Teri discusses the follow up to the vlog, "Good News"
vLog Produced on Aug 7th: CAEBER
The First Document on AB 2555 I Obtained
Florida Education Code: 1003.57 Exceptional Students Instruction
Original Bill Introduced - Feb. 22, 2008
Final Legislative Digest of AB 2555 - Aug. 1, 2008
(Color/FullView - Illustrated by Deaf Artist, Rob Walker)
Teri aka- Deaf Dish, the Late Night vLogger--Minuit Teri. While she is busy during the daylight hours, she finds time to transform herself in a vLogger in the wee hours of the night. Her topics range from political to social to beliefs to arts and even include her own homage to the comedic giant Lucille Ball in her editions of "I Love Teri".
Photography is a passion of hers.
She has always had an interest in photography all her life. She
loves to create her own memories with her family and teaches others
how to take good pictures. She shares her photography work here
from time to time -- "Photoblog".
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If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas. - George Bernard Shaw
August 30th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Teri-
I have a question for you. I am not going to challenge you because I am not into educational setting like you…you know way more than me but I would like to know what is your opinion about IEP? Hearing children do not have IEP and why can’t Deaf children be treated the same like other hearing children? Deaf children are normal just like them. I recalled having IEP when I was in high school. To be quiet frank with you…I think IEP is stupid and insulting. What is your opinion about this?
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 9:47 am
Penny
August 30th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Oops! I mean that I am not involved in educational setting like you are… and I think IEP is degrading and insulting..not stupid (stupid is not a good choice of word here)…Thanks.
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 9:50 am
Penny Comment # 2
August 30th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Thanks for sharing indepth about that AB. Well, I’m glad someone has the sense to include the Deaf schools rather than it being originally drafted for the Blind. Fremont and Riverside are good schools and parents deserve to know about them. I dunno if this trend means something, to consolidate students in such state schools rather than dealing with spread out mainstream prgms? Quality of education, personnel, costs?
Sensory impairment, ahhh, another consolidated term to group such populations. I’ll stick with Deaf, thank you very much.
Yea, I know you mean by doing a LONG vlog. TMI = too much information we can provide sometimes, ha. But try try to CONSOLIDATE best we can. I had to blog one time recently cuz it’s just TMI. The readership/commenting in DR isn’t that high anymore so dunno worth the effort sometimes, hmm. Good luck with Deaf Ed issues!
Penny, there are hearing students in Special Ed prgrms too and they have to go thru IEP process as well. Learning disabilities, behavioral problems, accommodations, special testings, etc.
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 9:54 am
Mike
August 30th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Mike…thanks for the information…are Deaf children considered special kids or what category does Special Ed consider them? If Deaf children have IEP then should Deaf adult have IWP? Individual Work Plan? Are we considered different than hearing employees? Of course not. Deaf children are normal just like any other hearing children unless they have multiple disabilities…behavioral problems etc. Thank goodness I am not a teacher otherwise I would refuse to do IEP on Deaf children. It is a mockery and degrading to me. They are not in circus play. This is how I look at it.
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 10:04 am
August 30th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Another thing here…it would be wonderful for all Deaf teachers in State of California to refuse IEP on deaf children…we need to change this system and treat Deaf children like any other hearing children. Children are Deaf and they use ASL for learning and communication…that is the only difference who they are…they are not special ed kids. Come on, Deaf Americans!!!
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 10:06 am
August 30th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Penny,
No, your choice of word was neither put in error nor by a poor of judgment. It was, in fact, said rather succinctly if not eloquently. IEP is an administrative or bureaucratic means towards, for, and of measurement. Deafness, not excluding blindness, is being measured in adjacent, against, or alongside other factors to determine whether or not a certain level or societally-based requirement of functionality is met. Deafness is a factor in a phonocentrically preconceived test about the granularity of function in, why naturally, a phonocentric society. You made a very good point:
Academic performance is and should be considered as a pre-condition, or a predisposed predicament in way or mode of thinking when “measuring” ANY KIND of students. No real measurements can be ever justified when a tendency of preconceived stereotypes about disablism is ubiquitously prevalent in all educational levels. This often counteracts or negates the whole point of being enculturated in a neutral and healthy academic atmosphere.
I was diagnosed in several IEPs on my earlier years to be intellectually inferior (a picture of a brilliant dog’s intellect was once administered to demonstrate my level of comprehension), and socially backward or dysfunctional. All because I happened to understand more or chose to speak in a language entirely visual.
With the bill, I sure hope parents receive or are brought rightfully to face a holistic choice whether or not to realize the significance of a true and breathing human language that has obvious benefits sociolinguistically for all children.
-Eyefang
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 10:10 am
Eyefang Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Teri,
If it hasn’t been derived from my occasional comments that I do admire your stand on many things, let this now be clear.
I enjoy your original blogs and replies; they are often insightful.
I agree. SOME certain instance of measurement is needed to establish which areas are strengths and which are weaknesses, but not when the test or the procedure is saturated with phonocentrism. Tests need to be developed into that which are more in tune with the notions and conceptualizations characteristically ASL. Furthermore, naturally, tests that focus strictly on the competency of expressing oneself in English (or any second language) should remain. It is just that there are no real tests out there that entirely measures competency for, in and of ASL. That rationalization or understanding alone lends weight to the inclination for many administrators and teachers towards the assumption that since there are no legitimate tests for competency in ASL, the default procedure for testing is, therefore, competency in English. That also potentially invites a phonocentric interpretation or perspective on the whole process.
It is undeniable that in many societies it is by far more beneficial (for those in majority or power) to measure competence through the mold of a default language, be it a nation’s or a government’s (in this case, English). In other words, your fluency or level of comprehension in ASL IS NOT commensurable to that which is uttered in English. Basically, your comprehension as expressed in English, and as indicated by tests, carries or holds more value than any equivalent level of comprehension in ASL.
As for parents having the decisive power to see, observe, understand, shape, or guide their children towards higher education, and farther, I agree. It is just that the tests are themselves based on phonocentric valuations or measures and those naturally mislead us from the more relevant measurements of competence. Bilingualism, as with any combination of languages, should offer tests in both languages to measure for which part does show the most promising aptitude, and which doesn’t. Then from there, we could become more focused on the weak areas (or a specific language). But that is not the case with ASL and English. Degrees of functionality in society is proportionate to your level of comprehension in English. It almost reeks as if IEP is also a means to determine your “class” in a seeming caste social structure in which the sole measuring tool, that is, competency in English, either moves you up or down.
That’s just my two cents. For the most part, I agree with you, though.
-Eyefang
August 30th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Comment »
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 10:22 am
Barb!
aslk Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Hi, Barb,
Good suggestion. Something we could do for our next generation… Thanks for sharing this with us.
deafk
August 30th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Penny
Comment »
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 10:24 am
Barb DiGi Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Hi Teri,
From my experience, my several former students who exceeded beyond the level of academic expectation that not much of statements were made concerning reading and writing in the IEP; however, there were justifications made in the IEP to have the students remain in a school for the deaf because it was a LRE for them and that their social needs are fulfilled.
What’s more, some schools for the deaf (like RSD) allow mainstreaming part-time that I think it is the most ideal for the students to have as they don’t have to give up either one. These students would not have to give up or miss sports, leadership clubs, yearbook, and other social events in schools for the deaf and at the same time would not have to miss classes that are not offered at the schools for the deaf. So why not have the best of both worlds!
August 30th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Penny, I know, I’m not in favor of that term but that’s the way it is from the medical model perspective. Seen as the disabled unfortunately. Oh, this wouldn’t suit you well still, LOL. Do do? It’s nice when a school also adapt to the cultural model of linguistic inclusion of ASL for Deaf children thou. Parents have rights as provided by some Federal laws like IDEA and such. They can make schools do something for their child that may need some accommodations or modifications. Suppose one deaf child in an all hearing school, do do? In the past, they couldn’t make the school do anything for their child. I guess that in itself require special processes hence the name. Teri and others know more about Ed than I do really apart from some of my classes that covered such issues.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Barb, it’s interesting about the certified interpreter dilemma required by some laws that may instead reroute children to Deaf schools in some areas. I’ve heard some mainstream schools contains some unproductive non-certified interpreters. Something to do with telecommunication industries these days, I dunno.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Barb and Mike…thanks for your feedback and perspective too. We won’t have screaming match but positive discourse, smile. Both of you gave good arguments…I respect teachers like you Barb and glad you jumped in and shared your thoughts here. Thanks. I am quite sure that many hearing children are struggle with education today and it would be fair if they (hearing children) have IEP so both deaf and hearing children can be treated equally. I despise seeing deaf children being treated differently from other kids. Mike- I see your point what to do with a deaf child if she/he is only deaf in hearing school. I guess I would like to see some changes and that the system treats deaf and hearing children equally. I would love to see other deaf teachers to have discourse here to see what they have to say about this too.
August 31st, 2008 at 4:55 am
Teri –
You mentioned about the term, “School for the Deaf” that applies to the “Public School”, makes sense. Of course, any public schools are part of the “State” government. Therefore, Legislators/state senators recognize the Florida School for the Deaf is a part of/under the “State-Public Schools.”
I think I know why…..many teachers have obtained the “teaching” certification/licenses from the “State government”.
In conclusion, Many staffs and employees have received their salary from the State/local government. That is reason why - the Legislators/State Senators recognize the “School for the Deaf” is a part of/under the “State-Public Schools.”
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 10:30 am
“Public” {seesmic_video:{”url_thumbnail”:{”value”:”http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/EK8he05jOD_th1.jpg”}”title”:{”value”:”"Public” ”}”videoUri”:{”value”:”http://www.seesmic.com/video/cUY2CRuWVR”}}}
August 31st, 2008 at 6:20 am
Barb DiGi, I am no educator but I recalled that there was a federally funded program that Florida School for the Deaf has adopted during the summer breaks. The parents of all deaf children (mainstreamed and state students) have an option to send the kids to FSD at no charges to keep up with educational and physical needs. Ofttimes, the mainstreamed children would insist on attending classes at FSD in the fall because they have found their niche there and love it… and parents ofttimes would find in their hearts to go along in the best interests of their own children. Besides the need for qualified interpreters you have mentioned, that program can be another reason for the great increase in school attendance.
Can anyone from Florida please confirm that there is indeed such program? If true, then we would know by now that schools from each state could have sought to adopt such federally funded program to advance the best interests of deaf children everywhere.
Teri, you are a gem for bringing such great news to our attention!
Dean
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 10:34 am
Dean
Teri Reply:
August 31st, 2008 at 10:45 am
CAHSEE
Robert P Reply:
January 5th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
hello teri… i was watching ur show about the law… i would like to know how do you set up for illinois for the deaf for the law? so if you can email me youtlk2mch@aol.com. thank you very much i appericate it
August 31st, 2008 at 8:36 am
Hi Dean,
Yes, some of the schools for the deaf offer summer school program like RSD (Rochester). If students demonstrated satisfactory achievement during the year, they won’t be qualified to attend summer school. If not, then it would be stated on the IEP where measurement of one’s achievement on goals are not met. It is funded by the state and limited to RSD students. However RSD has another program that caters to mainstreamed students during the year where they are able to obtain tutoring services after school. There is a week session offered during the summer for both mainstreamed students and RSD students. Now you may wonder, did this tutoring program help recruit these students to transfer to RSD? Not so quite because most of the students don’t use signs and have difficulty understanding the students but I could see that friendships have been formed between these students.
What it really counts is that the program is there to bring these students together and have this opportunity to interact which is better than nothing. At least mainstreamed students are placed in the same environment to signing Deaf students and know about the school to determine the possibility to transfer in the future.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:42 am
Everyone
August 31st, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Hi,
How are you? I have an question for you. I wonder when parents find out that their child is deaf, there are people telling them what schools they can place their child. So I wonder if they have 100 percent power to decide which school they want to place their child in or the school makes the decision with the parents. Likewise if the parents want their child to go in oral program, do the schools respect the parent’s decision even though the child may not have very good speech to survive in the oral environment or do they nudge the parent that they have to make some decisions to transfer the child to a different program? I wonder about the decision making that goes on in the mainstreamed programs and deaf schools.
We deaf parents with hearing children do not have any choice of choosing what program we want to enroll our children, we simply have to follow what school district they will go in when we move into a neighborhood zone. Do parents with deaf children have more choices than deaf parents with hearing children?
just wondering
September 8th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Hi Teri
Wow you are so pretty and smart but I am too old for you, ha! Your video clip is great! Keep up.
Would you like to add your website of my website. Tks : ) BC
September 9th, 2008 at 6:56 am
I know I am off the point with your vlog or blog right now. I was wondering if any deaf parents have trouble helping their hearing child practice their spelling words for the upcoming spelling test. I am finding myself wondered if I pronounce the word their and there correctly (I do not know if I say those words correctly) because my child kept making the same mistakes on several of the spelling tests. I would love to hear what or how you deaf parents deal with the spelling words with their hearing child. What kind of methods do you all use to work with your child on spelling?