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12 Faculty Matters Summer 2012 meet the faculty Andre Watson, Psy.D. continued from page 10 “I heard people talk differently to me, and that’s stayed with me all these years,” he explains. “I was free to be anything and then after I lost my sight I felt people putting constraints on me—and I resent that, I really do. It’s like having privileges and then having them taken away.” An active student With encouragement—and with his own high expectations—Watson began to move forward. He notes he was fortunate to have the support of his mother, a teacher, but also to be enrolled at Overbrook Education Center from grades four to eight. The school was hugely supportive of blind students, allowing them to join mainstream classes. In high school, Watson joined the wrestling team and pursued the sport through college. He later played goalball—a sport for blind athletes—and was on the national team. In goalball, teams of three maneuver similar to a soccer or hockey goalie, trying to prevent the opposing team from scoring a ball embedded with bells. Players with partial vision are blindfolded to create a level playing field. Also a martial arts practitioner, Watson was selected to the Paralympic Judo Team and represented the U.S. at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Research based on experience Watson earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Spanish and Africana Studies, at the University of Pittsburgh. His master’s and doctorate degree, both in Clinical Psychology, were completed at Widener University. For his doctorate, Watson’s dissertation focused on the development of blind adolescents—a topic inspired by his own youth. In social situations, fear of the unknown can result in a person with a disability being totally excluded. “When you’re disabled, people aren’t always sure what to do so sometimes you’re sat in a corner, you’re forgotten about or you’re not included,” explains Watson. “It can create people who are stuck and unsure of themselves.” One unique social tool Watson credits with helping him elude such a fate: learning the electric slide. It’s a move his eighth grade teacher taught him. “You don’t know how much mileage I have gotten out of doing that [dance],” he says with a laugh. Weddings, dances and parties, Watson is on the dance floor. “ I think one thing students enjoy about my class is that I implicitly stand for overcoming adversity.” Combating discrimination “I think one thing students enjoy about my class is that I implicitly stand for overcoming adversity,” he explains. “Many times, students are shocked to see a disabled man teaching the class.” He’s actually been mistaken as a student a number of times. “When they hear my story about how I understand difficulty, they are given hope … I understand the power of encouragement, motivation and expectation.” Awareness of what the blind and visually impaired are capable of needs more focus, says Watson. “Eighty percent of people who are visually impaired are unemployed or underemployed,” he explains. “Discrimination runs rampant and the [overall] conditions for the visually impaired needs to be improved.” A life-long learner Today, along with actively counselling children, adults, families and couples, Watson stays current in his area of study via professional
associations and his own research. He is a member of Division 51—The Society of the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity, of the American Psychological Association and the Pennsylvania Psychological Association. President of a new audio dart club—a special interest group of the Pennsylvania Council for the Blind—he is also working on an article on masculinity and disability. Inspired and inspiring While those at the Philadelphia Campus point to Watson as inspiring for his use of adaptive technology to prepare for class, evaluate assignments and post feedback, he is quick to turn the attention to his students. “They inspire me because so many of them deal with real life issues. Many of my students are from the inner-city and want desperately to learn and make a better life for themselves,” he explains. “They are parents, professionals, soldiers, health care workers, business people… They have so much talent, and all they need is a chance.” ONLINE EXTRAS Visit FacultyMatters.com to see a slideshow of images taken of Dr. Andre Watson at our April photoshoot in Pennsylvania. FACULTY FACTS ANDRE WATSON Faculty since 2007 FACILITATES FOR College of Humanities HIGHEST DEGREE Doctorate of Clinical psychology, Widener University facultymatters.com BEST TEACHING pRACTICES Help students to understand that mistakes are great learning opportunities. See the bigger picture – life is more than passing one class. It’s about seeing the best in one’s self and never giving up. ADVICE Expect the best out of students. Students thrive when they know that someone believes in them. 13
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