Dissertation Dedication and Acknowledgements

On December 9, 2022, I successfully defended my dissertation and became Dr. Givens. The title of my dissertation is "Self-Efficacy and Mentoring Experiences Among Administrators of Deaf Schools." Receiving my EdD has been a long journey, and so many people have supported me along the way. I thank them in my dissertation and wanted to publicly share it here. Thank you for reading!

Dedication

This dissertation is dedicated to my husband and children. Darrell, thank you for believing in me and supporting every outlandish professional dream I have ever had. I would not be the educator I am today if not for you! Thank you to my beautiful daughters - Maya, Brooklyn, Jasmine, and Savannah - for being patient whenever I had to take time away from them to focus on my career and doctoral journey. You are my light and my reason for wanting to do and be better. I am so proud to be your mom!

I also dedicate this to my current and former students and their parents. My students make me a better teacher each and every day. I would not be the educator I am today if not for them entering my life and inspiring me to give it my all every day. Thank you to their parents who entrust me with their children and allow me the opportunity to let their children shine. Raising a deaf child is not easy, and I appreciate being a part of your child’s life and helping to raise them together.

Finally, I dedicate this dissertation to the Deaf community for always challenging me to do better and calling me out when needed. My allyship will forever be a work in progress, and I continue to learn and grow each day because of you. I am honored and humbled to share the deaf education space with so many formidable deaf educators and deaf administrators. I tip my hat to you!

Acknowledgments

I am deeply grateful to acknowledge those in my life who made this dissertation possible. First, thank you to my dissertation chair, Dr. Luke Smith, who guided me through this journey and answered all my questions along the way. Thank you to my committee - Dr. Scott Van Nice, Dr. Ryan Luke, and Dr. Karla Hargis - for providing your wisdom and guidance. And thank you to Dr. Joy Levine for respecting my request to have deaf representation on my committee and granting me a fourth committee member.

Thank you to my Twitter professional network, especially the deaf scholars. They have been incredibly supportive and helpful whenever I had questions, could not find a source, or just needed to vent. A special thank you goes to these deaf scholars who supported me through this journey: Dr. Jon Henner for providing guidance and recommendations for theoretical frameworks; Dr. Octavian Robinson for reviewing my history of deaf education section and providing valuable insight; and especially to Dr. Michael Skyer for being my informal mentor, reviewing my chapters, and answering 1,000 questions. I really could not have done this without you, Michael! Thank you, Lauren Maucere, Dr. Stephanie Cawthon, Dr. Leala Holcomb, and Dr. Julie Rems-Smario for providing critical feedback on the ASL versions of my recruitment letter and informed consent and to Dr. Jodi Falk for reviewing my recruitment invitation email from an administrator’s perspective.

            I am indebted to the deaf school executive leaders who saw my research's importance and granted their administrators permission to participate. A special thank you to all the administrators who took time out of their hectic schedules to participate in my study.

            Thank you to the parents who make the tough choice and sacrifice to send their children to deaf schools; to the educators, support staff, and administrators who work at deaf schools; and to the decision-makers who understand how critical deaf schools are to the education of deaf children.

Finally, thank you to the protestors who love deaf schools and fight for their future! Don’t ever stop fighting!

From Hearing Loss to Deaf Gain

These past few weeks, I have been learning about Deaf Gain because it is the overarching theoretical framework for my dissertation. If you are not familiar, Deaf Gain challenges the concept of ‘normalcy’ and seeing deaf people through a deficit lens. Under Deaf Gain, deaf is viewed as visual and cognitive diversity, as offering linguistic, cultural, and creative contributions to humanity. It forces one to think of all the good deaf people have done and will do in society, and to end thinking of deaf people as in need of fixing, of remediation.

One quote is notable and is one that we all in deaf education and in society at large need to reflect on and embrace.

"'Hearing loss' refers to the loss that hearing people experience by not being open to the benefits, contributions, and advances that arise through deaf ways of being."  (Bauman & Murray, 2014, p. xxxvii)

Just think about this quote.

Often, the term hearing loss is used as a PC way to identify a deaf person. However, it asserts that a deaf person has lost something, lost the ability to hear. It assumes that being able to hear is ‘normal’. Why? Who decides what is normal?

In the mid-1800s, scientists decided to categorize humans by their physical attributes using a bell curve. All those within the curve were considered normal. Everyone else…you get the point. This concept of normalcy is ingrained in our education system and in society.

Over the centuries, deaf people have been labeled by hearing society using deficit terms: deaf and dumb, deaf-mute, hearing impaired, hearing loss. ‘Deaf’ is even used derogatorily in many English phrases: fall on deaf ears, turned a deaf ear, etc.

It is us, hearing society, who embrace ‘hearing loss’ when we do not acknowledge deaf ways of being, Deaf culture, sign languages, deaf world. As a society, we need end impairing ourselves.

Instead of continuing to marginalize deaf people, let’s embrace them as whole beings, as humans without any deficits. They are diverse people who have a value equal to every hearing person on the planet. 

We all need to embrace Deaf Gain in our education system, in our diversity, equity, and inclusion work, in how we discuss intersectionality, in how we try to end discrimination.

We need to give deaf people a seat at the table. 

Better yet, let’s give the Deaf community the seat at the head of the table!

(Yes, in this post I use ‘deaf’ as an umbrella term to refer to and respect all deaf individuals regardless of hearing levels, language and communication preferences, and cultural differences)

Information from this post came from the following articles:

Bauman, H. D., & Murray, J. (2009). Reframing: From hearing loss to deaf gain. Deaf Studies Digital Journal, 1(1), 1-10.

Bauman, H. D. L., & Murray, J. J. (2010). Deaf studies in the 21st century: “Deaf-gain” and the future of human diversity. In M. Marschark, & P.E. Spencer (Eds.). The Oxford handbook of deaf studies, language, and education, vol. 2. (pp. 210-225). Oxford University Press

Bauman, H. D. L., & Murray, J. J. (Eds.). (2014). Deaf gain: Raising the stakes for human diversity. U of Minnesota Press.

Murray, J. (2016). Deaf gain. In G. Gertz, & P. Boudreault (Eds.), The sage deaf studies encyclopedia (pp. 187-189). SAGE Publications, Inc, https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483346489.n65

 

Make Joining Twitter Your #DeafEd New Year's Resolution

Last October, I had the privilege of writing an article for the ebulletin Raising and Educating Deaf Children: Foundations for Policy, Practice, and Outcomes. In this article, I described how teachers of the deaf (ToD) have been turning to social media in order to grow professionally and to collaborate with others. The article can be found here http://www.raisingandeducatingdeafchildren.org/2019/10/04/using-social-media-for-professional-growth-and-collaboration/

Although I am a member of many Facebook groups that focus on deaf education, I find Twitter to be my preferred connection to other educators and professionals. The hashtag #DeafEd is one that I search for regularly. I love seeing what other ToDs are doing in their classrooms and what new resources they found or made. I enjoy reading snippets of the latest linguistic and brain research. I feel connected to Deaf advocates from across the globe fighting for equal rights.

Every day I get on Twitter and learn something new. Recently, I engaged in a rich conversation with a few Deaf linguists about language, Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills, and CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. You can read the archived conversation here https://wke.lt/w/s/1VWhaR

Why are you waiting to start using Twitter? No more excuses. Your professional growth depends on it. I'll wait right here as you open a new tab on your computer and join Twitter...

Now that you signed up, what do you do? Start following people. Who should you follow? Look for like-minded professionals, those that are in your field, those who share the same interests, those who discuss topics that are of relevance to you, your students, and your profession. Do what I did when I started - find one person to follow, then look at who that person is following. You will find a treasure trove of potential people to follow. You can follow me! @HeidiGASL

If you want a few recommendations of who to follow to get you started, check out this list. These are people/organizations that I follow that I think everyone in #DeafEd should follow. It is not an all-encompassing list, and just because I do not include someone doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow them. I just can’t list everyone. These are top-notch highly engaged folk on Twitter. Also, many schools and programs for the deaf have Twitter accounts. Feel free to search for them too!

Once you feel comfortable with Twitter, consider participating in our monthly #DeafEd Twitter chats. Happening the second Thursday of every month, 4:30pmPT/7:30pmET, it is a fantastic way to learn from colleagues about various topics pertinent to deaf education. For information on how to participate in a Twitter chat, check out this informational video by Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of Deaf Communities here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lJ9YRAwOj4

I can't wait to see you on Twitter soon!

In no particular order...

Deaf Education Specific

@laurenmaucere @tcsamaripa @transformdeafed

@treejam7 @ThisisNYCarlos @rafnarr

@AtomicHands @michaelskyer @NRSCenter

@NationalDeafCtr @CEASD1868 @CAIDOfficial

@sarahlovesears @wyattehall @TerynceTeaches

@SuptNYSD @FSDB_PD @DeafKidsCode

@KymPMeyer @jrscoyote @Caledorg @jmhenner

Education in General

@tolerance_org @ClearTheAirEdu @NatGeoEducation

@alicekeeler @christienold @brewerhm

@TheJLV @teacher2teacher @sevenzo_org

Advocacy

@behearddc @talilalewis @DisVisibility

@CouncildeManos @DisSolidarity

International

@Sarah_albuzaid @DeafTechF @skymazef3

A Decade of Accomplishments

Can you believe we have just entered the 2020s? It seems like only yesterday we were getting ready for the 2010s. 

So much has happened to me personally and professionally during this past decade. After seeing others share on social media what has happened to them, I decided to write down all my accomplishments (well, most of them) here. This will serve as a reminder to myself of the good I have done and as a way to make the next decade even better for my family and for my profession. I chose not to list the publications or presentations I have done over the years. I’m not writing a book or a CV! :)

As teachers, we don’t give ourselves enough credit for all the great work we do. We don’t toot our own horns or share what we do. Many of us don't even hang our degrees in our classrooms just as other professionals do. We need to! It’s not bragging; it’s showing the world how much of an impact every teacher has. You don't have to have awards or other accolades in order to celebrate what you have done this decade. Every single teacher makes an impact on the lives of children every day. That should be celebrated. My list below does not mean I am better than a teacher who is a master teacher in their own right and a leader inside their classroom. That person deserves all the celebrating too!

Therefore, after you read, take some time to reflect on your own successes no matter how great or small. If you share it publicly, please let me know so I can read yours too!

2010 

• Permanently added a third child to our family with the adoption of Brooklyn (Our second child, Jasmine, was adopted in 2009).

2011

• Permanently added a fourth (and final) child to our family with the adoption of Savannah
• Co-founded the Kentucky Educators for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Became a National Board Certified Teacher
• Represented KY at the Multi-State Standard Setting Study Panel for Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students Praxis exam

2012

• Transitioned from classroom teacher to itinerant teacher
• Selected as Kentucky Elementary Teacher of the Year

2013

• Selected to serve on the Kentucky Commissioner of Education Teacher Advisory Council. Served until 2016.

2014

• Attended the inaugural Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers (ECET2) Kentucky convening
• Selected to serve on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Teacher Advisory Council. Served a two year term. During this time, attended and served on planning committees for several national, state and regional ECET2 convenings.

2015

• Received Director of Special Education certification
• After participating in a Twitter chat end-of-semester project for RIT/NTID students, collaborated with the professor to co-found the monthly #DeafEd Twitter chat, still going strong today

2016

• Selected as a Hope Street Group Kentucky State Teacher Fellow. Served for one year
• Transitioned to administration. Separated from my family and moved to Frankfort to serve as the Director of Student Services for Frankfort Independent Schools

2017

• Co-chaired ECET2 CA Deaf Education
• Wrote and was awarded $225,000 in grants for early childhood for Frankfort Independent Schools

2018

• Enrolled in a program to pursue my principal certification, to eventually earn my EdD in educational leadership, and continue to learn and grow
• Provided consultation to Kentucky State University's School of Education
• For the first time, served as an independent evaluator of a university grant
• Returned back to teaching as a teacher of the deaf for Fayette County Public Schools
• Watched my first born, Maya, graduate high school and be admitted to the University of Kentucky
• Chaired ECET2 Deaf Education Central

2019

• Returned back home and accepted a teaching position as teacher of the deaf for McLean County Public Schools
• Jasmine made her middle school volleyball team
• Celebrated my 20 year wedding anniversary
• Selected to serve on the inaugural National Geographic Teacher Advisory Council
• Began working with CEASD as their social media manager
• Began consultant work with the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes
• Lost 75 pounds!!!

An HBCU Embraces ASL and the Black Deaf Community

On January 24, 2018 Kentucky State University took a huge step - it was the first day of their new American Sign Language 1 class. Yes, KSU has offered ASL in the past, but this time is different. The adjunct professor is Black Deaf.

You may ask, why is this such a big deal? Deaf individuals teach ASL as a foreign language at colleges and universities across the country. And yes, there are Black Deaf professors teaching ASL throughout the U.S. However, KSU is an HBCU - a Historically Black College and University. I know there are some HBCUs offering ASL classes, but how many have a Black Deaf professor teaching those classes? That is definitely something to look into.

Need
Earlier this school year, KSU President Dr. Christopher Brown stated at a faculty meeting that he would love to see ASL offered on campus. The School of Education chair Dr. JoAnne Rainey and KSU Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Ron Chi jumped at the idea - with a tad bit of help from me (wink). It was very clear to us that in order for this course to be at the same caliber as other university ASL classes, it must be taught by a native signer with the pedagogy and experience to teach. Additionally, to fully represent what an HBCU is all about, the professor must be Black.

After searching high and low, we found an amazing Black Deaf professor who has a wealth of experience teaching at various universities but never at an HBCU. Finding the right person was not an easy task. As our new professor so eloquently explained, just because someone is an expert in computers does not mean he has the skills to teach someone how to use a computer. It takes strategy and pedagogy to be able to teach someone. The same is true with ASL; just because one is Deaf and is a fluent signer does not mean they know how to teach ASL to others.

Vision

Founded in 1886, part of KSU’s vision is to “create an environment where:

• Diversity is valued, understood and respected.
• Diverse, motivated and talented students, staff and faculty are actively recruited and retained”

“We strive to create an environment that values the unique backgrounds, perspectives and talents of all our students and provide them with the academic, leadership and social tools to help them grow as responsible, knowledgeable and creative global citizens.”

Dr. Rainey, Dr. Chi and I recognize that in KY (and nationally), there is a lack of People of Color in professions that work with the Deaf community (ex. Teachers of the Deaf, Interpreters, Therapists, Rehab Counselors, Nurses, Police Officers, etc). KSU, as an HBCU, has the unique opportunity to be the leader in Higher Education that focuses on increasing the number of Black professionals in these fields. In addition, KSU has the opportunity to develop world class education for Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Hard of Hearing students at an HBCU.

Offering ASL by a Black Deaf professor this spring is the first step towards creating programs and building relationships with other universities, agencies, business, and industry. KSU is on the trajectory to design courses and programs that increase the number of People of Color working with the Deaf community.

We welcome members of the Black Deaf community who are interested in being a part of this work.

Happy Anniversary to Me!

YES! I DID IT!


Today, August 22, marks my one year anniversary as an administrator. One year under my belt, one year experience as the Director of Student Services for Frankfort Independent Schools.

• One year as a Director of Special Education
• One year as a 504 Coordinator
• One year as an ADA Corrdinator
• One year as a Preschool Director
• One year as a Gifted/Talented Coordinator
• One year as a English Learner Coordinator
• One year as a (whatever else is asked of me LOL)

Yes, I wear all those hats. Why in the world would I take on such a job as my very first administrator experience? Well, I thought getting my start in a small district will ease me into administration. I sure wasn't thinking that... 

 small district = less people = more hats!

The positive side is that I have had a crash course in multiple facets of administration that I would have never received if I was solely a Director of Special Education.

I am extremely fortunate to be wrapped around by an amazing group of educators and leaders both in and out of FIS. I am learning and growing every day because of the support that I receive. It is an indescribable feeling to be surrounded by people who want you to succeed. Everyone is open and helpful - whether it be related to a simple logistic matter or something more intricate as a personnel issue. Even the teachers are patient with me (for the most part) as I learn the ropes, especially in those areas where I had no previous experience. There are too many people to thank for the immense growth I have made this past year.

As I reflect on this first year, I have discovered a few interesting things about myself.

1. I am a great manager. I am able to tackle many tasks and solve multiple problems all in a day's work. I think I may have already known this ;)
2. I have a long way to go to be a leader. When I was in Deaf Ed, I was a strong teacher leader. However, I have yet to transition that leadership into my new role. I think the constant feeling of being overwhelmed and still learning my roles has not allowed me to prioritize and be the leader I want to be and know I can be.
3. I am terrible at accepting praise. I have never really been one who accepted praise well. 
• When I was in Deaf Ed, if I received praise, I would respond that I was just doing my job. I didn't think anything I was doing was extraordinary. It was just what I felt should be done. Yes, I did know I was a master teacher, but I just felt that I was doing what needed to be done.
• Now, in my new role, when I receive praise, I don't believe I deserve it. I think I am so overwhelmed with all my responsibilities and everything I need to do that when praise comes my way, I think it's not genuine, that I didn't do anything worthy of praise. Hopefully, as I develop confidence in my new abilities and continue to grow, I will be able to recognize my own accomplishments and accept the praise.

Intestingly, learning all the aspects of my many hats has not been the hardest part of my new role. I am slowly but surely tackling those and growing because of it.

The hardest aspect of this job is accepting that I am no longer a part of the teacher leader group. I am now "The Man"; I have moved to the "Dark Side." I keep forgetting that I am not a teacher, I am not peers, colleagues, equals, to those educators with whom I work daily. I know in time I will find a balance and figure out exactly where I fit in because I never want the teacher leadership to disappear from my soul.

Many people ask me if I miss Deaf Ed. I was a Teacher of the Deaf for 21 years. Of course, I miss it. However, I know that I made the right decision by moving on. I was stagnant where I was and needed to be in a place where I can grow in new ways and support teachers, students, and systems. 

I still stay connected to Deaf Ed. I moderate the monthly #DeafEd Twitter chat. I keep in touch with former students and parents. I have lunch dates with Deaf friends. And, of course, I have continued my obsession with Deaf Ed projects.

During our summer leader institute, we were charged with writing our personal vision statements. Here I share mine.

• I believe that all children deserve a high quality education from teachers who are masters of their content and pedagogy.
• Being in the education field is not a 9-5 job but a lifestyle choice.
• In order to create a Culture of Excellence, we must be able to look beyond the boundaries of minimal compliance and invest the time and energy necessary.
• Find the expertise in those you lead, and empower them to share, support, and lead others
• Teacher voice is crucial to any decisions that are made at the local, state, and national levels. Teachers know, therefore they must be heard.
• All children deserve to have someone in their corner fighting for them.
• I believe that it is important to trust and support the work of my teachers and staff.
• I believe that every person is as equally important to a team.
• School/district teams are like a crew team. Every person must row with the same level of intensity, to achieve a common goal.
• Children are like a box of Fruit Loops cereal. They all come in different colors, shapes and sizes. However, on the inside, they are all made the same and deserve to be treated as such.

So, what will year 2 hold for me? 

• I have made it my goal to learn to be more of a leader than a manager. 
• I plan to work on building relationships and increasing communication with the staff with whom I work. 
• I will never stop my love for Deaf Ed and will continue with the projects brewing in my mind!

Thank you to my superintendent, Dr. Barber, for taking a chance on an inexperienced person to wear so many hats. 

Thank you to my husband, Darrell, and children who are sacrificing so much just so I can pursue my career. We have lived apart for one year now. I do hope that at any moment we will be together for more than just the weekends - for forever!

Growing Our Own

I cannot believe it has been 1 1/2 years since I wrote my last post here. So much has happened to me professionally during that time. Yes, I have written for other online platforms; but I have gotten out of the habit of reflecting here. I need to share what my journey has been like recently. I will soon.

However...

I am experiencing something right now that is sparking a fire in me to write.

The Educators Rising National Conference is currently happening in Phoenix, AZ. I have the privilege of being in attendance with over 1,000 rising educators. The conference is only half way finished, but I need to write now!

Let me just say, I thought ECET2 knew how to party; but at this conference, there was a DJ and dancing before the event even kicked off Friday night!

Why?

My guess is because students are in the driver's seat. The officers are all students; they are the ones we see on the stage leading the conference, introducing the speakers, sharing their stories! POWERFUL!

According to their website, "Educators Rising cultivates highly skilled educators by guiding young people on a path to becoming accomplished teachers, beginning in high school and extending through college and into the profession."

EdRising (the only preferred shortened version of the name) is an organization that supports teenagers in becoming teachers. Chapters are established in local middle and high schools with the express purpose of growing future educators. Students receive hands-on learning experiences of what it is like to teach, and are provided clinical experiences that many future teachers do not receive until they are juniors or seniors in college! 

The organization, with the support of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the National Education Association, created standards that "define what high school students exploring teaching need to know and be able to do to take their first steps on the path to accomplished teaching." There is a large virtual network that students can join. They can earn micro-credentials that give them a leg up when entering college. Competitions occur throughout the nation where these rising educators can demonstrate their knowledge, skills and leadership. Recently, a curriculum was released that can be used as a resource for creating teacher pathways.

Students in this organization are considered "rising educators," not "future educators". This is because they are already immersing themselves in teaching; they are making an impact now! 

What strikes me the most about Educators Rising is the whole concept of "grow your own". This really resonates with me when I think about the critical shortage of Teachers of the Deaf, and the even greater need of teachers who are themselves deaf. 

What are we doing as a profession to encourage our youth who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind, Deaf with Disabilities, and Hard of Hearing (DDBDDHH) to join the education profession?

Sure, we may be having individual conversations with our students telling them that they would make great teachers. We might be giving students opportunities to be peer tutors with the hope they would feel what we feel whenever we help someone learn. 

But, is that enough? No!

• We need to start creating EdRising chapters at schools for the deaf, public school cluster programs and anywhere else that might entice our deaf youth to become rising educators. 
• We must create teaching pathways in our high schools that will lead our DDBDDHH youth into the field of deaf education. 
• We can give these students hands-on learning experiences to serve as language models to our youth, to feel our burning desire to make an impact in children's lives.

There is more we need to do beyond that.

• We must do more to raise their literacy levels so they can pass the required PRAXIS or other exams needed to enter into college programs or to receive teacher certification. 
• We must fight for alternative pathways for them to enter teacher prep programs or to become certified by eliminating the audistic barriers to these exams.

The future of education is at the hands of today's youth. Let's ignite a fire in them to pursue the best profession on earth - teaching!

Am I an Audist?

Here is an ASL version of this post on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BbVJzdKPfYc



At the start of Winter break, I put on my To Do list to write a blog reflecting on 2015. It was a spectacular year professionally for me. However, when I sat down to start writing, something else came out of me...

I am in my 21st year as a Teacher of the Deaf and consider myself an ally and advocate to the Deaf community and Deaf education. I've been signing since I took my first ASL course in 1990 and am even a nationally certified sign language interpreter. I strongly believe in bilingual ASL/English education and am an opponent of simultaneous communication - aka Sim-Com (talking and signing at the same time). When I taught in a Deaf classroom it was very clear to my students: one either signs or speaks, but not both. I empowered my students to make their own communication choices. If they chose to speak in a group setting, then either I would sign the message to the other students or ask the student to then restate it in ASL for equal access to classmates. I've read countless studies about the ill effects of using Sim-Com and preach against it to whomever will listen. I know how despicable it is to communicate to a hearing person in spoken English if a Deaf person is present.

BUT...

Why is it that in the last few years, after leaving the classroom to become an itinerant teacher, I find myself occasionally Sim-Comming around Deaf children and adults? Why is it if I engage in a conversation with a hearing person who knows ASL with a Deaf person present, we somehow end up talking while signing? It's not consciously intentional - we just slip into it.

I have never considered myself an Audist, but after reflection, I as a hearing person, regardless of what I know is right in every fiber of my being, do have audist tendencies.

Audism was coined by Tom Humphries in his 1977 dissertation: "The notion that one is superior based on one’s ability to hear or behave in the manner of one who hears." In essence, it is discrimination against people who are Deaf and hard of hearing. It can also be connected to linguicism - that one language is superior to another.

By using Sim-Com in front of a Deaf person, one is discriminating against that person by insinuating that ASL alone is not a language of equal value to English. It also does not take into account the thoughts and feelings of the Deaf person who is excluded in the conversations simply because the hearing people choose to Sim-Com, or to solely speak.

Why in the world would I do this???? It’s easy to say that I just follow what the other hearing person does, but sometimes it’s me who starts it. Regardless, I know it has to stop!

A few weeks ago after hitting myself in the head a few times, I came to the realization that I indeed have been portraying audist behavior. I made a decision to do whatever I can to stop myself from continuing this blatant discrimination. I attended a Christmas party at the Deaf classroom where I used to teach. I appreciate that the new teacher and staff continue to include me in their parties and secret Santa exchanges. Before I entered the classroom, I made a promise to myself that I would only use ASL the entire time I was there. I knew the Deaf students and the Deaf teacher assistant would be there, and I wanted to be sure I respected them the entire time I was there.

A few days later, I messaged the Deaf assistant and apologized to her for all the times I have visited the classroom and Sim-Commed or spoke to the teacher in her and the students' presence. I told her about my reflection and resolution to go back to doing what I know is right.

Sim-Com has been ingrained in the Deaf education system for decades. Despite all the research demonstrating how it negatively impacts the education of Deaf and hard of hearing children, it refuses to go away. There are protests and movements happening right now across the U.S. advocating for change in how Deaf children are educated, included how they are taught communicatively.

I must make clear, I am not an opponent of Deaf and hard of hearing children learning to speak. If they have the capability, they should be given the opportunity. I teach several students who speak. What I am saying is by combining and using 2 languages at the same time results in incomplete messages in both languages and ultimately hurts the development of these children.

I am taking a stance to never again Sim-Com. If I slip, please call me out on it.

Will you join me?

UPDATE - 1/11/16

I recently posted this on FaceBook and wanted to include it here.


Thank you to everyone who has read and/or shared by recent blog post "Am I an Audist?" I wrote this as a way to openly self-reflect on the practices I have been using and my vow to change. I hoped it would make people think and maybe spark some discussion. I had no intentions of almost 1,000 people reading it and it being shared widely. People have been candid to comment on the post itself, on FaceBook and on Twitter. I appreciate everyone for their thoughts. It's important to note that deaf and hard of hearing adults and children communicate in a variety of ways; some even choose to Sim-Com themselves. That is their right in which they are empowered to do so. I would never tell an adult or a child he/she must Sim-Com. And there are some adults who want the hearing signer to Sim-Com or at least mouth English. That, again, is their right. I have some hypotheses as to why this is so, but I'll keep that in my mind and not in writing. However, as an educator, for me to Sim-Com to another hearing adult in front of DHH adults and children is, in my opinion, morally wrong, as I stated in my post. The same is true if I communicate directly to DHH children using Sim-Com. It is not fair to them if I give them 2 incomplete languages at the same time. How can we expect DHH children to develop fluency in either language if we do not model to them true language form in either ASL or English? Finally, I want to applaud every parent who is learning to sign for their signing deaf children. It is not easy to learn a second language as an adult, and having to learn it for the sake of their child puts more urgency on the matter. These parents are doing what they know is best - providing language to their children. As they are learning, if they Sim-Com, that's OK in my book. They deserve to be excused from any criticism surrounding Sim-Com. They are doing their best for their children and are more often than not, learning as their children learn. Praise them for their efforts, never condone them for talking while signing. We just need more parents signing to their kids!

Thank you!