Two worlds

~*Kaelei*~ said:
Shel -

I bet you that now most of those Oralists are using ASL also. Who oralists do you know from Tucker....as I may know some of them. Most of the oralists that I know from Tucker are now using ASL....
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I am talking about the oralists as professionals not the former students. I am sure I probably met former students of Tucker who are using ASL now and I wouldnt know that they grew up oral! LOL!
 
deafbajagal said:
The important thing is NOW you've found your place. Hugs, my friend. ;)
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Thanks. I am happy for myself but still angry at the oral-only philosophy cuz of my students who come to my school at an older age who have fell so far behind due to being in an environment where they didnt have full access to language and education. I just think it is wrong because hearing kids would never be put in that kind of position where they dont have full access to everything so why is it ok to put deaf children in that position. *sighs*
 
~*Kaelei*~ said:
Yes, it's called Tucker Maxon Oral school for the Deaf....but it's not called that anymore. They now have been letting Hearing kids attend the school, so it's not for the deaf anymore. It's for Hearing and the Deaf...and that makes me so upset. This school is supposed to be for the deaf but really, they want to make more money so they let the hearing kids in.

UGH....They should really focus on the deaf kids....but no....they're greedy!

And, are you saying that I'm being rude because I introduce myself and let them know my background? I've been taught to always introduce myself to the person before we actually have a conversation. But once I get to know the person better after talking for a while, I would let the person know my background. I don't have a problem sharing my background or my name. :)
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I'm sorry - I was a little off the subject about these men. Ah, I believe that you are so good to introduce someone... ...Gee, about the school - wow, I can't believe it. They seems really care about money than focus on student's grades.

Boult - Thank you for the link. Clarke School is starting greedy now because it set up another 4 schools under the same name.
 
I just can't believe how amazing this thread has been up to so far. Everyone is sharing their experiences regarding of what background we've came from. The variety of each's journey has brought us all to a closer place to scrutinize our commons. At some point, we find our place and the sense of where we actually belong to. I don't think it's just all about the deaf pride or deaf power kind of thing. It just means that we all have been through this at one point in our lives to experience the frustrations of being restricted, having limited accommodations, so and on.

I've always been brought up to fight for something that you believe in and stand up for yourself. Certainly, it isn't easy to stand up for yourself at a big group or someone who is higher than you - but it always prevails in the end. The point is, Once we've found our place, that is when we can go forward to look at a better light. Yet, We can help others too. In the end, I hope it will bridge the gaps for both worlds. I'm dreaming, am I? lol.

I strongly believe that the more we talk about this, the more the words comes out to be presented for people who have no knowledge or little knowledge of how it is like to be deaf mongering in the hearing world to be able to see it from another perspective. With that, It will help open some few eyes, hopefully.
 
I was curious, if some of the members would write a book called "Alldeaf.com's experience of life"?

jolie_77 - I agree with your post. :)
 
Finally, here is my clearer story and it is the story. Enjoy!

Brief summary – My father have viewed in some non – interest about the deaf community, unlike he met a deaf woman (who I know her for a long time now) was babbling about being deaf until his wife (my mum) discovered that their son (Myself) was deaf, and they were completely dumbstruck and they cried, because they have never had a deaf child, but didn’t know what to do, and the deaf community helped them with open arms. Their life has changed since I was born.
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It was only eight years ago, when I stepped into high school as a twelve year old kid, unaware on what’s going on in the first day. It was very different to what I used to be at, in elementary school years. The worlds, I entered has completely changed my life. I only had 2 or 3 deaf friends until the year 2000, after being refused to enrol in a catholic college to continue my high school education with my peers. My father and I decided to sue them for the breach of the DDA law (Link can be found here

The court case took me and my father, 5 years to fight over the court against the CEO (Catholic Education Office) and McKilliop Catholic College. The original case has been won in 2003, but the other team decided to appeal the outcome, and took it to Federal court in Sydney. The appeal case has been overthrown, and the appeal has been won by the Clarke family, ordering the CEO and MCC to pay the damages from the last 5 years. Justice was done in 2004.

Brief summary to this court case, that the MCC and CEO refused to provide me full time AUSLAN interpreter during my high school education, and that’s how we were shocked to the stage that they only can provide is a note –taker. But I am fluent in AUSLAN, I can not manage the study and education with a note-taker, they think my friends who knew sign language from elementary school would help also.

So back to the stage, that I stepped in high school, I attended public mainstreamed high school, which was only 10 minutes walk from where I resided. The school was happy to provide me an interpreter; fortunately, the school has enrolled few deaf students in the same year. One of the student, was an old friend of mine, where we went to the same pre-school, haven’t seen for 9 ½ years. The school has a unit for the deaf, called “Hearing Impaired Unit”. The others, I didn’t know them.

At that stage, I was imbalanced in two worlds. Before I was enrolled in that school, my parents considered me to a deaf school in Sydney. I didn’t understand what that was when I was told about. But they decided not to.

During my high school years, practically for the first two and half years, I was a complete troublemaker, and the education where I was taught was not translated into my language of AUSLAN, but the interpreters used “Signed English”, it is similar to ‘Total communication’ (Similar to SEE) but fortunately, I used up all my patience, for 6 years with the signed English, it was different to what I thought, but I managed to understand throughout these years.

Sometimes, whenever I get in big trouble, my parents considered to send me to the deaf boarding college in Melbourne.

The friendships was the worst in the first two and half years, I got bullied heavily, by the deaf girls, I knew when I was in year 8, and the hearing peers in class, it was the worst, but in year seven, I was suspended once for the big fight I have caused with the students and teachers (throwing tantrums, I’d say). Year 8 was the worst year I have ever had – plenty of detentions, time outs, and close calls to suspensions AND VERY VERY close to being expelled. That was the scariest moment when I got in trouble. Being having no friends, was sad.
Only the good things, I experienced in high school years, was when I and the other students went on a one week deaf camp, in NSW (Near Sydney), it turned out the best time and I discovered that I made friends quickly and I was glad that I can chat with them in my language of AUSLAN. I retired in 2004. I attended deaf camps for 4 years.

But in year 9, I behaved and the education has improved myself greatly, that tantrums I threw few times stopped half way though year 9, my mentor and deaf helper, has helped me manage myself through these years (He is now my landlord and a great friend) and I was much better but still having trouble, I mostly avoided the time, because I didn’t want to.

Finally, after up and downs, for the 4 years, I graduated high school (Year 7 to 10) and I moved up to College, where I attended Lake Tuggeranong College – It was the best school I have ever had, but still it was a public mainstreamed college, but it was heaps better than the high school where I attended, I was a senior there. (I miss that school). I graduated fully from year 12 with excellent grades in 2005. I was very proud on the best grade I have achieved in year 12 was the big, fat, ‘A’ grade on my major multimedia assignment, which was the 15 minute short film. I was awarded the best film in 2005.

Right now, as you can see, that as a soon to be 21 year old man, I currently work in a highly professional job, with great background of experience to work in this area. I, unfortunately, pulled out my advanced diploma of New Media and Communications in 2006, but I am now studying IT general and I am in the graduate year. In the end, I am well educated and successful person now.
 
Your story is truly amazing, Jake. I admire so much your courage and strength. You should be very proud of yourself. I know your mum and dad are proud of you.:hug:
 
jillio said:
Your story is truly amazing, Jake. I admire so much your courage and strength. You should be very proud of yourself. I know your mum and dad are proud of you.:hug:
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Yeah, they are definitely are :) and by the way, thanks Jillio! :hug:

And I believe the story in my parents perspective is a bit similar to yours when you had your son, is this correct?
 
Jclarke said:
Yeah, they are definitely are :) and by the way, thanks Jillio! :hug:

And I believe the story in my parents perspective is a bit similar to yours when you had your son, is this correct?
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Yes, it is very similar.
 
Wow, JClarke. What an amazing story you shared with us!!! You're my new Aussie hero! Move over Arnold Schwarzenegger because JClarke took your spot. :)

*Arnold is an Aussie, right? I would feel so stupid if he wasn't.*
 
deafbajagal said:
Wow, JClarke. What an amazing story you shared with us!!! You're my new Aussie hero! Move over Arnold Schwarzenegger because JClarke took your spot. :)

*Arnold is an Aussie, right? I would feel so stupid if he wasn't.*
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Ha ha ha, thanks deafbajagal! :)

Unfortunately, he isn't australian. He is actually american and is the governer of California.
 
Brian, you are absolutely correct on that one. Arnold was from Austria. Can fool anyone with the title for Australia. Hehehe. Hey, that would be a good one for April Fool's Day. :giggle:
 
Don't worry about it. Better stick to topic, AD'ers!
 
I was introduced to the culture first by taking a Deaf Culture class .It was all in sign but I did not know sign and I was used to lip reading. I caught on very quickly and decided sign was so much better! my grades in school also improved when I got an interpreter for my classes
 
I was born Deaf in my left ear and severly HOH in my right. My parents insisted that I be taught only oral skills, no sign. I had to teach myself sign with books and if I signed at home they would hit me for it. They still dont sign and I am not all that good at it. When my hearing finally quit in my right ear last year I was glad. For me its all lip read and talk, I sign some, but no one around me does, so I usally end up doing it if I am trying to get a point to someone and I can think of how to say it. I was mainstreamed in a public school where i was the only Deaf kid, I had no terp, or anything. It was tough. I played soccer and one friend on the team had a Deaf brother so he could sign with me which is how i learned more sign and the plays, he was my lifeline through school. I would have been lost without him growing up. He brother would come home from the Deaf school and couldnt understand why I wasnt there with him. Neither could I. I tried the "I am not going back to school unless its the Deaf school" trick for two months but it didnt work, they threatened to put me in a mental hospital instead. Needless to say I am not close with my parents. I felt and still feel that I am a dirty little secret to them, some kind of embarassment. The worst thing they ever said to me was " Why do we want to learn to sign, its just waving your hands in someones face." That's my story, the condensed version. :afro:
 
Wow, it's unbelievable story!

Perhaps, in one day, your parents lose their hearing. You could wave your hands in front of your parents' face. I know it was an insult, but they said that to you. I can't believe that they are jerk.

It turns me off when a speaker at a conference talks too fast that often forget to talk slow down because an interpreter had a hard time to catch up. I wish that I could do something to torture the speaker so that he/she learns a big lesson. Hmm, I can't tell you what methods that I could use for the speaker. :naughty: :giggle:
 
webexplorer said:
Wow, it's unbelievable story!

Perhaps, in one day, your parents lose their hearing. You could wave your hands in front of your parents' face. I know it was an insult, but they said that to you. I can't believe that they are jerk.

It turns me off when a speaker at a conference talks too fast that often forget to talk slow down because an interpreter had a hard time to catch up. I wish that I could do something to torture the speaker so that he/she learns a big lesson. Hmm, I can't tell you what methods that I could use for the speaker. :naughty: :giggle:
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A cattle prod? Lol....
 
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