ASL Interpreting Career

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FourgeC

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Can anyone give me some ideas on building an Interpreter career? I've been interested in becoming an interpreter, but I'm stuck on the step after getting certified and an interpreter for whimsical job agencies. I have thought about becoming a teacher for the Deaf, which I would do at a college, in which I would most likely teach Philosophy, so that's one idea!

I am just so lost in choosing a career path for myself... I know at 19 I shouldn't stress it so much, but hey, I'm asking myself what it is I wanna do for the rest of my life! How should I know?? I do know I want to help people in some personal level, make people feel good, help them remember their greatest potential, show them just how beautiful they really are, help spark that fire that blazes for the rest of their lives. So this is my first step, seeing my potential amongst the Deaf community. I don't know what change I could create, or how I can help shine some beauty upon it, and remind the people just how beautiful they really are. But I don't know where else to step.

Give a friend a helping hand here?
 
Might not like my answer but here it comes. Yes be a teacher, teach philosophy, teach history, flip hamburgers at H.U., but when your teach ASL to the children who need it, do it for love not money. I know you paid to learn it but pass something to the kids from your heart.
 
FourgeC said:
Can anyone give me some ideas on building an Interpreter career? I've been interested in becoming an interpreter, but I'm stuck on the step after getting certified and an interpreter for whimsical job agencies. I have thought about becoming a teacher for the Deaf, which I would do at a college, in which I would most likely teach Philosophy, so that's one idea!

I am just so lost in choosing a career path for myself... I know at 19 I shouldn't stress it so much, but hey, I'm asking myself what it is I wanna do for the rest of my life! How should I know?? I do know I want to help people in some personal level, make people feel good, help them remember their greatest potential, show them just how beautiful they really are, help spark that fire that blazes for the rest of their lives. So this is my first step, seeing my potential amongst the Deaf community. I don't know what change I could create, or how I can help shine some beauty upon it, and remind the people just how beautiful they really are. But I don't know where else to step.

Give a friend a helping hand here?
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:wave: I think you mean well, but I think your post could be perceived as condescending among other things.

I think your best bet is talking to a guidance counselor to get a better focus. Beyond that, you're still young and you have time to figure things out.

Take some ASL classes, and Deaf Culture/History classes. That would be a good place to start.
 
In order to be RID certified or to teach you must first have a college degree. Have you done that yet?

What is your ASL training and experience?

p.s.
What is a "whimsical" job agency?
 
BTW, if you want to "help people in some personal level, make people feel good, help them remember their greatest potential, show them just how beautiful they really are, help spark that fire that blazes for the rest of their lives," interpreting might not be for you.
 
Reba said:
In order to be RID certified or to teach you must first have a college degree. Have you done that yet?

What is your ASL training and experience?

p.s.
What is a "whimsical" job agency?
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:lol: I wondered that also!
 
FourgeC said:
I am just so lost in choosing a career path for myself... I know at 19 I shouldn't stress it so much, but hey, I'm asking myself what it is I wanna do for the rest of my life! How should I know??
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You shouldn't know, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Some people do know - my chiropractor says he always knew, there was a girl in my high school who wanted to be a lawyer and sure enough now she is one. But everyone is different.

I didn't know. I'm 32 now and am only now figuring out what I want to do with myself. I think that having a 'career for life' is a thing of the past. It's unfair to expect kids who up until 18 have only known school to expect to have any real idea what the outside world is like and to know what they want to do in it for the next 40 or 50 years.
 
My oldest son is your age, and feeling unsure as well. It's not uncommon, as metal angel says, the idea of a job for life doesn't really exist any more. As was suggested, taking some ASL and Deaf studies courses might help you decide if that is what you love.
 
Sares said:
Might not like my answer but here it comes. Yes be a teacher, teach philosophy, teach history, flip hamburgers at H.U., but when your teach ASL to the children who need it, do it for love not money. I know you paid to learn it but pass something to the kids from your heart.
Click to expand...

Well said; doing just about anything you love really doesn't pay, but it's what you get in return that makes it matter. I've been in and out of federal service my whole life and I can honestly say that I've hated every job I've ever had. I've got an M.Ed. which is totally meaningless in the work force and I don't think I've ever made a salary that I can live on. If you find a job doing something you love, regardless of the pay, you're way ahead of the game than most folks.


Laura
 
I am currently romancing the idea of becoming an interpreter. I am a hearing stepmother of a 12 year old, severely handicapped boy who is amazing. Due to his handicaps, he is behind in education and it was hard for him to communicate since he didn't start learning sign until he was school age. I know minimal sign right now, just enough to communicate with him. We just transferred him to a new school district due to the lack of educational options to him as a deaf and handicapped child. We have had to relearn most signs due to the other district not complying with state law and not having a proper deaf ed teacher. He now has, not only his private duty nurse that follows him all day, he also has a personal interpreter for school. I am totally appalled by what schools consider essential for a special needs child's education. It's definitely not what I would have considered essential.
We just spent a week in our local children's hospital and after the numerous personnel we met interacted with, we only came across one person who knew enough sign language to minimally communicate with a child or anyone else for that matter. So I am very passionate about bringing more communication choices to these type of facilities for the deaf. Though one of us was with him the entire time and could interpret for him, what if we couldn't be there...who would be there to communicate to him or for him.
I am 41 and considering a career change, if you will, and am just beginning the research into what I need to do...that is when I found this website and have spent hours reading.
I'm there with you, just years later, but I do agree, you must be very passionate about this type of work, it's not for everyone...but no job is for everyone...but then I don't think I would consider being a deaf interpreter a job.
 
Mattsvoice said:
I don't think I would consider being a deaf interpreter a job.
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Why not consider it a job?

I would rather have an interpreter who was doing a job, than someone who was interpreting from some misquided pity.

That's when it starts to become a possibility of being patronized and diminished for me.
 
Mattsvoice said:
I am currently romancing the idea of becoming an interpreter...

...he also has a personal interpreter for school. I am totally appalled by what schools consider essential for a special needs child's education. It's definitely not what I would have considered essential...

...I am very passionate about bringing more communication choices to these type of facilities for the deaf. Though one of us was with him the entire time and could interpret for him, what if we couldn't be there...who would be there to communicate to him or for him.
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You say all these things about how important an interpreter is, and then say you don't consider it a job? Can you explain what you mean?
 
metalangel said:
You say all these things about how important an interpreter is, and then say you don't consider it a job? Can you explain what you mean?
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i think they are saying that although they do not necessarily want to interpret, there is no one else to do it, so they basically need to step up and do it, because if they do not, then no one will :/ which is sad, they should really move near me, there are lots of interpreters and students who are learning ASL and the deaf community in my area is amazing, so welcoming of hearing people, and are just as excited for us to learn ASL and we are to learn it! I have made some amazing new friends this last semester.
 
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