Thoughts On Mainstream Schools

mikemike said:
My first time mainstreamed was in HS. I learned sign language but the deaf kids shunned me at first because I didn't sign. back then.
Over the years, deaf friends and I talked about why the deaf schools wants more deaf students but the deaf students already there treated new students like shit.
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Nothing new- that happens in every single school out there... hearing and deaf.

Jane B. said:
Where did our OP go?
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Who knows. Unless somebody has a crystal ball, we don't know...
Well... I didn't see Renee's post when I posted.. but @Jane B.- she posted after you did...:) #21.
 
DeafDucky said:
Who knows. Unless somebody has a crystal ball
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ob_9ce1c6_crystal-ball-gazing-at-cb.gif
 
Renée12 said:
So I'm profoundly deaf. I have a CI in my left ear and a hearing aid in my right ear. I only use my CI for band and theater. I'm going into my sophomore year now and I'm starting to think about switching to KSSD (Kansas State School for the Deaf). I probably would've switched this year, but I was chosen to be 1 out of the 3 drum majors for marching band this season.
As much as I like my own school, I kind of want a change. All of my friends are hearing and only 3 bothered to learn ASL for me. I feel like it would be nice to go to a school where we have our own language. My interpreter shows up late half the the time so I have to strain my eyes to try to understand what is going on, and my note taker doesn't take very good notes. I almost failed ELA last year and I really don't want a repeat of that. I feel like none of this would happen at KSSD. Any thoughts? I'd be grateful to get some opinions from others in the d/Deaf community than those who are hearing.
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I have a high frequency deafness. Fitting in is a horrible problem. Teachers had attitudes. I told them I could not hear high frequency sounds. I was considered dumb -- yet I scored way above average in math when I tested. I never had the chance to learn ASL or make friends in the deaf community, it was a constant struggle and I did a lot of acting to fit in when I could not hear. Go to the KSSD.
 
Nita Thomas said:
I have a high frequency deafness. Fitting in is a horrible problem. Teachers had attitudes. I told them I could not hear high frequency sounds. I was considered dumb -- yet I scored way above average in math when I tested. I never had the chance to learn ASL or make friends in the deaf community, it was a constant struggle and I did a lot of acting to fit in when I could not hear. Go to the KSSD.
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nows your chance to learn ASL and make Deafie friends..
we are loads of fun...
 
I would agree. Go to school for the deaf. Make sure that you can learn fluency in English in addition to ASL .
 
sparrow2 said:
I would agree. Go to school for the deaf. Make sure that you can learn fluency in English in addition to ASL .
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Well just to clarify, virtually ALL schools for the Deaf offer a very hefty dose of literacy and HOH style interventions. Besides, the OP seems to have a good handle on English already. She will continue to progress with her English.
 
deafdyke said:
Well just to clarify, virtually ALL schools for the Deaf offer a very hefty dose of literacy and HOH style interventions. Besides, the OP seems to have a good handle on English already. She will continue to progress with her English.
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My whole family is hearing. I grew up oral until I was 12. Then I learned ASL
 
Renée12 said:
My whole family is hearing. I grew up oral until I was 12. Then I learned ASL
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Oh that's awesome!! Too bad you didn't get to learn ASL earlier, but at least you got to learn it while still a kid! But yeah, you got to learn it, at around the time even kids who function as HOH start to struggle socially, emotionally and even a lot of times academicly! I know Scott told me that there are all kinds of kids at KSSD. (ie TC, Sign users, new to ASL, kids who only sign, HOH etc) You will have a blast!
 
I took all mainstream classes from the very beginning. It was tough, I was ridiculed constantly, and had a hard time making friends. I was offered very little, and had to use the FM system, but it didn't work very well. So I just became an autodidact early on...
 
CaseyH15 said:
I took all mainstream classes from the very beginning. It was tough, I was ridiculed constantly, and had a hard time making friends. I was offered very little, and had to use the FM system, but it didn't work very well. So I just became an autodidact early on...
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Your story sounds just like mine. It was absolutely miserable for me.
 
And the thing that is sad about that is that I'm about 20 years older than you, and that was sort of the norm back then, I cannot believe you still had to go through that in today's times.
 
Being mainstreamed for the majority of deaf kids will be a struggle due to limited access to language and communication. As one former Gallaudet professor who recently passed away said, " If the access to the curriculum is a barrier, then the educational environment is the most restrictive for the deaf child."
 
AlleyCat said:
And the thing that is sad about that is that I'm about 20 years older than you, and that was sort of the norm back then, I cannot believe you still had to go through that in today's times.
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Everyone suffers one way or another, the only difference is how people handle it. Ignorance is the ONLY disability in my eyes. What we lack, it's made up for in other areas. But, if we do not educate ourselves and love ourselves, we will never know our own true potential. It's cliché of me to say so, but my father and step mother said to me that I could do anything I wanted to do, and that I was rather blessed with hearing loss...not cursed. School is temporary, and yes, it's hell, but just make the best of it knowing that you're capable of doing anything and everything.
 
deafdyke said:
Oh that's awesome!! Too bad you didn't get to learn ASL earlier, but at least you got to learn it while still a kid! But yeah, you got to learn it, at around the time even kids who function as HOH start to struggle socially, emotionally and even a lot of times academicly! I know Scott told me that there are all kinds of kids at KSSD. (ie TC, Sign users, new to ASL, kids who only sign, HOH etc) You will have a blast!
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I can't wait! The only other Deafie I know personally is my older sister. She was 7 when I was born, but we were separated when I was adopted. I get to see her tomorrow
 
AlleyCat said:
And the thing that is sad about that is that I'm about 20 years older than you, and that was sort of the norm back then, I cannot believe you still had to go through that in today's times.
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It is. The problem is, is that our lawmakers when they talk about how to educate special ed kids, they picture kids in wheelchairs. They don't really picture kids who require specialized instruction. (ie dhh, blind/low vision, and ID) Also they want to save money. They like the money that the kids with disabilties bring, but they hate spending money (on terps, Braille instruction etc) Personally I think that they need to bring back the specialized programs/magnet schools for dhh and other low incidence kids. That way the kids will get the specialized supports they need, (even if they are very strongly academic) and can get the challenge of a mainstream classroom. It really is the fact that they've been pushing Inclusion as the Ultimate Answer on how to educate kids with disabilties. It's really sad. Although wheelchair and physically disabled kids aren't automaticly placed in a special classroom or school simply b/c they use a chair, a lot of dhh and blind low vision and many other kids are falling through the cracks in a one size fits all approach.
 
Oh and before I am accused of romanticizing Deaf Schools and Deaf programs......I think we need to be VERY careful with mainstreaming dhh kids, that is all. Like we should encourage usage of dhh programs and Deaf Schools....but do it in a smart way. The problem doesn't seem to be methodology or programs, but rather the huge number of kids falling through the cracks.
 
deafdyke said:
Well just to clarify, virtually ALL schools for the Deaf offer a very hefty dose of literacy and HOH style interventions. Besides, the OP seems to have a good handle on English already. She will continue to progress with her English.
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deafdyke said:
Well just to clarify, virtually ALL schools for the Deaf offer a very hefty dose of literacy and HOH style interventions. Besides, the OP seems to have a good handle on English already. She will continue to progress with her English.
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I know the Deaf school where I live does not focus on English. The main focus is ASL. Most need to take additional classes after high school in academic math and reading.
 
sparrow2 said:
I know the Deaf school where I live does not focus on English. The main focus is ASL. Most need to take additional classes after high school in academic math and reading.
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why do you think most need to take extra courses?
 
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