Not only Deaf

You know the people who say their teachers told them to go out and find a Deaf person to ask a bunch of questions? And they come here and post and- yeah those people.

Apparently it's not just Deaf people that are getting hit with this. I like to read John Scalzi's blog. He's a science fiction writer, and I'm not really into sci fi, but I enjoy the way he writes.

Anyway, he just did this post:

In Today’s “Get Off My Lawn” News | Whatever

Because I am a cranky old man who will die unloved and alone, I have updated my guidelines page to explain why I won’t help kids with their school assignments. Scroll down to the bottom of that page for the details.


But seriously, teachers: Assigning your students to trawl the internet looking for writers to pester in order to complete an assignment? Dick move. Don’t make us responsible for some poor kid’s grade. We can barely hit our own deadlines.

(following the link he gives - hauntingly familiar) :

STUDENT SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT INTERVIEW/QUESTIONS POLICY:

I will not be available to answer questions for your school assignments. One, because it takes up a lot of time. Two, because most of the very general questions you will ask are better answered for the purposes of your assignment by books and articles on writing/publishing. Libraries and Google exist for a reason. Use them. Three, because your teacher shouldn’t be assigning you to bother people on the Internet. You may tell them I said it’s a crap thing to do.


I do talk about writing quite a lot here, so if you like, you may use the search function on this site to find out if I’ve written on the topic you’re interested in. If using the search function seems like too much work for you, imagine how I feel being asked to answer questions for which you didn’t bother to use the search function to see whether I’d written about them.

Not deaf but yeah ive had people ask me stuff...its annoying.

Wow, good to know it's not just this forum.

It happens on all the disability groups I've belonged to. One group we just said no to all of them.

Lol - His sense of humor reminds me of a designers gripe:"yeah thats not what I was looking for at all."

Wow, apparently students everywhere are lazy last minute twits that think we're here to do nothing but help them instead of planning ahead and putting a little effort in... :roll:

But ASL teacher do seriously tell you to go look for deaf people cuz they will be more than willing to help even excited! All are friendly and will be willign to answer all your questions. Yup...thats what they say.

Dreamer03 said:

But ASL teacher do seriously tell you to go look for deaf people cuz they will be more than willing to help even excited! All are friendly and will be willign to answer all your questions. Yup...thats what they say.

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Oh God Dreamer, that really is worse than what they do to other people. (Inappropriately asking for someone's time with some measure of respect and humility vs inappropriately asking with the idea that they have nothing better to do with their time and will be excited to spend it with you... ugh.)

One one hand, I'm relieved to hear that other people are getting these annoying requests too, but on the other, yeah, this is worse.

I've never had this experience. All my teachers have been really good. Most of them have been Deaf, they all know Deaf culture and I can't imagine any of them suggesting this.

I really wonder *who* these people are, teaching ASL and giving these assignments. I almost wish I could meet one - there's nothing like really telling someone off in your second language to sharpen your skills...

Has anyone asked any of those requesting answers to a survey for a contact at there school to check this out before answering?

Jane B. said:

Has anyone asked any of those requesting answers to a survey for a contact at there school to check this out before answering?

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That's a really good idea. I've been toying with the idea of setting up a survey and directing those students to it. Ask them about their school, their teacher, the content of the class, all kinds of things. Is this a for-credit class? At a college? University? High School? Or a continuing education type thing? Or a free community sort of class? Is the teacher Deaf? Well versed on Deaf culture? Are cultural topics covered in class? Is class mostly vocabulary, or are new signs introduced with context? Nonmanuals? And (I shudder to type it) have you been asked to sign a song?

There is three ASL teachers in my college, only one understands that it is annoying even bad to go asking aroind. The other two even make it an assignment to go search a deaf person and ask stuff.

Dreamer03 said:

There is three ASL teachers in my college, only one understands that it is annoying even bad to go asking aroind. The other two even make it an assignment to go search a deaf person and ask stuff.

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Wow that sucks! I assume the other two are hearing?

The three of them are hearing, but my teacher was involved in the deaf community while the other two not really.... my teacher did have a deaf friend of hers give a presentation once in class as a favor to my teacher but that was all.

Wow. Do you know anything about their qualifications? What kind of programs they attended to be able to teach ASL?

Also, I wonder if your area has a shortage of Deaf people qualified to teach ASL. Seems so strange: all 3 hearing

Well to what i know there is only two deaf persons here where i live both of them are around my age.. Ny teacher is involved in deaf community but she travels a lot. So defenetly no chance of having a deaf ASL teacher. I know ny teacher has given her qualifications but i forgot them. The ither two no idea.

On the one hand, I'm glad the school wants to offer ASL, on the other, those other two teachers sounds scary. At any rate, I'm glad you got the good one!

I was lucky to, it was her first year teaching. Next semester she is giving asl 3 and maybe interpreting so ill take them with her. And yes those other two are creepy. A lot of people know i was deaf so sometimes they come and ask ne stuff abd im just like....im not deaf anymore but you know there is this website called alldeaf with lots of deaf people willibg to answer your questions!!( jk jk)

eek!

Dreamer03 said:

But ASL teacher do seriously tell you to go look for deaf people cuz they will be more than willing to help even excited! All are friendly and will be willign to answer all your questions. Yup...thats what they say.

Click to expand...

makes me glad the local ASL teachers don't tell their students to go find deaf people for interviews. They encourage the students to go to deaf social events to socialize and practice their ASL skills, not to interview for a paper.