Where do you get that magic ingredient to learning – motivation? Young blind and vision impaired children are motivated by exactly the same reasons as their sighted peers. They want to be “cool”, they want to be challenged and be able to explore, and they want to be respected by their peers. “Cool tools” can be very motivating, as Pat Gould a Vision Resource Teacher at Delta School District British Columbia , Canada found out.

The following is a snippet of a conversation Pat had with one of her students, Jay, a six year old kindergartner.

“I knew the MB was important to Jay, but not how important. The following happened about a month ago. We were outside doing some Orientation and Mobility”

Jay: Miss Gould, can we do Mountbatten today?

Me: Not today. I have to go to another student soon.

Jay pauses and thinks for a moment.

Jay: Miss Gould, can we do Mountbatten tomorrow?

Me: Yes, Jay. Tomorrow.

Jay pauses and thinks again.

Jay: Miss Gould, is that a promise?

Me: Yes, Jay. That’s a promise.

Jay still wasn’t satisfied and thought for a moment more.

Jay: Well Pat. (said in a very serious/sad tone of voice) Don’t break your promise.

I didn’t.