Blind teaching assistant prepares to take next step

A teaching assistant who works despite severe visual impairment is preparing to become a fully qualified teacher this autumn.

Lisa Smith has overcome a degenerative eye condition to work as a teaching assistant at the Oriel Specialist Mathematics and Computing College in Gorleston, reports the Eastern Daily News.

And having completed her training as a teaching assistant, Ms Smith will start a full teaching degree at university this September.

Ms Smith explained that it was the gift of a seeing-eye dog which changed her attitude to life: "When I was given Vanity I started to gain more confidence and independence and finally thought, right, let's go and do something positive for the community."

She added she loved her role as a teaching assistant and wishes she had started to work sooner.

And Ms Smith's attitude and talent in her job has brought her recognition in the form of the Learning Skills Council's Big Skills award.

The local event in Norfolk to celebrate the awards will take place in Norwich on June 8th.



Published On 22/05/2009