After our fun visit to Dewey Elementary School in Evanston, Ill. last month, six-and-a-half-year-Katya Karpeyev told her Papa she felt special. “It was really neat to be up front assisting Beth with the other kids’ questions.”
Katya’s big sister was at the assembly with her third-grade classmates, too, and Sasha agreed to write a guest post so my blog readers could see a school visit from a nine-year-old point of view.
That’s Katya (l) and Sasha helping out in class.
Things I learned from Beth and Whitney’s visit
by Sasha Karpeyev
When I got into the multi-purpose room it was really nice to see Beth, Papa, and Carli at school. I learned a lot about blind people and Beth from the stories and things that she told us. I learned that only blind people have white canes with red tips, that Beth went blind when she was 26 (half of her life), and that it can be challenging to be blind.
At home, I tried some experiments like trying to go to the bathroom with my eyes closed to see what it was like to be blind. It was really hard because first I tried to turn on the light and turned on the vent instead when I did not even need the light. Second it was hard to find the toilet. Third I could not find the toilet paper very quickly. Fourth it was hard to find the sink and when I felt the sink, it seemed like it was crooked.
I also tried to slide my finger across the numbers on the phone to make combinations of numbers. I got every single one right.
The day Beth came, after we left the multi-purpose room, all of my friends were talking about how interesting it was to see someone at school besides the teachers and students. Everybody also thought it was fun to see a dog in school since no animals were allowed in school except service dogs. They also said it was cool how Beth could be a writer even though she can’t see at all. I hope Beth can come to see us again!
Thanks, Sasha. Whitney and I had a ball with you and Katya at Dewey School. Hope we can come again, too!
This is great! Thank you, Beth, for asking Sasha to contribute. I know she really enjoyed doing those experiments and thinking about what she could write.
You’re welcome, Carli. Half the fun was driving there and back with you and Dmitri. He and his daughters are lucky to have you!
The best guest post ever!!! What terrific writing for a nine year old (that type of writing was the exception, not the rule, where I used to teach) and what creativity using her experiment to learn about blindness. You’ve had some fantastic guest writers, but I have a soft spot for this one. Guess you can’t take the classroom out of the teacher?
Great post, Sasha! I love how you did your own experiment at home to understand what it means to be blind. You made some smart observations. Well done!
Sasha, you have a future as a writer. Your report on Beth’s visit was better than anything CNN or MSNBC could have done. Kudos young lady!
You’re a cool kid – praise indeed!
Fantastic journalism, Sasha! I can’t wait to “see” what you come up with next.
Oh, I love the “see” in quotes — not sure Sasha is reading all these comments but I sure hope she is, she deserves all the compliments, thanks for leaving them here you guys!
Glad you were at Dewey, Beth. My sister, who lives directly across the street, volunteers there in the younger bilingual classes and knows a lot of those kids. And congrats on your Endowment award. That’s very exciting. I look forward to seeing you on jan. 23 , tho you’ll hear my voice via Mary RIgdon next week.
Judy Roth
Shoot! Wish I’d known your sister volunteers there, I would have invited her to the assembly. Maybe next time…?
Sasha, Loved your blog and the experments. I closed my eyes and couldn’t even find the bathroom. Glad you and Katya had Beth to your school, – she feels you’re both very special. Brad
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