Encouraging Signs About CSD
CSD-R was plagued with problems for some time, including tensions between hearing and Deaf teachers and staff and poor academic performances of its students. If I recalled correctly, a Deaf superintendent was hired, but she was terminated after her push for a bilingual/bicultural approach was rejected by some hearing teachers. Unfortunately the school personnel wasn’t ready for a drastic change. Afterwards, another superintendent was hired with limited success in improving the academic rigors and communication issues. A Deaf superintendent, hired on a temporary basis two years ago, was given the permanent position after a while.
The changes since then have been positive
New courses and tutoring sessions aren’t the only steps the School for the Deaf, Riverside, has taken over the last two years to bring up student achievement. While preparing students for the exit exam, the school also has started honors classes and is preparing to offer advanced-placement courses.
The addition of advanced courses will attract the higher performing students. It also shows to the parents checking out the curriculum that the school has a high expectation of academic performance from its students, removing a pattern plaguing many deaf schools: low expectations of students from the hearing teachers.
Deaf students do not pick up vocabulary at home in the same way as other students, who learn new words simply by hearing their parents talk, Grossinger said. Many do not begin learning English until they enter school, he said. That’s one reason why Grossinger insists that staff members use sign language at all times, even during casual conversations among hearing people. The rule was in place before Grossinger arrived but wasn’t always followed. Students can then follow these conversations and develop language and social skills, he said. Many staff members who did not know sign language, including clerical and accounting staff members, are taking classes to learn it.
I also believe that compulsory policy requiring all staff to sign 100% on the Deaf School campus is a must for two reasons: the majority of learning occurs outside of the formal classroom settings. Incidental learning results from observing and hearing discussions from other people. As long as the discussions are inaccessible, how can the Deaf students learn?
But it also addresses a very important issue: common courtesy and respect. Personally I think it’s very rude to talk to someone orally in front of Deaf people, knowing that they cannot understand what the hearing people say, especially on the setting of a Deaf educational program. In my opinion, this reflects the lack of respect for an equal human being. In other words, the Deaf people are being told that they are not equal, whether it’s the intention of the hearing people or not. Do you agree with that statement?
One of the biggest challenges now facing the school is the requirement that all students pass the state’s exit exam to earn a high school diploma. The exam became a graduation requirement in 2006, but special education students could earn a diploma without passing it until last year’s graduating class.
The law, No Child Left Behind, makes this exceptionally challenging for students with English as a second language. This is problematic for Deaf students who are already struggling with oral/aural approach , S.E.E., or T.C. approach as they don’t develop a solid language basis in a timely manner. When they transfer to the Deaf school much later, their academic progress are usually stunted, with a lot to catch up. This dumping syndrome from the public schools gives the Deaf school extra challenges.
Keep up with the great progress, CSD-R 
To see the full article, click on this: S igns of improvement at School for the Deaf, Riverside | Inland News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland So…
Murderer of Deaf Emma Agnew of New Zealand: Liam Reid has been found guilty by a jury for the rape and murder of a Christchurch Deaf Woman Emma Agnew. He had an extensive history of violent attacks, including rapes and attempted murders, of women. Rest in Peace, Emma.
Happy Halloween! Use the little blue knife to carve your pumpkin then press done – It’s fun!http://www.coasttocoastam.com/timages/page/pumpkin_sim.html!
Who wants to drive? I’ve seen some places, but this beats all! Not me, no way! LOL! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2519892298681325903
CSD-R was plagued with problems for some time, including tensions between hearing and Deaf teachers and staff and poor academic performances of its students. If I recalled correctly, a Deaf superintendent was hired, but she was terminated after her push for a bilingual/bicultural approach was rejected by some hearing teachers. Unfortunately the school personnel wasn’t ready for a drastic change. Afterwards, another superintendent was hired with limited success in improving the academic rigors and communication issues. A Deaf superintendent, hired on a temporary basis two years ago, was given the permanent position after a while.
The changes since then have been positive
New courses and tutoring sessions aren’t the only steps the School for the Deaf, Riverside, has taken over the last two years to bring up student achievement. While preparing students for the exit exam, the school also has started honors classes and is preparing to offer advanced-placement courses.
The addition of advanced courses will attract the higher performing students. It also shows to the parents checking out the curriculum that the school has a high expectation of academic performance from its students, removing a pattern plaguing many deaf schools: low expectations of students from the hearing teachers.
Deaf students do not pick up vocabulary at home in the same way as other students, who learn new words simply by hearing their parents talk, Grossinger said. Many do not begin learning English until they enter school, he said. That’s one reason why Grossinger insists that staff members use sign language at all times, even during casual conversations among hearing people. The rule was in place before Grossinger arrived but wasn’t always followed. Students can then follow these conversations and develop language and social skills, he said. Many staff members who did not know sign language, including clerical and accounting staff members, are taking classes to learn it.
I also believe that compulsory policy requiring all staff to sign 100% on the Deaf School campus is a must for two reasons: the majority of learning occurs outside of the formal classroom settings. Incidental learning results from observing and hearing discussions from other people. As long as the discussions are inaccessible, how can the Deaf students learn?
But it also addresses a very important issue: common courtesy and respect. Personally I think it’s very rude to talk to someone orally in front of Deaf people, knowing that they cannot understand what the hearing people say, especially on the setting of a Deaf educational program. In my opinion, this reflects the lack of respect for an equal human being. In other words, the Deaf people are being told that they are not equal, whether it’s the intention of the hearing people or not. Do you agree with that statement?
One of the biggest challenges now facing the school is the requirement that all students pass the state’s exit exam to earn a high school diploma. The exam became a graduation requirement in 2006, but special education students could earn a diploma without passing it until last year’s graduating class.
The law, No Child Left Behind, makes this exceptionally challenging for students with English as a second language. This is problematic for Deaf students who are already struggling with oral/aural approach , S.E.E., or T.C. approach as they don’t develop a solid language basis in a timely manner. When they transfer to the Deaf school much later, their academic progress are usually stunted, with a lot to catch up. This dumping syndrome from the public schools gives the Deaf school extra challenges.
Keep up with the great progress, CSD-R To see the full article, click on this: S igns of improvement at School for the Deaf, Riverside | Inland News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland So…
Murderer of Deaf Emma Agnew of New Zealand: Liam Reid has been found guilty by a jury for the rape and murder of a Christchurch Deaf Woman Emma Agnew. He had an extensive history of violent attacks, including rapes and attempted murders, of women. Rest in Peace, Emma.
Happy Halloween! Use the little blue knife to carve your pumpkin then press done – It’s fun!http://www.coasttocoastam.com/timages/page/pumpkin_sim.html!
Who wants to drive? I’ve seen some places, but this beats all! Not me, no way! LOL! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2519892298681325903
October 31st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Hi, there! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
Here’s some HaLLoWeeN FuN
1. What did the coffin say to the other coffin?
Was that you coffin’? (coughing)
2. What did one ghost say to the other ghost?
Hey, Boo!? Do you believe in Human Beings?
3. Why don’t witches ride their brooms when
they’re angry?
They’re afraid of flying off the handle.
4. Why do mummies have trouble keeping friends?
Because they’re so wrapped up in themselves!
5. What do you call two witches living together?
Broommates
6. What do ghosts add to their morning cereal?
Booberries
7. What do skeletons say before they begin dining?
Bone Appetit! (the late Julia Child)
8. What do you call a witch’s garage?
A broom closet
9. What kind of streets do zombies like best?
Dead ends
10. Where do spooks go water ski?
On Lake Erie
11. What is the best way to get rid of a demon?
Exorcise a lot!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN ~ Have a SPOOKtacular evening tonight!! (sound of eerie
music in background with the “Tales of the Crypt” Host cackling out loud
in the cemetery!)
October 31st, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Hi,
Happy Halloween to you and all!
Yes I agree that the schools who have deaf programs should have people signing full time. At where I work, often times, hearing people tend to forget to sign in front of deaf children, I get frustrated with this. Some deaf professionals keep saying that “we cannot expect everything”, I feel that we definitely need to make a bold stand and enforce this policy that hearing people who know sign must always sign when there are deaf people in the room. I would like to hear suggestions and feedback on how to get hearing people to sign at all times in school. Sometimes when I tell them to please sign, they give me a face. Maybe I should forward your blog to them. I don’t know. If anyone has any successful ideas, please share it here. Thanks
October 31st, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Thanks, Boo Boo
Ghostie, the insensitive hearing people just don’t get it. They think because we live in the hearing world, the atmosphere in the deaf setting should be like the hearing world. What about the Hebrew School? The whole staff would be speaking Hebrew. In the foreign classes, you don’t speak English, period.
They need to look at it from a linguistic point of view. Then reconsider the impact of their attitude toward the deaf children by not making their communication accessible. It’s a two-pronged issue.
The best way to really get them to understand is to put them in a room where a different language is used. The looks on their faces say volumes. They didn’t like what they are experiencing. Tell them.. this is exactly how deaf people feel constantly and the deaf schools should be 100% accessible. Try this and see if this works.
Even Gallaudet has this problem, which I find very unfortunate. I don’t know about NTID and CSUN, but I suspect it’s also the same there.
November 1st, 2008 at 8:32 am
I am glad to hear CSD-Riverside is taking care of serious issues on education needs for the deaf and hard of hearing children.
It is such a shame there are deaf schools are not providing educational needs for children and parents decided to put them to mainstream schools to get the education a child needed. Some children are not suitable in mainstream setting while others suits well.
I hope more schools for the deaf should take note and improve their education program so less children goes to mainstream school.
I went to mainstream school in 1973 at MY choice because my deaf school does not meet my educational needs and I always got straight A without doing any homework or studying because the teachers at my school were repeating same courses over and over that was not doing my education any good.
I hope these schools for the deaf should take note and improve their education program for these deaf and hard of hearing children.