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People You Should Know … by Stuart WittensteinName: Sharon Zell Sacks, Ph.D. Organization: Professor & Coordinator, Teacher Preparation
Program in Visual Impairment, Contact
Information:
Division
of Special Education, Please
explain what you do: As
I complete these interview questions, I am in transition. For the past four
years I have been the Assistant Superintendent of the Why did you
choose the career that you did? I
have been in the field of blindness and visual impairment
since 1974. I think my desire to become a teacher of the visually impaired stems
back to my childhood. Born with Retinopathy of Prematurity, and educated in
programs for the visually impaired in What 2 or 3
accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? This
is a hard question to answer. I think there are really four things that have
given me great satisfaction: 1.) The creation and continued implementation of
the Lowenfeld/Akeson Preschool Seminars on a yearly basis; 2.) The Summer
Transition Training Projects that provided professional development training to
teachers of the visually impaired and rehabilitation personnel throughout the
United States in the early 1990s. Almost 200 teachers and counselor were
trained. Many went on to assume leadership roles in our field; 3.) The
production and dissemination of The Focused On… (social skills curriculum)
materials with Karen Wolffe; and 4.) working to help create one of the most
innovative and forward thinking specialized schools for the visually impaired (CSB).
What is the most important lesson you have learned from
your work?
I
believe that we work in an incredible profession. I have learned to respect each
student as an individual, and to listen carefully and sensitively to each
family’s needs and desires. I have also learned to be patient with colleagues
and those that I supervise. I have learned that change is not always easy. Some
(like me) embrace change as a stimulating adventure. Others are not as willing
to promote change. I have learned to respect those differences. What do you
think it takes to be successful in our field?
In
order to be successful in our field one must be committed and passionate about
the field; its students, its programs, its ultimate survival. Commitment and
passion can be observed through excellence in teaching, working directly with
families, professional presentations, writing endeavors, practical and empirical
research, and legislative action. Sometimes, however, being successful in our
professions involves long hours and daily commitment. It is critical to find a
balance-something I continually try to achieve. How would a
friend, colleague, or professor describe you? Oh boy! I guess my friends and
colleagues would describe me as energetic, enthusiastic, creative, and
passionate. I have high expectations for myself and for others. Sometimes
(according to my daughter) I am pushy. I view that as a desire to insure quality
in whatever I pursue. I think my friends and colleagues would view me as a
collaborative and sharing individual. I feel I don’t need to control a
situation to obtain a positive outcome. I much rather work with others to
achieve a particular goal or activity, rather than working in isolation.
Finally, it is important for me to be respected by my peers as a quality
professional and a good person. What is your
favorite book? What are you reading now?
I’ve
just started reading the What are
your interests outside of work? For
those who know me, my family is exceedingly important to me. My children (Loren,
22, and Rebecca, 13) provide great joy. Their lives are exciting, and I learn so
much from them. My husband, Rick, is a physicist, and seems in awe of our
profession. He is really pretty terrific. He always supports my travels, new
projects, new positions, and every aspect of our profession. In my spare time I
sing and play guitar. I love to cook and host parties. I love to read trashy
novels especially in the summer on a warm sandy beach. If you could
do so, how would you plan your career differently? Actually, I don’t
think I would change anything about my career. I have had, and continue to have
wonderful opportunities to learn and to grow. I couldn’t ask for a better
professional life. There are times, however, when I think about what it would
have been like if I had pursued a medical degree or nursing. I think my focus
would have been child oriented/special needs oriented. What words
of wisdom would you like to share with the members of DVI? As we move into the 21st century, I
worry about the longevity of our profession. I would hope that even though we
are a relatively small profession, we can remain passionate and committed to
educating students with visual impairments. Further, we must all continue to
learn and explore new ideas and concepts. We cannot stay the same, we must move
forward to meet the challenges of a new century. We must be willing to accept
change in how we provide professional training, who we serve, and how we provide
those services to students. Most importantly, we must be willing to demonstrate
and document why our profession is so important, why blind and visually impaired
students have unique educational needs, and why services by trained
professionals is so critical to student outcomes. You and I are the future. We
must work to promote leadership and continue the legacy of those who came before
us. What
challenges do you see before us? I
think I answered that in the preceding question. Other potential challenges
include generic service delivery to all students with special needs, funding of
programs and services, shortages of trained personnel, and a more diverse
population of students to be served. Anything
else you’d like to add… I
have enjoyed this experience, and wish all readers an exciting and fruitful
school year. Go out and share a new idea or teaching strategy
with a colleague. |