The Chance To Make A Difference

The Chance To Make A Difference

Dr. Robert O. SheltonNASA Johnson Space Center

Topics

• Who• When• What• How

Page 2 of xxMarch 2011

Who – Parents and Siblings

• Thomas J. Shelton, 3/29/1908-11/30/1987• Elizabeth P. Shelton, 7/4/1911-3/24/2001• Thomas L. Shelton, 1/27/1947-4/13/1950• Robert O. Shelton, 11/9/1949-


Who -- Family

• Linda P. Shelton, 7/1/1949-• Robert O. Shelton, Jr., 12/22/1972-• Thomas A. (Andy) Shelton, 4/28/1975-• Peter M. Shelton, 2/20/1978-5/25/2000• Brian P. Shelton, 10/22/1983-


Who -- Friends

• Who are your friends?• Learning how to be a friend• How a disability changes our relationships


Who -- Teachers

• Elementary• Math• Typing• Braille• Mobility• College


Who -- Bosses

• Rice Physics Dept.• NASA• Thesis Adviser• University of Tennessee• Michigan Tech• NASA again


When – Time Line

• 1950 – Loss of one child and a glaucoma diagnosis• 1960 – Introduction to blindness• 1970 -- Independence• 1980 -- Welcome to life’s challenges• 1990 -- Success and coming home• 2000 -- A terrible loss, middle age and new

priorities• 2010 -- Life is good


What – Before Blindness

• Hated School• Going nowhere fast• Blindness was the least of my worries


What – After Blindness

• Initial shock• Make a plan• Find resources• Acquire skills• Reassess priorities


Misconception #1

• “You have such a positive attitude.”• Dealing with anger• Recognition• Understanding• Resolution


What -- Breaking Away

• College• First “Real” Job• Marriage• Kids and Grad School


Misconception #2

• “You must have a great memory”• Oh really?• Mobility, not routes• Ideas and structure over data• You can’t memorize it all, and even if you do,

you probably don’t understand


What – Losing a Job

• Pride Cometh Before a Fall• Handling Stress• Starting Over


What – Getting Over The Hump

• Tenure• Beginnings of assistive technology• NASA, Again


Misconceptions #3 and 4

• “It’s like you have an advantage…”• “I forget you can’t see…”• And What I always wanted to say:

I forget you’re not that bright.


What – Giving Something Back

• An “eye opening” experience• “They never considered college a possibility• Understanding the problem• Doing something about it


David’s Dome

David Under Dome

Table Activity

Solar System Result

Rick, Carol & Nancy make cookies

Robert makes

a cookie

too!

How – Your Turn, #1

• You are a case worker/counselor/teacher. A recently blinded student is about to start middle school. You are meeting with parents and teachers, none of whom have any experience with blindness. What do you tell them?


How – Your Turn #2

• You work as an employment counselor for the State Commission. There is a promising blind college kid who is majoring in chemistry. A major chemical company has an opening for a job; however, the HR person for the chemical company is concerned about hiring a blind chemist. What do you do?

• OK, now you’re the HR person. You want to do “the right thing.” What does the counsellor need to show you to address your concerns?


How – Your Turn #3

• You’re a physicist. You work at a major university known for its competitive standards. Blasses have only been in session for a couple of weeks, but you’ve noticed that there is a student in your Physics 100 class who appears to be blind. He asks questions which suggest that he is understanding the material, but you really don’t know how much is sinking in. You see him walking across campus. The two of you fall into a casual conversation when the student asks you out of the blue “Do you think it’s possible for a blind person to be a physicist?” You don’t know, but what do you say?


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The Chance To Make A Difference

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