iaskedalice09

Hello all,

I've been thinking about Indiana School for the Deaf -- I'd LOVE to visit there.

Personally, though, the thing that pisses me off about the local school for the deaf (St. Rita's) is that not all teachers are fluent! I actually had to tell a teacher what the sign for obvious was!

And also, I don't like the dumbass low standards for kids, either, in hearing or deaf schools but especially deaf. For example, pretty good for a deaf kid? Hmm? No, deaf students should be EXPECTED to perform at the level of their hearing peers.

I'm still shifty as to if I want to major in Deaf Ed. or regular education...I want to do Deaf Ed because I love the Deaf World, am Deaf, and love reading...and I will and do stand up for the kids.

Any other Deaf English teachers? I know of a couple but I've not really gone out of my way to look at different SD.

Also, any other schools for the Deaf using BiBi? I think Indiana, Maryland, Michigan (I heard it's transferring to BiBi), Ohio, and Gally all use ASL in the classroom.

However. English is my first language, but I often find myself having to "pidgin" my signs in my ASL III class -- and a Deaf friend told me, "you are Deaf and ASL is your language. Deaf people are much faster at communicating in ASL than hearies."

Thanks all!

Deafness

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shel90

I am a teacher for the Deaf at the elementarty level. I am Deaf myself.

I agree with u about the BiBi approach.

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~Shel~

webexplorer

What is a Bi-Bi? It sounds like "Bisexual to Bisexual," but it is nothing to do with the education, uh?

jillio

Funny.....St. Rita must have changed a lot since my son attended. When he was there, all the teachers and staff were fluent, and they were rated 2nd in the nation on literacy rates. Eight-six percent of the St. Rita graduates also went on to college. Did you attend St. Rita, or just visit? We have another poster who is a graduate of St. Rita, as well.

Bi-bi is a rtaher new concept in educaiton of the deaf. While I agree that it is definately the most promising thing to come along for awhile, very few programs are in existence. Right now it is more of a philosophy than a methodology.

shel90

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~Shel~

jillio

I guess that would depend on what kind of education you're talking about!

Interpretrator

Bilingual-bicultural.

webexplorer

You mean all races in a group to be involved in one sign language method such as English, Europeans, and some other foreign for a compromise?

jillio

No, deaf culture used as a reference for teaching hearing culture, and sign used as a reference for teaching English.

Buffalo

Biculture = Deaf culture + Hearing culture
Bilingual = ASL + English

Yeah, Bisexual was the first thing that came to my mind when I first heard of Bi-Bi. I knew it can't be about sex as the sentence with Bi-Bi in it, wasn't in sexual context.

Buffalo

I am with you on the education and the education for the deaf should be on the par with hearing education. St. Rita is my alma mater. I graduated about 30 years ago. I had to ask my parents to send me to St. Rita instead of MSD (Michigan) because of the education.
It sounds like your teacher who didn't know much sign language, is a new teacher. I lost my English teacher just before my senior year and the new teacher didn't know sign language and yes, it got very boring. I wish I'd keep the first English teacher (he is a CODA) a year longer.

iaskedalice09

I am mainstreamed. St. Rita's philosophy is total communication, and the standards for bilingualism have apparently gone way down. "English is often a second language for Deaf students." Well, then why the Hell do you teach using signed/spoken English (SimCom)? I think it was BiBi before but the admin is hearing now...you know what that means...ASL, out; English in.

scottw

Gally have use ASL. I have no idea what to do for English sign language.

When I was young at school. My teacher was hear and signer. She only use English sign language and also Jr. High School.

I moved in Florida. I first time in Middle High School. So, I saw it look weird America Sign language. I confuse it. So I have to learn ASL.

That why I am not good English. I'm second language mean that I use ASL. That why I will plan to Gally University next year.

jillio

The administration is hearing, but he is also a CODA married to a Deaf woman who runs the LOFT program at St. Rita. He is absolutely a fluent ASL signer. As is his son, who was the soccer coach as of a few years back.

St. Rita has never been a bi-bi atmosphere. Bi-Bi is a new approach in education. Not all classes are conducted in signed/spoken English. The Deaf teachers teach in ASL. Some of the hearing teachers use sim/com, but it is usually the language arts classes that are teaching various English concepts.

You have made some snap judgements about this school and the adminsitrators that are completely innacurrate. As well, St. Rita was founded by a hearing man, so the administrator's hearing status is moot.

If you are mainstreamed, are you in the self contained program in Hamilton School District? Or simply mainstreamed in one of the public schools without a self contained program?

Buffalo

If you are mainstreamed, how do you know about St. Rita teachers? Maybe that teacher is new. My favorite English teacher left just before my Senior year. The new English teacher was a nun. She was really nice but know nothing about sign language. Boy, I was really bored in her class. She did get better at the end of the year (more of PSE than ASL). I know it is difficult in getting a teacher that is already good at ASL.
I also had a favorite teacher in college and he was learning sign language just two years before I was in his class.

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It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is that they can't see the problem.
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Buffalo

The administrator is NOT a CODA. His son who has the same name is a CODA because of his deaf mother. I remember the son and the daughter when they are real little. The administrator can sign good.

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It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is that they can't see the problem.
- Gilbert Chesterton

jillio

Like we discussed, Sr. must have meant Junior when referring to CODA.

Buffalo

Yup, The Sister was talking about Junior. I can see how that can confused anybody easily.

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It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is that they can't see the problem.
- Gilbert Chesterton

deafdyke

w ell it IS. Research has shown that dhh kids approach english as a SECOND language. Look at a board that has a lot of people who use English as a second language, and they will make the same errors as do Deaf kids! why is that so hard to understand?