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From: Robin.Chronister@f429.n275.z1.fidonet.org (Robin Chronister)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Total communication
Message-ID: <18387@bunker.isc-br.com>
Date: 28 Mar 91 05:25:27 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

> Robin, if all programs followed along the lines that your program
> does, a lot more would get done in educating the deaf child.
>
James,
  You just made my day!  I do have to say, however, that our method in
the classroom is not part of the city's program.  There is very little
in the way of guidelines here, and so we do what we feel works best.
Our principal is very supportive, and most of the big shots in the
system know very little about our work, don't visit the classrooms, and
don't pay much attention to what goes on unless there is a problem.  In
our case, that is to our advantage, because the classroom teacher is one
of the best I have ever seen, and we don't have to operate under someone
else's restrictions.  It can be a problem when other teachers are not as
creative or dedicated as she is, though.  I feel very lucky to have been
assigned to work with her.
   On the other hand, I also interpret in another school for part of
every day, and in that situation I feel very frustrated.  I have 4 young
children who have never been mainstreamed with an interpreter before,
and one of them is inappropriately placed in the mainstream class.  I
find myself wearing many hats with these children; not only do I have to
interpret the material presented in class, but I have to teach them how
to work with an interpreter, act as a tutor when the children don't
understand the material, act as a liason between the mainstream teacher
and the teacher of the deaf students, and as an advocate for the
children when necessary.  Please don't misunderstand me, most of these
things are part of the job of an educational interpreter, and I don't
really mind them.  What I do mind is the lack of support from people who
profess to know what they are doing, yet their attitudes are the very
thing that keep these kids behind all the others!
   I just recently made an appointment with my supervisor to discuss
some of the problems I have encountered, and am going to suggest to her
that the city develop a philosophy for mainstreaming, that we begin
mainstreaming children with an interpreter at the preschool level for
non-academic classes (P.E., library, etc.) and that we develop an
evaluation procedure for all involved in the mainstreaming experience -
the student, interpreter, and mainstream teacher, so that the child who
is inappropriately placed will get what he or she needs, the mainstream
teacher will understand her role and get the support she needs, and the
interpreter can be evaluated on effectiveness as well as being able to
feel that he or she is truly part of the team and not all alone in a
difficult situation.
   Whew - enough of my blathering on...but I did want to thank you for
your comment.  We are very proud of what our kids learn with us -
because they are great kids and it is a wonderful feeling to know that
we did something worthwhile for them.  They give an awful lot back, too,
and that keeps us going.

                                         Robin

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