 p.m., LUA and NABT will have a joint program dealing with the issue of accessible textbooks. As of this writing, further details about this program were not available. Look in your convention program for more information.
Tuesday, July 11, will be a very busy day for NABT! From 1:30 to 3 p.m., NABT and NABS will be co-sponsoring a program entitled, "Education Can Be Successful At Any Age." The speakers will include Dr. Ronald E. Milliman, professor of marketing, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Ky.; Rebecca Hodson, NABS president, Arlington, Va.; and Lisa Boettcher, doctoral student, Columbia, Mo. In this program, panelists will present tips and suggestions on how to be successful students in higher education. Following the 3 p.m. break, Brian Charlson, Vice President of Technology Services, Carroll Center for the Blind, Newton, Mass., will give an informative presentation on "Harnessing the Power of PowerPoint with Access Technology." This will run from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m.
On Wednesday, July 12, at 3 p.m., we will be joining with FIA and co-sponsoring the annual writers' workshop. This year's topic is "Editing Your Own Writing: Chopping Out The Chaff." One of the presenters will be "Braille Forum" editor Sharon Lovering. We feel that this topic should be of great interest to teachers on all levels who must do a lot of writing and help their students edit their own work.
This year's NABT convention program offers a wide variety of topics which should be of interest to all teachers. We hope that you will join us during convention week!