Do you feel that hearing teachers restrict Deaf children in learning?

Shel, speaking of NCLB, you have heard what's happening at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf, right? Its BIG news.
 
What I see with the NCLB is more and more teachers are having to teach according to the standards that this things has and does not allow them the time to work with the children who may need just a little more. More emphasis has been put onto the "school" doing well as opposed to the individual child. There are some students who just are little sponges and have no problem learning everything under the sun, but there are others (countless others) who need more, whether it's a little or a lot, but they are not being given a chance to succeed. Some are "swept under the rug", so to speak, and most seem to get ridiculed for being "stupid or dumb or ignorant".

Now, onto the original topic: I originally did not have much of an opinion since I hadn't experienced much except hearing teacher in the public school system. Now, I am taking as ASL class and I am the only deaf or hoh person there. the instructor is hearing. I found at the local deaf club, that I am not being taught everything totally correctly and they are trying to help me before I get too used to the incorrect way. So, unto that end, I feel that it is best to have a deaf or hoh person who is an active part of the deaf community to be teachers of Deaf/deaf children.
 
That is exactly what I meant. I thought my statement was obvious.
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It'd probably be obvious to someone in the Deaf community, however, I'm as naive as they come! =) I'll endeavor to keep an open mind.
 
Tousi said:
Shel, speaking of NCLB, you have heard what's happening at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf, right? Its BIG news.
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We were all talking about that at work on Friday. Wow!
 
Tousi said:
Tell me something, Shel; is the NCLB part of your school's operations? Is it mandatory or voluntary?
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It is mandatory...about 99% of us are highly qualified. However, being highly qualified doesnt guarantee a person is right for this field.

What says on paper doesnt really reflect one's ability to teach a diverse and challenging group of children. The same goes for public schools. That's why I think the NCLB is a joke.
 
shel90 said:
It is mandatory...about 99% of us are highly qualified. However, being highly qualified doesnt guarantee a person is right for this field.

What says on paper doesnt really reflect one's ability to teach a diverse and challenging group of children. The same goes for public schools. That's why I think the NCLB is a joke.
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In that case, might what the Supt for Public Instruction in RI be way off base? Remember that this Supt is over all of edu in the state and is not the RI school's Supt.
 
Tousi said:
In that case, might what the Supt for Public Instruction in RI be way off base? Remember that this Supt is over all of edu in the state and is not the RI school's Supt.
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It depends on the state...if the state did an audit and find out that the school didnt meet the NCLB's complaince then the Supt is the one who gets into trouble. That's based on what I know but I could be wrong.
 
Tousie,

From that thread about the R.I. layoffs...

Their approval set the stage for a comprehensive review of personnel qualifications in light of a June 1 deadline imposed by the state Commissioner of Education for a new staffing plan that ensures all students are taught by "fully certified and highly qualified" teachers as required by the federal law.


Apparently, the state did an audit or something or is putting pressure on the Supt.

I am telling you, there are some teachers who are highly qualified but do not know how to teach deaf students.

I know some teachers who arent but are the best I have ever seen.

Like I said, it is a joke. Getting certified isnt but to become "highly qualified" is a joke.
 
shel90 said:
It depends on the state...if the state did an audit and find out that the school didnt meet the NCLB's complaince then the Supt is the one who gets into trouble. That's based on what I know but I could be wrong.
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Yeah but what I mean is: Since you say the NCLB is a joke and a state-wide public instruction Supt did what he did toward the RI school for the deaf and ALL of its teachers, isn't it possible that this state-wide Supt knows nothing about teaching the deaf?
 
Tousi said:
Yeah but what I mean is: Since you say the NCLB is a joke and a state-wide public instruction Supt did what he did toward the RI school for the deaf and ALL of its teachers, isn't it possible that this state-wide Supt knows nothing about teaching the deaf?
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Do you mean the Supt for the Deaf school or for the state? If for the state, then most likely not but if for the Deaf school, I would hope he has expertise in teaching the deaf.
 
shel90 said:
Do you mean the Supt for the Deaf school or for the state? If for the state, then most likely not but if for the Deaf school, I would hope he has expertise in teaching the deaf.
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I said the State-0wide guy. I hope the RI School for the Deaf Supt can straighten him out as I find it hard to believe EVERY teacher there will be fired. Something wrong with that picture.
 
Tousi said:
I said the State-0wide guy. I hope the RI School for the Deaf Supt can straighten him out as I find it hard to believe EVERY teacher there will be fired. Something wrong with that picture.
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Ok wanted to make sure. Oh, I am sure the state-wide Supt knows nothing about how to teach deaf children. I wonder what is going to happen in June. I am sure many of us at my job will be reading the news or contacting people who work there.
 
QuietlyAnointed said:
I grew up hard of hearing but have years of experience working with hearing children (toddlers and preschoolers). I was an opened teacher and followed the interest of the children. If the were interested in planets, I taught planets. If they were interested in the air, I taught air.

Since my hearing has been getting worst, I decided to change my focus from hearing children to Deaf children. When presenting my ideas to the teachers and assistants at this school for the Deaf, they are very resistant to them. And make comments like "They wouldn't understand. They are deaf." or "It's too abstract for them".

Those statements made me do a little research on Deafness and Education. I found the high percentages of people who are Deaf who dropped out of high school, or who do not read past 3rd grade reading levels, etc.

This makes me wonder if it is the teachers who put those restrictions on the children because they are Deaf and the teachers themselves do not believe that the children are CAPABLE.

I believe that ALL children are capable and it is my responsibility as a teacher to understand how they learn so that they CAN.

I would love to read your thoughts
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Heck, been restricted here and there. I pushed back most of the time. :)
 
i do not think what you are talking about. Hearing teachers want deaf children to learned english and prepare for life like college and career, do not care if they are smart or not. Hearing teachers cared about future and money.
 
My hearing teachers in 3 different primary/junior (5-11 years old) mainstream schools didn't care about teaching me and me to learn. I never learnt a thing. Every single day they give me a orange book with poem in it and tell me copy the poem exactly in my best handwriting. Every single day they write down what I need to write in that orange book then I take that orange book home to show my parents what I did at school as if I did it myself rather than copy from teachers or teachers tell me copy from poem.

They did that because they don't know how to teach me, they don't know how make me understand them and if I would understand what they teach me and they also got 20 hearing kids to teach.

At Deaf School was different. I went to Deaf Oral School cos my parents was too scared me losing speech skills if I went to Deaf BSL School. Even though I can't understand the teachers most of time BUT they do their best to TRY make me understand, TRY to teach me and WANT me to learn. More than mainstream ever done.

It depends on what teachers you get, how much they are prepared to work with you. My hard of hearing sister had much better teachers in her class in same mainstream school I went to, her teacher was really good with her, make sure she understands and take time with 1 to 1 if she needed it. Her teacher really wants my sister to do well. That makes bigger difference.
 
I think the hearing teachers who teach in mainstreamed don't have the time, the understanding of how to teach deaf children, nor the energy to make that extra effort for deaf children especially with NCLB pressuring them to get as many students to pass the state assessments.
 
shel90 said:
I think the hearing teachers who teach in mainstreamed don't have the time, the understanding of how to teach deaf children, nor the energy to make that extra effort for deaf children especially with NCLB pressuring them to get as many students to pass the state assessments.
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Amen!!
 
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