Hello everyone! This is my first post here, and I just want some general feedback or opinions.
I am in an interpreting program an at upstate New York community college (Ulster County Community College). It is a certificate program (not by the teachers choice, the college won't hire any more teachers to move it up to an Associates program).
I recently withdrew from the program. I had a lot of different reasons why. First, the program is taught in PSE. Now, before I atteneded Ulster Community, I was at Columbia-Greene Community, which is up the hudson river about 45 mintues. We were taught ASL there, by an AMAZING teacher (sometimes a little intense), but still great. I had A's in both ASL 1 and 2. I think we learned...hmmm...maybe about 2500 words..mostly grammar with time, SVOO, OSVO, etc. Because my I wanted further pursue my interest in Deaf Culture/ASL...I went to the closest college that had such program.
At Ulster Community college, we learned new words out of a dictionary. I thought, God, how boring. I remember taking my first test, and she was using words like "and, it, is, were, will, etc." and I was like HUH?? I thought "is" was a form of "insect", and I was all sorts of confused. I read before the program was in PSE, but I e-mailed the teacher and asked her if there is anything I should study or catch up on before I enter the class, room, she said no, I should be fine. I went from 100's on test to low 70's. Now, this teacher is also a speech pathologist during the day, and then teaches at night.
The local Deaf community here in the Hudson Valley has less the desireable things to say about her. There was another ASL/English Interpreting program in Poughkeepsie, but was stopped because the teacher left for a bigger college (and more money).
I had a lot of friends in the class at Ulster, but I recently got into a debate with one, and she said she loved PSE because words are her life, and that ASL is very confusing and she doesnt like it.
Now, the teacher DOES teach ASL, but not until Sign 4! (there are 5 courses, the fifth being Conversational Sign Language). But, she kind of incorporates SEE words into ASL...I don't know, its very confusing. Is this right? One night...I was using the word "receive" in a topic/comment sentence, and I did it the "ASL" way, she said I was wrong. (This teacher even went to Gallaudet!) She instead does it with R's on top of each other, then, move towards your shoulder. I mean, is that ASL or what is it?
On Wednesday nights, some of the Deaf community here (Kingston, NY) get together at the local Barnes & Noble just to kind of get together and talk about different things. I entered into a relationship with one of the Deaf people, and he told me that he doesn't use ASL on purpose, because (besides me) none of the other other students that come for their internship, or whatever, will not understand if he uses ASL. I told him don't do that, do what you want, if they don't understand, oh well. (I don't know if thats the nice thing to say). Between us, we use ASL, and I've learned more in a month, then over 3 years of studying, lol!
I am leaving in august to go either University of Southern Maine(for Interpreting), or Temple University (in Philadelphia, for speech therapy) I have not decided which yet.
So I guess I just want some opinions on this, and if you think PSE should be taught to college students.
thanks for reading my ramblings, but when I got into the debate with my friend, it just kind of irritated me.
Have a good day!
I am in an interpreting program an at upstate New York community college (Ulster County Community College). It is a certificate program (not by the teachers choice, the college won't hire any more teachers to move it up to an Associates program).
I recently withdrew from the program. I had a lot of different reasons why. First, the program is taught in PSE. Now, before I atteneded Ulster Community, I was at Columbia-Greene Community, which is up the hudson river about 45 mintues. We were taught ASL there, by an AMAZING teacher (sometimes a little intense), but still great. I had A's in both ASL 1 and 2. I think we learned...hmmm...maybe about 2500 words..mostly grammar with time, SVOO, OSVO, etc. Because my I wanted further pursue my interest in Deaf Culture/ASL...I went to the closest college that had such program.
At Ulster Community college, we learned new words out of a dictionary. I thought, God, how boring. I remember taking my first test, and she was using words like "and, it, is, were, will, etc." and I was like HUH?? I thought "is" was a form of "insect", and I was all sorts of confused. I read before the program was in PSE, but I e-mailed the teacher and asked her if there is anything I should study or catch up on before I enter the class, room, she said no, I should be fine. I went from 100's on test to low 70's. Now, this teacher is also a speech pathologist during the day, and then teaches at night.
The local Deaf community here in the Hudson Valley has less the desireable things to say about her. There was another ASL/English Interpreting program in Poughkeepsie, but was stopped because the teacher left for a bigger college (and more money).
I had a lot of friends in the class at Ulster, but I recently got into a debate with one, and she said she loved PSE because words are her life, and that ASL is very confusing and she doesnt like it.
Now, the teacher DOES teach ASL, but not until Sign 4! (there are 5 courses, the fifth being Conversational Sign Language). But, she kind of incorporates SEE words into ASL...I don't know, its very confusing. Is this right? One night...I was using the word "receive" in a topic/comment sentence, and I did it the "ASL" way, she said I was wrong. (This teacher even went to Gallaudet!) She instead does it with R's on top of each other, then, move towards your shoulder. I mean, is that ASL or what is it?
On Wednesday nights, some of the Deaf community here (Kingston, NY) get together at the local Barnes & Noble just to kind of get together and talk about different things. I entered into a relationship with one of the Deaf people, and he told me that he doesn't use ASL on purpose, because (besides me) none of the other other students that come for their internship, or whatever, will not understand if he uses ASL. I told him don't do that, do what you want, if they don't understand, oh well. (I don't know if thats the nice thing to say). Between us, we use ASL, and I've learned more in a month, then over 3 years of studying, lol!
I am leaving in august to go either University of Southern Maine(for Interpreting), or Temple University (in Philadelphia, for speech therapy) I have not decided which yet.
So I guess I just want some opinions on this, and if you think PSE should be taught to college students.
thanks for reading my ramblings, but when I got into the debate with my friend, it just kind of irritated me.
Have a good day!
