Safety in the Classroom
Safety is a very important part of any school environment for all students and staff. The safety of your braille-reading student will need to be considered in all learning environments. The following is a list of safety measures that you can take within the classroom, school, playground and field trip environments.
Orientation and Mobility in the School Environment:
- Pre-expose your braille-readings student any new environment. The Orientation and Mobility Instructor and TVI will help your student develop a mental map of the different and important areas of the school so that he or she can safely move through his or her school environment.
Safety in the Classroom:
- Develop classroom paths that are wide enough for your braille-reading student to navigate through using his or her cane.
- Make sure the classroom and floor clutter is kept under control to reduce the risk of tripping. Talk to your class about the importance of keeping a clutter-free classroom.
- Create classroom furniture plan that stay relatively consistent throughout the year. If possible, keep desks, recycling bins and garbage cans in the same place.
- Discuss and show any classroom changes with your braille-reading student so that he or she is familiarized with the new furniture plan.
Safety on staircases:
- Paint the edge of stairs a contrasting colour.
- Show your braille-reading student how to safely walk down the stairwell, staying on the right side at all times.
Safety on the Playground:
- Expose your braille-reading students to potential outdoor hazards, such as drains and gutters.
- Be aware of any trip hazards that develop from weathering, such as frost heaves, or icy surfaces.
- If your braille-reading student has some usable vision, it may be useful to paint trip hazards, such as the edge of the raised playground perimeter, a contrasting colour.
- Pre-expose your braille-reading student to any new playground equipment before they go out to play with the rest of the students.
Safety on field trips:
- Discuss or pre-expose your braille-reading student to the new environment.
- Prepare and field trip presenters or organizations of the safety needs of your braille-reading student before you get to the field trip site.
Fire and earthquake emergencies:
- Show your braille-reading student the different exits within the school.
- Practice fire drills and earthquake skills while your braille-reading student is in different parts of the school environment, not just in the classroom
- Introduce your braille-reading student to all of the fire bell switches in the school.
- Have plan set up with different teachers and staff members within different parts of the school.