Ignorant Recreation Teacher!

[Chrysanthe]

Today I went to my class in this afternoon. This class is Recreation Program Planning and I am not only deaf student in that class, and there was another girl who is profoundly deaf. I am too but I knew how to not to make a lot of noises and walking with drag feet.

Then this deaf girl showed up in class and she brought a bag of popcorn and sat down front of the class. She was eating popcorn and then the teacher walked forward to her and told her.. "you re too loud!" with a gesture of making noises. I must admit, I thought it was funny however I realized it humilated her. Then she mocked at herself making noises again. Silly girl.

(this class last two hrs and half, boring long class!)

After our break, I was signing (whispering) to her and I was teasing her. Somehow, she was supressing with her laugh and then I added something made it worse, and the interpreter laughed. Then the teacher gave a mean look at her and said that "you need to stop or I will make sure that interpreter will lose his job!" I was puzzled! It was not the interpreter causing a problem. It was me. My interpreter mouthed to me, " Huh? I did nothing!" I was starting to get a lil irrirated by his action toward to my deaf friend.

About 20 to 30 mins later, my friend brought a snack and she asked me if I wanted some. I accepted her offer and handed it to me her snack bar. Then she opened hers. Again, the teacher walked to her, and said "you two need to be quiet! You are annoying!" I was starting to get really mad at him and my friend felt so humilated and hurt. I was ready to bawl at him.

Finally the class ended, the teacher told us, " I have no problem with you brining food but you are noisy." I told him that, " well, we are trying not to make any noises, honestly, sometimes we deaf can't help it. YOu have to understand that..." I tried to debate with him and solve the problem. And He didn't let me to finish it. THen I decided to shut my mouth *hands* and I went straight to talk to Accessiblity Service for Disablities office and reported these incidents with this teacher.

My counselor told us that it was not necessary for this teacher to behave like that.

I am so tired of this arrogant teacher however his teaching is great!

What do you think about that? I was thinking if in the near future in our class, he still acts the same, I plan to talk to the school odmundson (school laywer) to talk to this teacher and he need to stop treating us like a high school student. This class was like 4000 upper division! C'mon! I thought he was too harsh on us.

 

[ravensteve1961]

Hey you should have brought a hidden video camera inside your classroom. Showed it to the press and it would beeh on the oreilly factor. Theres a student who brought a hidden video camera inside the classroom and the teacher yelled at the students saying """ YOU WILL STAND IN FRONT OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM!""" Kid says "" Im an athest i dont belive in that song"" Teacher jerked him made him stand up and this was all on video. Now the indiana schoolboard suspended the teacher and may fire him soon. So next time take a video camera put instead your hand bag cut a hole in it and act like youre holding your bag and while recording teacher does this to you show it to the press and the schoolboard might fire your teacher.

 

[VamPyroX]

I understand where this teacher is coming from.

We shouldn't always blame our deafness on things we do. You slam the door, but you can't hear it. You burp, but you can't hear it. You drop a book, but you can't hear it. Now, does that give you a right to say... "I didn't know it was loud because I'm deaf." No, it doesn't. If someone says that it's loud, it's a hint that we shouldn't do it again. At RIT, there are some classes where you can actually eat popcorn without bothering anyone. There are also some classes where you can't eat popcorn because it's bothersome. It's a matter of seeing how the class responds. If you go to class with food and it's obvious that you're noisy, then don't do it again. If you go to another class with food and no one says a thing, then you should be fine.

In this case, popcorn was brought to the classroom. It was obvious that it was bothersome. Why bring something else, especially something with paper or wrapper on it?

Yes, the approach by the teacher may have been inappropriate... but it doesn't give you a right to rebel against the teacher and do it again... just because you're deaf.

 

[Deaf258]

I thought it is spelled like "Omsbudsman"??

Yeah, I understand. Hearing people know how to handle being noisy and not noisy. Deaf people don't know any better bec we can't hear the noise we make...

Are we doomed to starve while our hearing classmates hoard their own snacks quietly?

 

[Codger]

A couple of polite suggestions if I may? Take your popcorn and snacks if allowed. Just put them in a quieter container. Like zip loc baggies. They are soft and don't make noise.

Next, a certain degree of decorum (adult behavior) is expected by professors. I am not saying that you were acting like giggling school kids, but if that was his perception, keep it in mind. You say he is a good teacher, so you are getting something very valuable there. (Steve, can it with the hidden cameras and sueing people.) What are you willing to sacrifice for two hours at a time to get a good education? O.K., sure, the guy acted like an ass toward your interpreter. He was out of line. Think up a really well worded apology next time that is filled with humility, and puts him subtily in his place. So sweet that he cannot take it as an insult, but reflects on his own behavior. You are smart. Think it out!

 

[Cjanik]

your not going to starve in a class that only lasts a few hours...do you see the teacher eating? usually never do

 

[Reba]

At the college where I work, eating and drinking is not allowed in most of the classrooms. It is totally not allowed in any classroom with computers. In the other rooms, water bottles are allowed, at the instructors' discretion. A few instructor's allow small snacks, if they are eatten quietly and don't make a mess. That is one reason why food is banned. It costs a lot to keep classroom floors cleaned from spills and stains.

In lab classes food and drink are not allowed for health reasons (chemicals and foods are not a good mix).

 

[Opal]

Are we doomed to starve while our hearing classmates hoard their own snacks quietly?

Ha ha.

At the college where I work, eating and drinking is not allowed in most of the classrooms. It is totally not allowed in any classroom with computers. In the other rooms, water bottles are allowed, at the instructors' discretion. A few instructor's allow small snacks, if they are eatten quietly and don't make a mess. That is one reason why food is banned. It costs a lot to keep classroom floors cleaned from spills and stains.

In lab classes food and drink are not allowed for health reasons (chemicals and foods are not a good mix).

Yes, same here too.

 

[Tousi]

Great post, Deaflibrarian!!!!!

 

[Liebling:-)))]

Great post, Deaflibrarian!!!!!

Yes, I second that.

It's an exactly same where my sons attend class allow to have drink only during lesson.

Eat during break time.

 

[Chrysanthe]

{deaflibrarian}I taught two classes at college last year. The first day of classes I set out the rules based on my experiences as a student. I do not want to be distracted and I do not want my students to be distracted.

You made yourself very clear with your students. Sometimes teacher wasn't.

Some rules I laid out were: no food in the classroom, no talking or gossiping with each other in class, cell phones off and put away, no chatting on the wireless laptop computers, or text messaging (I caught a couple students chatting with their wireless computers because they were stifling their laughter and they were not paying attention to me).

There were no such a rules for no food in class. We were allowed to bring our food. And it is obvious that we shld not talk too much in class which we did not, as you might assume that we babbled in that class. I was telling one joke. Again, it is obvious that we should not use cell phone or SK ... I agree with you on that part.

The only thing I allowed in my classes were a beverage like coffee, juice, or water because I myself had a bottle of water to settle down my throat while I taught. People also were allowed to leave if they needed to use the washroom (did not need to raise hand to excuse themselves, they just left the room quietly and came back quietly).

Of course, many of us brought our drink and FOOD (snacks, usually most of us bring like pretzels...yogurt, snack bar...)

Food was not acceptable. For one thing the classes I taught were 2 hours each, and there was one 20-minute break halfway. That is plenty of time to open noisy bags of chips, gossip, or chomp on an apple. Even if one is diabetic they know to take care of their sugar needs before class and during the break.

It was acceptable during in class times. My teacher brought his snacks while he was giving lectures. And also unforunately, it was only 5 mins break, and the vending machine was not even very close to our class. Tough, eh? And also, I must bring my food with me to the class due to my health reason. :-D

It sounds like you and this other woman are making excuses. School is not for eating or gossiping during class. School is for learning during class. Put the food away, stop talking to each other, and pay attention in class. You're in college, not high school. It is time to act like an adult, and that woman and you definitely didn't. I think to blame the noise on your deafness is a cop-out. I definitely can understand the teacher getting annoyed because this kept happening. It has nothing to do with her or your deafness.

Who say we were gossiping? I was saying a joke? School is for learning, definitely true, but my health comes first as well. And I am not allowed to tell a joke during a class? That s silly. I think you were assuming that my friend and I were babbling in class? Uh uh. we werent. we were paying attention and taking notes all that. Then I remember two weeks ago, sseeing a plastic bottle for water, that very same teacher was telling us about a fact about the bottle can give us breast cancer. He was talking nonsense. At that moment my friend was using the plastic bottle with water, all i said " eek! you will be getting breast cancer" I was joking. ( I know it was a lame joke, just ignore on that part) then she laughed and flipped me off under the table. I was signing "up yours." I am sure that students in class do whispers and laughed quietly. You are saying that we are not at high school, it s the other way around. It s like our teacher has been scolding at all of us. not just us being deaf, also other hearing students. His action was unacceptable. He always humiliated to everyone in the classroom,. there were more I could tell you a story but not gonna do it. I don't think I wanna you to fall asleep. I know that my deafness is not an excuse but his attitude was not an excuse either. He could have approach in a better way instead of being very rude. For this incident, It was not kept happening from few weeks ago.. it was happening on that very same day. You have to understand that his attitude was uncalled for.

As for the interpreter, the way I saw it was the two of you made the interpreter laugh during class, which made the interpreter look unprofessional and not paying attention to the teacher which made the situation worse. The interpreter is not supposed to "join in the fun" during class and this is what happened when you and this other woman were gossiping and talking

Ah ah! I did not make him to laugh because i wasn't talking to HIM. Yes it was his fault to laugh. He should act professional but it didnt bother me. He was still interpretering and didn't stop. He still did his job. He did not join the fun. He was just laughing. That was it.

Sometimes teachers need to lighten up.

 

[Chrysanthe]

your not going to starve in a class that only lasts a few hours...do you see the teacher eating? usually never do

I agree.. but this teacher do. Ironic?

 

[Chrysanthe]

A couple of polite suggestions if I may? Take your popcorn and snacks if allowed. Just put them in a quieter container. Like zip loc baggies. They are soft and don't make noise.

Next, a certain degree of decorum (adult behavior) is expected by professors. I am not saying that you were acting like giggling school kids, but if that was his perception, keep it in mind. You say he is a good teacher, so you are getting something very valuable there. (Steve, can it with the hidden cameras and sueing people.) What are you willing to sacrifice for two hours at a time to get a good education? O.K., sure, the guy acted like an ass toward your interpreter. He was out of line. Think up a really well worded apology next time that is filled with humility, and puts him subtily in his place. So sweet that he cannot take it as an insult, but reflects on his own behavior. You are smart. Think it out!

POPCORN? I know... it was stupid student government election were giving students popcorn for free. I never bring popcorn to class.

Ah ha! Ziploc, I always use 'em when I eat pretezels!

I was going to apologize... and I wanted to talk to him but he wouldn't let me to talk. It turned me off. Tell ya the truth, he knows a lot of knowledge about recreation and I really appreciate that damn good teacher better than any professors at my college..... however, his attitude stunk!! Believe me! It stunk!! GRR we had an evaluation before this incident.... I should flunk him for attitudes! Heehee. Nah... we need him but I think that it s nver too late to educate our professors about deafness. I dont mean to sound like he has to pity us and let us to make a noise.

Other people who post their thought about noises, yes... I would be more appreciate if he cld tell us in a better way. Yes we are making noiese and we were glad that he told us so we wouldn't do it again. However his attitudes... .. i dont have to repeat. *ugh*

 

[Chrysanthe]

It is perfectly acceptable to tell jokes in class as long as everyone else in class hears the joke. Of course! If student participation is 10% of the final grade put up your hand and tell your jokes. If it is just between you and another classmate and the both of you are laughing, plus causing a third person to laugh, it is gossiping and not acceptable so the teacher has every right to call you on it.

If the teacher is doing the same to the other hearing students, then why are you saying it has to do with your being deaf?

The teacher has control in the classroom, not you. If you don't like him , the way he signals you and your classmate out for being noisy, and the rules he makes, drop the class or switch to another one. College is not supposed to be easy and fun all the time. Not all teachers are going to be fun and easy-going. You're going to get sourpusses in the mix so complaining about it is not going to help you much because for one thing you're only taking this one class from this teacher for just a few more weeks, right. He is not doing anything illegal from what I can see. Scolding students and signalling them out aren't reasons to complain. That's just school for you.

The fact remains, you and your classmate were doing things in class that made noise and made the interpreter laugh. It does not matter that you did not talk to the interpreter or did not hear the noise the food was making. That is why they call college a "post-secondary institution" because it is an institution, like a prison, with rules and regulations. If you don't like the rules or the scolding in the class, then don't go to college. Not all teachers are easy-going, and if you come across a teacher that is a tightwad like this one and you need the credit then suck it up and be on your best behaviour for the rest of the term. How hard can that be? Believe me I know, I've gone to college long enough to know how to act in class.

I think you should try being a college teacher and then you will understand why your teacher acted the way he did and why I said what I said here.

By the way, hope the rest of your classes are going well and that you aren't having the same problems with your other teachers.

So does that make it ok to hurt students feeling and humliate them? So you are the teacher who bitcch around to your student and deflat their feeling? Where s our respect? Think ahbout it. If you were there, then you would have understand. The whole concept, YOu weren't there. ANd you are the teacher, then you wouldn't understand. Alright?

 

[downing]

oh boy that reminds me why I had a huge fight with this professor occassionaly, like everyday, I hated to death at RIT. I went up to the dean and dean placed me in other class, and guess what the following next year, that damn professor got FIRED.