Originally Posted by ZiDaReNGeNiUS

I completely agree with you because I was in your same shoes too!

Originally Posted by shel90

All deaf schools suck? Really? Are u basing on your experience with 1 school on all of them?

Silentwolfdog is right...I am sure some deaf schools suck just as some public schools suck but I do know that many deaf schools r adopting the public school's curriculm if they havent done it already. In the old days...like in the 60s..too many theories were being tried out on them and as a result, too many differing opinions of how to design the curriculm resulted. Now, with the adoption of the public schools' curriculm, it should get better.

Originally Posted by Silentwolfdog

Actually when it happened to me, it happened halfway in 90's. They had a messed up system"s". You would be surprised how the idea of low expectation continued into 90's along with messed up systems. By now, the deaf school is a lot less designed for deaf students but with students that have another issues, go figures. I have heard that thing is supposed to get a little better because of new deaf leader. Maybe what you said finally happen at my deaf school. *shrugs*

Originally Posted by shel90

What would a perfect deaf school to u be like?

Originally Posted by resourceress

I agree that some of most successful schools with full language access and high expectations for deaf students are those that use the bilingual/bicultural approach.

Here are some BiBi resources that may help us identify the best BiBi schools.

CAEBER (Center for ASL/English Bilingual Education and Research)
New Mexico School for the Deaf: CAEBER

CAEBER Preservice Training: Star Online Project
Seven universities currently use the curriculum from online courses:
- Gallaudet University
- Lamar University
- McDaniel College
- Western Oregon University
- University of Tulsa
- California State University Northridge
- University of Hawaii

Two universities, Gallaudet University and Lamar University, utilize the full online components while the other universities use parts of the online components and online curriculum as meets their needs.

CAEBER Inservice Training: 2-Year Professional Development Inservice
Schools for the Deaf involved with ASL/ESL Bilingual Staff Development Model in Deaf Education
(as listed at Star Schools)
- New Mexico School for the Deaf
- Illinois School for the Deaf
- Texas School for the Deaf
- Alabama School for the Deaf
- Kendall Demonstration Elementary School
- Kentucky School for the Deaf
- California School for the Deaf Riverside
- Wisconsin School for the Deaf
- Minnesota Academy for the Deaf
- Jean Massieu Academy
- American School for the Deaf
- Metro Deaf School
- Kansas School for the Deaf


Deaf Ed Teacher Prep programs that list their philosophy as bilingual/bicultural on deafed.net
(note: some programs -- which may be bibi programs -- did not specify their philosophy on this list)
- University of California, San Diego
- University of Hawai'i at Manoa
- McDaniel College
- Boston University
- Western Oregon University
- Utah State University, Logan

Originally Posted by Animal_Lover

what about western Pa school for the deaf!?!?
it is number one deaf school in USA!

Originally Posted by Silentwolfdog

Perfect? I have learned that there's no such thing as perfect.

But a good deaf school would be one that actually cover the materials they are supposed to cover just like public school. An example would be if they are teaching alergbra then teach it, not 1st grade level math. Don't give out word search as homework for world history in high school!! I mean...it's like they are sending messages out that they are not being serious about teaching us. One where they actually don't listen to whine of the students about homework being too much or school work being too much when public school in fact is two time worse.

Honestly, all I asked was just teach me the material that they are supposed to teach, not baby me with materials that I already know back in middle school or elem school.

I think I was proud when I transferred to public school and realize that I have to spend few hours on homework. I finally know what it's like to practice what I learned and to truly learn. At deaf school, I at most would have spend less than one hour on homework. This is why I always done my homework on bus on the way to deaf school (about 45 minutes from where I live to deaf school), lol. It's more like chore rather than practicing if you know what I mean?

Classmates I had weren't stupid, but they were lazy and school listened to them. And don't put students with learned disability with students that aren't. The materials weren't right for either one if putted together.

I got a feel that you Shel90 probably have done what I have wanted from my deaf school. But I guess I am in wrong place at wrong time, huh? I don't know you or what method you used on students, but it's just a vibe I got. Either that or I am just weird lol.

Originally Posted by shel90

My deaf school adopted the public school curriculm in 93, I believe, so maybe before 93, the education standards there were poor?

Right now, I see the things u just posted happening at where I work...we give out homework appropriate for the age level. Sometimes, I had to give out homework that were considered very easy for some of the students because their parents dont sit down and help them with their homework or dont know how to communicte with them. I hate doing that but I would rather give out something instead of nothing to build responsibility and self-confidence skills in the students (1st graders). I really wanted to give these students more challenging homework because I know they can rise to the challenge but they would ask their parents for help only to get none since their parents couldnt sign so they couldnt get the help they needed it so I changed the homework to slightly below their level knowing that they can do them on their own and then slowly increase the difficulty level of the homework throughout time. I had to be careful cuz I dont want the kids to get so frustrated with their homework and lose confidence in themselves and start rebelling against it. It is a delicate balance...too bad their parents arent willing to learn to sign cuz it can make a WHOLE lot of difference in whether to send home challenging homework or too easy homework. It can get frustrating at times.

U are right..kids need to be challenged.

Originally Posted by Silentwolfdog

I see...I can understand that.

I think education standard is pretty poor at my deaf school. I think teachers are decent...but the method school want them to do is messed up I guess. Remember, I am talking about middle or high school level...Cross word for high school level and it's not sometimes, it's practically everyday. That's messed up, in my humble opinion.

But I think I am just unlucky, there weren't many students in same level as I was, I guess. It's not like they can put me in appropriate level classroom because I was probably one of 4 or 5 high school students out of 40 that are at a appropriate pace like hearing students. For some reason elem school, I feel like my peers were on same level or something, and somehow it changed when we entered middle school. I think maybe because students ended being mixed instead of being in the same level hurts some of us.

Aren't most of your students live in dorm? I thought more deaf students live in dorm rather than at home. But I guess it varied from state to state.

As I look back, I can't recall having someone to help me with my homework when I was in elem school, weird. Most of homework was just drill I guess so generally I had no problem other than boredom that come with homework...

Homework was so bored that it actually caused me some stress doing homework in elem school. Was that normal? I am just curious.

I sort of feel like I was being punished for being "smart" at my deaf school (however, when compared to public school, I am really just an average student) . So there are still some scars in my heart from being a student of deaf school. But I guess I am glad to know that at least there are some decent deaf schools out there.

Originally Posted by Buffalo

How about a private school? I am an alumna of St. Rita in Cincinati. I think it would be neat to have a website that compare all schools (public, private, mainstream). Perfect for parents to check them out.

Originally Posted by Buffalo

How about a private school? I am an alumna of St. Rita in Cincinati. I think it would be neat to have a website that compare all schools (public, private, mainstream). Perfect for parents to check them out.

Originally Posted by SJCSue

I think that is the school where Jillio's son went to when he was younger. If I am wrong, please correct me.

Originally Posted by jillio

You are right! Thanks for remembering!

Originally Posted by jackiesolorzano

I heard you guys talking about the best deaf school. I wanted to tell you about my experiences with Uni High School in Irvine. My deaf oral teenagers do not go there but they have many friends there. I think Uni is a great place for deaf students because they are very accepting of each other. First, they have a very high API score, I think it is 891. Second, they are in one of the safest cities in the country. Third, and more important is that they have an amazing program for their deaf students. I have observed this school about 3 times and know many students and parents there. My daughter went to their prom this year. The reason I like it so much is because there are students from deaf families, students raised orally only, students raised with both, and students raised only in sign language. They are just very accepting of each other and the different ways they are raised. The other thing is that they have over 120 deaf students there so they more funds to be able to provide more services for their students. They have a great mainstreamed program with interpeters and captioning services. They also have Special Day classes if that is what they students needs. The other thing I love is that the d/hh students have their own prinicpal. We Live about 1 1/2 hour away from that campus. I would love for my students to attend there but it is far and house prices around that school are really high. Just this weekend we went to the beach with about 10 of the students from that school.

Originally Posted by jillio

That's a self contained program in the public schools system, not a School for the Deaf.

Originally Posted by rjr2006

well, do deaf schools teach English?

Originally Posted by Silentwolfdog

I see...I can understand that.

I think education standard is pretty poor at my deaf school. I think teachers are decent...but the method school want them to do is messed up I guess. Remember, I am talking about middle or high school level...Cross word for high school level and it's not sometimes, it's practically everyday. That's messed up, in my humble opinion.

But I think I am just unlucky, there weren't many students in same level as I was, I guess. It's not like they can put me in appropriate level classroom because I was probably one of 4 or 5 high school students out of 40 that are at a appropriate pace like hearing students. For some reason elem school, I feel like my peers were on same level or something, and somehow it changed when we entered middle school. I think maybe because students ended being mixed instead of being in the same level hurts some of us.

Aren't most of your students live in dorm? I thought more deaf students live in dorm rather than at home. But I guess it varied from state to state.

As I look back, I can't recall having someone to help me with my homework when I was in elem school, weird. Most of homework was just drill I guess so generally I had no problem other than boredom that come with homework...

Homework was so bored that it actually caused me some stress doing homework in elem school. Was that normal? I am just curious.

I sort of feel like I was being punished for being "smart" at my deaf school (however, when compared to public school, I am really just an average student) . So there are still some scars in my heart from being a student of deaf school. But I guess I am glad to know that at least there are some decent deaf schools out there.

Originally Posted by jackiesolorzano

Yes I do know that, like I mention I have gone to observe it several times and know many kids that attend the program. And the person who started this thread mention Uni, so I thought I would share my thoughts. If you go back to the first post you will see where they mention Uni for their mainstreamed program. The only other option here in southern California is Riverside which has a very bad rep out here.

Originally Posted by shel90

No we dont..we just slack off and let the kids figure out reading and writing on their own. Of course, we teach English...it is a VERY critical part of the curriculm and core of deaf education.

We have 2 reading specialists at our school, use the reading programs used at the public schools, we promote literacy constantly...problem is that many kids come to our school at an older age from the public schools sooooo delayed with their literacy skills and WE have to work with them more intensively than we normally would to get them caught up. Sometimes, we get some caught up and sometimes we dont. Someone came up with the idea to put ASL in writing (ASL glossing)...my school rejected that cuz it is VERY important to us that our students achieve higher literacy skills in English.



I would suggest u visit a deaf school and spend a day or two observing what they do to get an idea.

Originally Posted by shel90

We have more day students than dorm students cuz the parents prefer to keep their kids with them which is understandable but problem is many of the parents dont put the work into learning their childrens' primary language which is ASL. Would make a huge difference ...I already see the differences between the students whose parents who are fluent in ASL whether deaf or hearing and the ones whose parents dont even bother or dont have the time/energy to learn ASL. Oh well..

Originally Posted by jillio

Exactly....and deaf school programs differ in many ways from self contained programs inthe public school system.

Originally Posted by shel90

I worked for a self-contained deaf program at a public school in 99 as a teacher's aide. Oh my god...it was the worst I have ever seen. Got oral kids, sim-com kids and ASL users lumped together in one class for language arts. I am talking about around 13 kids ranging from kindergarten to 8th grade all together for 1 language arts class with 1 oral deaf ed teacher and she forced the ASL users to use phonetics to learn how to read and write. She called the ASL users troubled kids cuz they were always acting out...well, DUH!!! If I was 13 years old, didnt have any oral skills and I was in a language arts class with kindergarteners, 1st graders and so on, and with a teacher who refused to learn sign..I would have a shit fit everyday in the classroom! I felt so bad for those kids which was why I quit after 5 months working there. It was sickening to see that.

Originally Posted by jillio

That's my whole point. Self contained programs are administered by hearing educators, and therefore are totally lacking in professionals in deaf education. Just because a school system draws enough students from neighboring system to enable them to ahve a self contained program doesn't mean that the quality of education improves. You simply have a whole lot of deaf kids in the same place getting substandard education. I fail to see how that is an improvement.

Originally Posted by shel90

Yea and their parents believed in the special ed director who set up that program. She didnt have ANY background training in deaf ed..no wonder.

So stupid!

There is a deaf ed program in Baltimore County that is better-run cuz they use ASL but I am seeing the same thing ..kids of different grades being put all together in one class for some subjects ...it shouldnt be allowed.