I have to agree with Carl S.'s message about IEP, Parents and CI kids and Ron's Me-Deaf-Yes vlog's recently message about IEP, CI, and Deaf Teachers. I want to mention that there is a vast of grey area of how to work with Deaf students.
One time I had to deal with the teacher for the deaf in the Deaf program in hearing school. This hearing lady was telling the Deaf students what to expect to live out of the school. She even told one Deaf student that he cannot be able to go to even a community college. To me, this student may be an average Deaf person, but why hinder him at all? Where is the hope? Isn't the hope considered the carrot tied on the string and the string tied on the stick and holding the stick with carrot in the front of a donkey to make this donkey moving on? I ended up telling him that he needs to believe in himself what he can do for himself while the teacher was busy teaching someone else. It was an unbearable sight for me. This student had only this one teacher that worked with the Deaf students. Only his "main role model." And she was stinky!
IEPs has a long way. People participating in IEPs complained about so many issues that they did not feel comfortable seeing how things were made in IEPs, especially in Deaf programs in hearing schools. I was informed how things went. The students names were not mentioned anyhow.
That is why I was asking for the Deaf rights law to be established. The national law is much needed. Again, another Deaf committee or Deaf organization might be the key to strength the Deaf rights and to get the law and other laws, related to Deaf people's needs, passed. The Deaf rights law will help setting up the standard expectation of the Deaf students, and the standard guideline for the professionals, and of course, the parents.
Thank you. Butterfly, like me...Deaf
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
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6 comments:
I agree. I am a special education teacher in an at risk school, but I am also deaf. I hear a few teachers all the time telling low income children the same things - you will never amount to anything. You don't have the money or intelligences to be anything. Your place is working at walmarts or mcdonalds. Education in itself needs to change. We need educators who believe in the children, educate the children, and support the children.
IEPs are a limited document. It is up to the parents and IEP team to create a usable document that supports the education of the child. Sometimes more services are not the best for the child. Most schools and systems limit what they can do based on funding and support staff.
I am not for just Deaf individuals providing support for deaf children in deaf schools. I am for qualified educators who believe in the students and provide a quality environment that is child-centered and rich in language(ASL and English).
Valerie
Hi, Valerie,
Thanks for sharing this with us. We need to make voice and do something to strength Deaf rights somehow.
People need to hear this how some teachers do to Deaf students. Better approach of Deaf education and standard guideline or law for the Deaf students is much needed.
Thanks, b-deaf
I agree 100%. We can not limit students based on being deaf. We need to educate parents as well so they understand what accommodations they can ask for and how they can assist their children.
Do you know if there is a set list of standards or benchmarks for deaf schools? What curriculum do deaf schools follow - the state of is it separate?
Valerie
See, that is exactly what I am discussing... There is no national standard for these Deaf students. You are confused, so are the other teachers or professionals!!
Again, thanks for mentioning this.
b-deaf
Ahhh... it is a challenge.
Deaf professionals and hearing professionals who worked in deaf education tried to get Deaf children's rights to get passed, but it failed :-( ...all because of money (oh, the state of Indiana has money, money, money issues... ugh!)
But you are right, IEPs need to be revamped and the parents need to be educated. Usually IEPs highlight the weaknesses of the student and propose the goals to meet the needs. Also, there are academic benchmarks in the states (state benchmarks... I recall Deaf Tea discussing benchmarks which are usually different in the states.)
It is a pain in the butt, as I hear from other parents discussing IEPs.
However, there will always be some OUTSTANDING teachers, some OK teachers, and some STINKY teachers...even in outstanding schools as well as at-risk schools.
I believe we need to revamp how we as society determines what is special education and how we provide the services, support and other things for special education.
The way IDEA is written is very restrictive but yet uses the phrase "least restrictive environment" which is very subjective and it is hard to evaluate what would encourage a student to prosper and grow and become educated.
It is not just limited to deaf students but all students including "normal" students. The worst thing that is happening in the field of education and schools across America is the No Child Left Behind act. It is horrible and a disgrace to the Nation that provides Public Education to all children. Somewhere we need to overhaul our current system and make a system that will work for everyone and we also need to figure out how to distribute funding for all schools without competition and depending on property taxes to fund the school districts.
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