Talk about your experience being deaf...

[dereksbicycles]

Ok, you have been asked to give a speech at school about what it is like to be deaf. You don't have to do anything special. Just talk about your deafness and what it is like growing up deaf.

I bought this topic up because I know a deaf woman who was asked to give a speech at school about what it is like to be deaf. She mentioned that she would like help with gas money if she is going to school to talk about what it is like to be deaf.

I have 2 questions here.

1. Do you think that a person should be compensated for gas and/or gift card if they are going to school to speak about their experience being deaf?

2. Would it make a difference to you if you were asked to talk about your experience being deaf online as opposed to doing it in person?

I would personally be more willing to talk about it if it was in real life, not online. Online is cheap. Interacting and teaching about deafness among individuals and/or groups is priceless.

It made me upset that this person asked for gas money because she has no job nor is she going to school. Who does she think she is? It seems like she is saying "I'm deaf. I am given opportunity to talk about it. Compensate me". That is not the way to roll IMHO.

 

[SilentRider]

Well without knowing the full story. If the deaf lady was asked to come visit as a guest and tell her story. School usually has $ to cover expenses for guest speakers. And it wud be up to the guest to accept the money for expenses like gas. Or decide to do for free. There's lots of visitors who are invited to speak like former drug user. Or many examples and they get $ for hotel and gas etc. So its not uncommon. At least in California .. elsewhere inwouldnt know.
Even famous or rich people accept funds for being a guest even though they don't need the money. So I don't see the plm...

 

[Jiro]

1. Do you think that a person should be compensated for gas and/or gift card if they are going to school to speak about their experience being deaf?

yes. everything should be paid for. I just recently helped getting all expenses paid for this chinese girl from Gally. My RIT friend asked me to help arrange everything to get her to RIT from DC. She was invited to do presentation at RIT to share her experience in China as a deaf person.

2. Would it make a difference to you if you were asked to talk about your experience being deaf online as opposed to doing it in person?

of course. in person is better.

 

[Tousi]

Derek, surely you can see that this individual, asking only for gas money, is really in need of this small token.....

 

[Jane B.]

I would also think that distance would make a big difference. There is a real difference between going to RIT from Gally and maybe 2 - 3 miles across town.

 

[tuatara]

A person's time has value. In addition, this woman's experience has value. That's why she was asked to come to the school. It is not respectful to expect people to do things for free. If they choose to do something for free, that's nice, but to expect them to suggests they have no value. I don't like that.

You said she has no job. So maybe she can't afford to get to the school. It sounds like she didn't even ask to be paid money that she would put in her pocket, just enough to get there without creating hardship for herself. I think that is very reasonable.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

A person's time has value. In addition, this woman's experience has value. That's why she was asked to come to the school. It is not respectful to expect people to do things for free. If they choose to do something for free, that's nice, but to expect them to suggests they have no value. I don't like that.

You said she has no job. So maybe she can't afford to get to the school. It sounds like she didn't even ask to be paid money that she would put in her pocket, just enough to get there without creating hardship for herself. I think that is very reasonable.

Yeah she is not asking for money to speak at the school she just needs a few $$ to get back home . The school should had asked the woman if she needed help with gas money that way the woman could had said " No thank you "or "yes that would be great" . There are a lot of people that are looking for a job and the woman could be one of them and she need her gas to find a job .

 

[ohmylight]

I agree - she should be compensated if she requests it. When I was in school the visiting artists would be paid... WELL too... for their time visiting to give lectures or coming to the advanced classes to speak. Especially if she has no job so no income, helping with gas at the very least would be polite.

 

[tuatara]

Also, I don't think it's true that she wasn't asked to do anything special. Giving a speech is not the same as just sitting and chatting with someone. You have to think about what you want to say, how you want to say it, organize your thoughts, see how long it takes, maybe you have to go back and decide what's important and what's not, maybe you need to think of other things you can add. Maybe you want to include something funny, maybe you're not sure how people will respond to you, maybe there is some stress from that. And you need to think about how you want to start and end your speech. Sounds trivial, but you don't just finish what you have to say and that's it. There should be some closure at the end and you have to decide how you want to do that. If it comes naturally to you, then great, but for many people there is some work involved.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

Also, I don't think it's true that she wasn't asked to do anything special. Giving a speech is not the same as just sitting and chatting with someone. You have to think about what you want to say, how you want to say it, organize your thoughts, see how long it takes, maybe you have to go back and decide what's important and what's not, maybe you need to think of other things you can add. Maybe you want to include something funny, maybe you're not sure how people will respond to you, maybe there is some stress from that. And you need to think about how you want to start and end your speech. Sounds trivial, but you don't just finish what you have to say and that's it. There should be some closure at the end and you have to decide how you want to do that. If it comes naturally to you, then great, but for many people there is some work involved.

I was once asked to go to a meeting to talk what it was like growing HOH , I never heard back from the person , but I knew I would had decide what I ant to share and I wanted to leave out, I agree telling your life story take time , you can't just go to the library and take out a book about yourself , if you are an importance person then you could.

 

[ohmylight]

And you're also asked to cover topics you might not want to cover... Things that bore you or you don't find you want to answer... You're using her as a lab rat just like so many of us hate doing here on AD for the students. Think about it... We slam the students for asking to pick our brains for assignments, then expect someone to do it in person for free? If it's just gas compensation then that's easy to respect in my opinion.... If I'm asked to do something I like to clarify free or paid before I accept, and if free is hard to agree to I try to negotiate. She doesn't seem to be making hard negotiations to me.

 

[growingsilent]

Hi everyone...just wanted to share a funny story since I don't seem to get many of these lately. If you have seen my intro you know I am HOH Adult Onset. Trying to learn ASL and besides the fact that I still can't structure a sentence the correct way I guess I am doing OK. My daughter is taking ASL at school (no she isn't one of the annoying students that comes on here and ask questions.. I seem to get all those)
My 16 year old daughter and I were working on her school project when she decides to tell me about this guy that she has been seeing.. So I ask her to tell me about him which she does...in ASL...well she starts explaining who he is and then decides to back track to how they met but instead of using the sign for meet she uses another sign... the sign for sex. so the sentence comes out as "first time we sex" Yes that caused a very stressed out moment at first. I am freaking out on the inside but trying to remain calm. After a few minutes of me asking her some very uncomfortable questions she figured out what she had done and corrected herself. Laughing now but wasn't at the time.

 

[Mewtilation]

I have actually spoken at 2 schools, and I did not ask for compensation. They provided a translator and it was a chance for me to go in and explain that being deaf just means you can't hear and that is all. We all know how kids can be cruel. It was nice though, everyone was very respectful.

 

[dereksbicycles]

I have actually spoken at 2 schools, and I did not ask for compensation. They provided a translator and it was a chance for me to go in and explain that being deaf just means you can't hear and that is all. We all know how kids can be cruel. It was nice though, everyone was very respectful.

Same here. I have talked at least 2 or 3 different schools myself. I never thought to ask for compensation. That was at least 19,20 years ago.

 

[Mewtilation]

Same here. I have talked at least 2 or 3 different schools myself. I never thought to ask for compensation. That was at least 19,20 years ago.

But see, you're doing it because it's something you wanted to do. If you didn't, you wouldn't do it. :P I see no need to be compensated to educate people further on Deaf culture. Unless it were like in another state or something like HOURS upon HOURS away! Then maybe, but they'd really have to want me there or something. :P

 

[soulchill]

I think that giving public presentations is a skill and should be compensated for accordingly including travel and expenses. Even if the person isn't a professional or celebrity, it doesn't mean that their time, knowledge, and experience aren't valuable - otherwise they wouldn't be asked to give a presentation.

 

[caz12]

pay expenses not unreasonable..i was asked to do it by ST John amulance to under 12yrs and again by boy scouts cubs but as i lived nearbye money not factor..i did interaction telling about myself finger spelling a little bsl..not something i activly put myself out to do

 

[goodonya]

Working for free is great when you can afford it. In the world I grew up in there was usually the offer of a homecooked meal involved somewhere. Of course gas was cheap then. Not that long ago either.

 

[DrownedFishOnFire]

people actually make a living being motivational speakers and that is based on their life experiences so what is the difference? or giving presentations all over the country on their experiences in whatever like a doctor giving presentation on specific breakthrough way to address issues in surgery up with other colleagues in a different hospital etc he is paid for the experience as well as the motivational speakers are paid as well, their accommodations are paid for as well... what is the difference? none.

 

[Bebonang]

I have actually spoken at 2 schools, and I did not ask for compensation. They provided a translator and it was a chance for me to go in and explain that being deaf just means you can't hear and that is all. We all know how kids can be cruel. It was nice though, everyone was very respectful.

For a Deaf person or HOH person who preferred ASL to make the presentation about what it is like to be Deaf. The word for "translator" is being frown by the Deaf community. We use the word "interpreter" much better than the word "translator". An ASL interpreter can speak orally to the audience on what the speaker is saying in ASL. If someone in the audience ask questions, then the ASL interpreter will tell the speaker what the person in the audience was asking or make comments about being Deaf.