photo of a woman with glasses on

The Teacher Becomes the Student

Meet Patricia Darlington, a successful writer, life skills/self-empowerment coach and college professor who has dedicated her life to helping others reach their greatest potential. Now, due to her advancing vision loss, the tables have turned and the self-empowerment expert and teacher must reach out and ask for help herself to now maneuver life visually impaired.
 
She came to Lighthouse for the Blind a few years ago to learn independent living skills from teacher Genie Salzverg, when she first started to lose her vision. The skills she learned empowered her to remain independent and gain confidence in her everyday life. She continued to teach and in fact wrote another self-help book The Revolution: A Transformative Path To Wholeness Using The Power of the Mind that came out last March. But as her vision loss advanced she was forced to retire last year after 26 years of dedicated service. But, not to be defeated, she turned once again to Lighthouse to teach her technology skills so she could return to her job.
 
Enter, Dr. Rachel Trinkowsky and Winston Callum from our assistive technology department, who would play an incredible role in getting her to August 22, the first day of the fall semester, with Patricia returning to teach a class online.
“I had no idea if I could manage this task sighted much less unsighted. I explained to Dr. Rachael what I hoped to achieve, and she assured me that between herself and my teacher Winston we could do it together,” said Patricia. “We succeeded! Along with everything I have done with Winston, Dr. Rachael agreed to conference in with the e-learning center at FAU to help to develop the course so that it would be accessible. The staff at the university could not believe that I would be afforded such extensive help from the Lighthouse. I continue to work with Winston two times per week and cannot imagine that I could be at this stage without the incredible and generous assistance afforded to me by these two individuals. They have given me back my passion as I am able to work part time doing the job I love.”
 
“Genie started with me and my journey into life as a visually impaired adult, she gave me my independence and confidence and Dr. Rachel and Winston gave me the professional skills to get my job back! I would be remiss if I did not take the time to extend my gratitude to everyone at Lighthouse for the Blind – they gave me my life back!”