Working at ASD (Arkansas School for the Deaf)

Your Mom

Your Mom

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A few weeks ago I heard about a few postions opened up at ASD for house parents. I was so thrilled to hear about the openings that I got an application in with in hours of hearing about the openings. I waited nearly 3 weeks to get a call back, and with glee and total excitement I just expressed to the woman how interested in the position I am, and how happy I am to get a call back for an interview. She told me that they didnt have a whole lot of applicants but they went through them all and sorted which ones had the qualifications they required and I had been selected for an interview.

I just am so incredibly nervous. By no means is my sign perfect. I mostly sign in signed english, but am more than willing to go through any ASL/sign classes that they recommend to me. My sign language is well enough that I interpret almost flawlessly for my girlfriend, and communication is not any sort of a barrier for me.

I guess Im just nervous and want to know from some people, any idea or advice on how to land this job. Possibly if anyone works for the personelle department at a deaf school, and could give me some tips.

Ive never been so nervous for an interview before, I feel like this wouldnt just be a job for me, but something I would enjoy doing. Im just really nervous and just would love any input or advice.
 
Do you know which position they want you to work ? someone told me I should apply to ASD but not sure due to my mom being sick.. so i dunno?? :(
 
My experience with KSD

Good luck with the interview, but try to get a few details before you go. I found out how much schools for the Deaf use committees the hard way.

Last year I applied for a job at KY School for the Deaf and talked to a couple of the staff before setting up an appointment for the job interview itself. Everything else was one-on-one, so I wasn't worried. WRONG!!! I showed up for the job interview and walked into a roomful (7-8) of people, including KSD's boss. I nearly sh** myself right then and there. I tried to sign for myself, but after a couple of questions had the interpreter take over. Signing that day was impossible for me and there were even probs getting my point across in English. I have never been so nervous. Later I found out that a CODA got the job that I had interviewed for. Such is life.
 
SmileyGin said:
Do you know which position they want you to work ? someone told me I should apply to ASD but not sure due to my mom being sick.. so i dunno?? :(
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Yes, i applied for a house parent position the dead line was early last month. But im not sure if I will be working lower, middle or high. I just am crossing my fingers that I even get hired at all. I put off applying for a while for a similar reason my father has been extremly ill in and out of the hospital for a few months and i was worried about my time and energy obligations to him. But I now have the time and energy available to work and am just so nervous and anxious to get hired that i could vomit.
 
ITPjohn said:
Good luck with the interview, but try to get a few details before you go. I found out how much schools for the Deaf use committees the hard way.

Last year I applied for a job at KY School for the Deaf and talked to a couple of the staff before setting up an appointment for the job interview itself. Everything else was one-on-one, so I wasn't worried. WRONG!!! I showed up for the job interview and walked into a roomful (7-8) of people, including KSD's boss. I nearly sh** myself right then and there. I tried to sign for myself, but after a couple of questions had the interpreter take over. Signing that day was impossible for me and there were even probs getting my point across in English. I have never been so nervous. Later I found out that a CODA got the job that I had interviewed for. Such is life.
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Thats my fear, i can sign and interpret great when around friends and in a comfortable envrionment, but put me infront of a firing squad like that and i just freeze.

But I do believe most of the people on the panel are hearing, at least the main woman i know is hearing and from what i know sign language is not a pre -requiste for being hired there. I have spoken with other people who previously held positions there and some of the students that are now alumni, so i have a fairly good idea of what the position will entail. And also know that they have a history of hiring more hearing people vs. deaf and that many of the previous house parents have come in knowing absolutly zero sign. But that classes are required for all, rather if they know sign or not.

Ive never had a panel interview like that so im just thinking oh my god all the nervousness of a regular interview x's 10.

I just really hope they tell me that day if i have the position or not, i think the waiting game is the toughest part. The woman who will be the head person in charge, is hearing and seemed extremely friendly and kind when she called me. So Im really excited and nervous beyond belief. thanks for you support.
 
Is this F/T or P/T position? After my disasterous interview for a F/T position, I was able to work a few days at KSD as a dorm sub while folks took time off for Christmas vacation and other stuff. The prob was I could only work if someone else was out. There was no $$ in the budget for regular P/T work. After Christmas, I worked two more days in the next three months. It wasn't enough to pay bills and so I reluctantly went back to security work.
 
ITPjohn said:
Is this F/T or P/T position? After my disasterous interview for a F/T position, I was able to work a few days at KSD as a dorm sub while folks took time off for Christmas vacation and other stuff. The prob was I could only work if someone else was out. There was no $$ in the budget for regular P/T work. After Christmas, I worked two more days in the next three months. It wasn't enough to pay bills and so I reluctantly went back to security work.
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Its a full time positon. What was your level of sign when you went in? Everyone keeps telling me that for ASD you just dont need to know sign, they will send you to classes. But it still worries me, i just have a huge knot in my stomach. Do you remember some of the things they asked you?

Its not like applying for a job at barnes and noble im sure they ask questions that you might not expect from a 'regular' job interview.
 
Your Mom said:
Ive never had a panel interview like that so im just thinking oh my god all the nervousness of a regular interview x's 10.

I just really hope they tell me that day if i have the position or not, i think the waiting game is the toughest part. The woman who will be the head person in charge, is hearing and seemed extremely friendly and kind when she called me. So Im really excited and nervous beyond belief. thanks for you support.
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You're 100% right about the nerves. I unddy what you're saying about the waiting game. It was two months from the time I applied at KSD and 3-4 weeks after the group interview that I heard that they filled the position. Got my fingers crossed for ya.
 
ITPjohn said:
You're 100% right about the nerves. I unddy what you're saying about the waiting game. It was two months from the time I applied at KSD and 3-4 weeks after the group interview that I heard that they filled the position. Got my fingers crossed for ya.
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Thanks a ton, from what I understand, everyone is telling me that i will know that day, at the end of the interview process if i am hired or not. Which sort of makes me a little more nervous but a little more less scared.

I just feel so over whelmed, i thought they had totally forgotten about me it had been a month since i put in the application and i had not heard a thing until I got an email from my girlfriend shes deaf and her mom works at ASD, apparently the woman who is the head of the interviews tried to call me but i wasnt near my phone so then she called my girlfriends mom and asked if she could try to get a hold of me, so she sent me an email telling me to call the woman back.

So it seems as thought they went to abnormal lengths to get a hold of me, most employeers would call me, if i didnt respond they would just wait it out or say screw it.

thanks for the finger cross, im sorry your experience with the ordeal was so horrible.

Im just wondering what sorts of questions they will be asking me.
 
Your Mom said:
Its a full time positon. What was your level of sign when you went in? Everyone keeps telling me that for ASD you just dont need to know sign, they will send you to classes. But it still worries me, i just have a huge knot in my stomach. Do you remember some of the things they asked you?

Its not like applying for a job at barnes and noble im sure they ask questions that you might not expect from a 'regular' job interview.
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I graduated last year from a terp program in TX, but my sign skills will really need to improve before I take the RID test (if ever). I worked so much while I was in school (10 years) that I didn't socialize much with the Deaf outside of class. This really affected my fluency. I was able to meet up with a Deaf group at the mall after moving here, but my work schedule has changed in the last month so now I'm not even doing that.

Here's a few of the questions that I can remmy from my interview:

What's your connection to the Deaf community?
How do feel about Deaf education?
What do you see yourself doing in five years?
Are you comfortable working with children?
Are you strict or laid-back with kids?
 
ITPjohn said:
I graduated last year from a terp program in TX, but my sign skills will really need to improve before I take the RID test (if ever). I worked so much while I was in school (10 years) that I didn't socialize much with the Deaf outside of class. This really affected my fluency. I was able to meet up with a Deaf group at the mall after moving here, but my work schedule has changed in the last month so now I'm not even doing that.

Here's a few of the questions that I can remmy from my interview:

What's your connection to the Deaf community?
How do feel about Deaf education?
What do you see yourself doing in five years?
Are you comfortable working with children?
Are you strict or laid-back with kids?
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See i feel like i could answer those questions farily competently. I grew up in foster care so a lot of my life was based around being a primary care giver for children that often had not only mental and pyhysical diabilities but more than often had sever behavioral problems because of what they had gone through.

So working around children, and being a care giver figure is something I feel so confident about that I just feel like its in my blood.

I just get so nervous and clam up. I hope i can just show off being confident in my skills and and be too much of a moron.
 
Your Mom said:
See i feel like i could answer those questions farily competently. I grew up in foster care so a lot of my life was based around being a primary care giver for children that often had not only mental and pyhysical diabilities but more than often had sever behavioral problems because of what they had gone through.

So working around children, and being a care giver figure is something I feel so confident about that I just feel like its in my blood.

I just get so nervous and clam up. I hope i can just show off being confident in my skills and and be too much of a moron.
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You'll have a HUGE edge with your foster care background. I went in without having worked at ANY school. I don't have kids and it's been years since I helped raise my nieces.

Working at KSD was challenging to say the least for me and a real eye opener. The kids saw me as the new guy and tried to get away with as much as they possibly could. KSD divided the kids by gender and grade levels, so I didn't work with the same group every time. Subbing on an occassional basis also meant I had almost no clue about the kids' backgrounds before showing up. The dorm supervisor was always superbusy so it wasn't easy to get that info. With my military background, working by the seat of my pants isn't something that comes easily for me. I may have had an easier time in the middle or high school dorms, but never had the chance.
 
ITPjohn said:
You'll have a HUGE edge with your foster care background. I went in without having worked at ANY school. I don't have kids and it's been years since I helped raise my nieces.

Working at KSD was challenging to say the least for me and a real eye opener. The kids saw me as the new guy and tried to get away with as much as they possibly could. KSD divided the kids by gender and grade levels, so I didn't work with the same group every time. Subbing on an occassional basis also meant I had almost no clue about the kids' backgrounds before showing up. The dorm supervisor was always superbusy so it wasn't easy to get that info. With my military background, working by the seat of my pants isn't something that comes easily for me. I may have had an easier time in the middle or high school dorms, but never had the chance.
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Im really sorry to hear that, ASD also divides by age and gender. The kids from what I have heard each day after getting out of class, some kids have notes for the houseparents, just saying what special attention that child might need that day. So that should be a big help.

I wish you would have had the chance to try out some other positions at the school, it sounds like your heart was really in it and thats what matters. The big thing to me is that it isnt just a paycheck, its something I would really enjoy, and from what i can tell you felt the same way, but we all are constricted by financial matters and sometimes no matter what you just have to sacrifice the job you really want for one that will pay the bills.
 
I grew up in foster care so a lot of my life was based around being a primary care giver for children that often had not only mental and pyhysical diabilities but more than often had sever behavioral problems because of what they had gone through
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That's a HUGE advantage! Mention that! A lot of times, dhh kids have behavorial issues b/c of not being accepted by their families or whatever. Too bad, you're in kind of a homophobic state.........you could also mention that your significent other is Deaf.
 
im new to the world of deaf institution but what duties does a houseparent do?
 
Kai Onca said:
im new to the world of deaf institution but what duties does a houseparent do?
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A lot of things, while students attend a deaf school its a residental living hall. Which means that they stay there and live during the week and most/usually unless out of state students they go home to be with their families during the weekend or holidays.

so its the duty of a team of houseparents assigned to specific groups to care for the children while they are out from under their parents care. Everything from, helping younger children remove hearing aids or prosthetics or whatever the case maybe. Helping with homework, scolding, taking away privilidges if caught doing something they are not supposed to be, chaperoning during field trips, just being an interactive role in the childs life. Cleaning up messes, consoleing home sick kids, speaking to parents and other staff when necessary about a child.

Anything thing and everything you would expect a parent to do for a child, a house parent does.
 
Good Luck!

Be yourself and dont dress or act like youre in a Halloween Party.

Richard
 
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