Best Deaf School?

[shel90]

I am sorry you grew up feeling this way. I have always explained to my children what they can and cannot hear. I also explain to them that there are mean people out there and that when people are mean it usually means they are hiding something. I have also explained to my kids how smart they are. I have explained to them how it is much hardier for them to hear in a large group or with background noises. I have trieds to be very open and honest with children.

And thanks to learning ASL and finding the Deaf community, I got over the need to hear like hearing people.

If your children understand that great, but what about the children who are in oral programs..are they told the same thing? They need deaf role models and most oral programs dont employ deaf people so these kids are at risk comparing themselves to hearing peers or thinking that if they dont hear like their peers, they wont have a good future.

 

[dkf747]

It is a choice. If a profoundly deaf child wants to hear they can with hearing aids or a cochlear implant so it is a choice. I did not say they would hear in the normal range I said they can hear.

Unbelievable! I grew up hearing sounds (hard-of-hearing) but understanding what someone said was very difficult. Just hearring sounds is useless, if you can't make sense of them. BTW, hearing aid just amplify the noise, not make it more understandable.

 

[shel90]

Unbelievable! I grew up hearing sounds (hard-of-hearing) but understanding what someone said was very difficult. Just hearring sounds is useless, if you can't make sense of them. BTW, hearing aid just amplify the noise, not make it more understandable.

I agree...the sounds sound like "heooooppssi you blllepspis suok" LOL! I just have to concemtrate very hard to make sense of the sounds. Environmental sounds are easy for me to recognize but localizing them is difficult.

 

[jag]

That was why I could never understand, growing up, why I couldnt hear like my hearing friends..why I struggled to understand them most of the time, why I needed things repeated to me, why I could barely talk on the phone, why I couldnt follow large group conversations in social situations or in the classrooms. I grew up very confused cuz I was told I can "hear" with my HAs and I thought I was at fault for not "working" hard enough on my listening skills. That lead to some depression in high school. By learning ASL, going to Gallaudet and having deaf friends who went thru the same thing as I did, I finally found it was ok not needing to "hear" and just enjoy whatever limited hearing I have with my HAs. Finally, I was able to love myself for the first time in my life.

Well I grew up knowing that the darn things weren't everything they were cracked up to be. I'm sorry it took you so long to realize the instrumments that were meant to help you weren't all everyone was telling you they were.

Jackie, while I believe it's a parents decision to raise their child as they see fit as long as it's not abusive, I really can't agree that a child will learn to hear if a person slaps HA's or a CI on them. I really think parents do need to be careful and watch to see if the chosen method is really working. behavior is a good indicator that something is wrong and in raising a child with a disablity one learns that despite our wishes sometimes we have to do things in a way that makes the child happy. Sure most deaf people can hear some sounds, but not all deaf people can learn to process them.

Hearing kids are now being diagnosed with CAPD. (central auditory processing disorder) Kids with hearing loss are not, but in the end thier are some who can hear with their HA's or CI's that may actually have some type of processing order that interferes with their ablitiy to understand. one wonders why if a hearing child can have a processing disorder why can a child who is assisted with a hearing insturment not have it? (hope that makes sense) My disabled (MR) daughter exhibits some of the signs of CAPD, but she is MR and HOH. The hoh part is the reason I've never been able to have a discussion with any ST or audiologist about CAPD (just like the MR part is the reason they really don't think she could have dyslexia even tho she does write backwards) , the other part is I'm not so sure they actually test for it around here. It is a specific test that most places aren't trained in. Oh well, she is happy at MSAD.

 

[jillio]

I am sorry you grew up feeling this way. I have always explained to my children what they can and cannot hear. I also explain to them that there are mean people out there and that when people are mean it usually means they are hiding something. I have also explained to my kids how smart they are. I have explained to them how it is much hardier for them to hear in a large group or with background noises. I have trieds to be very open and honest with children.

You can explain it until you are blue in the face. But they will still be exposed tot he type of attitudes in general society that shel is trying very hard to explain to you. You can only do so much as a parent. You cannot lives your children's lives for them.

 

[jillio]

Well I grew up knowing that the darn things weren't everything they were cracked up to be. I'm sorry it took you so long to realize the instrumments that were meant to help you weren't all everyone was telling you they were.

Jackie, while I believe it's a parents decision to raise their child as they see fit as long as it's not abusive, I really can't agree that a child will learn to hear if a person slaps HA's or a CI on them. I really think parents do need to be careful and watch to see if the chosen method is really working. behavior is a good indicator that something is wrong and in raising a child with a disablity one learns that despite our wishes sometimes we have to do things in a way that makes the child happy. Sure most deaf people can hear some sounds, but not all deaf people can learn to process them.

Hearing kids are now being diagnosed with CAPD. (central auditory processing disorder) Kids with hearing loss are not, but in the end thier are some who can hear with their HA's or CI's that may actually have some type of processing order that interferes with their ablitiy to understand. one wonders why if a hearing child can have a processing disorder why can a child who is assisted with a hearing insturment not have it? (hope that makes sense) My disabled (MR) daughter exhibits some of the signs of CAPD, but she is MR and HOH. The hoh part is the reason I've never been able to have a discussion with any ST or audiologist about CAPD (just like the MR part is the reason they really don't think she could have dyslexia even tho she does write backwards) , the other part is I'm not so sure they actually test for it around here. It is a specific test that most places aren't trained in. Oh well, she is happy at MSAD.

Glad you brought that up, jag. Newer research is showing a strong correlation between children previously diagnosed with behavior disorders as small kids and CAPD and pragmatic processing disorders.

 

[Bebonang]

Deaf Tone Elder from Canada

i believe some schools are best for this.. and other schools best for other things. its just depend on the issues. and the kids.

here in minnesota they have day deaf school programs for example.. metro deaf school its a school full of deaf/hh kids. and they go home with parents everyday after schools done. those schools are showing huge amount of improvements compare to MSAD itself. (minnesota state acemedy for the deaf) so there's nothing to compare. whils MSAD have 24 hours of social life... MDS have school social live .. and social live with family.. i believe being with family is also important.

I did not know that Minnesota State Acamedy for the Deaf (MSAD) is name now in Minnesota. I used to visit Minnesota School for the Deaf in Faribault, Minnesota which is south almost close to the border near Iowa. But now I see that the Minnesota School for the Deaf have change the name to State Academy. Is that what you are talking about that particular school there in Faribault, Minnesota? It was a beautiful campus and I became fast communicate with sign language even though I went to oral schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It does not matter what are best schools that will make the deaf students smart. As for me, I don't think I am that smart as it is really hard to mainstream without the interpreters in the oral schools and I would love to go into residential schools. The Superindent told my mother that I did very well in the hearing school and is afraid that I will finish the residential school with flying color. To me that is a JOKE and I don't like people telling me not go into the deaf school, but so far I came out doing okay in oral school. I made it through graduation, even I don't have great grades like A+ like my hearing sister( I get jealous of her having good grades and being soooooo smart). But that is me.

 

[shel90]

I did not know that Minnesota State Acamedy for the Deaf (MSAD) is name now in Minnesota. I used to visit Minnesota School for the Deaf in Faribault, Minnesota which is south almost close to the border near Iowa. But now I see that the Minnesota School for the Deaf have change the name to State Academy. Is that what you are talking about that particular school there in Faribault, Minnesota? It was a beautiful campus and I became fast communicate with sign language even though I went to oral schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It does not matter what are best schools that will make the deaf students smart. As for me, I don't think I am that smart as it is really hard to mainstream without the interpreters in the oral schools and I would love to go into residential schools. The Superindent told my mother that I did very well in the hearing school and is afraid that I will finish the residential school with flying color. To me that is a JOKE and I don't like people telling me not go into the deaf school, but so far I came out doing okay in oral school. I made it through graduation, even I don't have great grades like A+ like my hearing sister( I get jealous of her having good grades and being soooooo smart). But that is me.

I can understand how u feel. Grew up oral and mainstreamed without any interpreters. Boy....loking back, I really did miss out on a lot. Also, like u, I expressed an interest in attending the deaf school but the specialists told me that I was too smart for it and don't need to go.

Then went to Gallaudet and I was floored by how much access to to everything that was being said. It was an eye opener for me about being oral-only. It made me realize how restrictive the oral-oral setting was for me.

 

[jackiesolorzano]

Well I grew up knowing that the darn things weren't everything they were cracked up to be. I'm sorry it took you so long to realize the instrumments that were meant to help you weren't all everyone was telling you they were.

Jackie, while I believe it's a parents decision to raise their child as they see fit as long as it's not abusive, I really can't agree that a child will learn to hear if a person slaps HA's or a CI on them. I really think parents do need to be careful and watch to see if the chosen method is really working. behavior is a good indicator that something is wrong and in raising a child with a disablity one learns that despite our wishes sometimes we have to do things in a way that makes the child happy. Sure most deaf people can hear some sounds, but not all deaf people can learn to process them.

I completely agree that parents really need to observe their child some children cannot process what they hear to make meaning to it.

Hearing kids are now being diagnosed with CAPD. (central auditory processing disorder) Kids with hearing loss are not, but in the end thier are some who can hear with their HA's or CI's that may actually have some type of processing order that interferes with their ablitiy to understand. one wonders why if a hearing child can have a processing disorder why can a child who is assisted with a hearing insturment not have it? (hope that makes sense) My disabled (MR) daughter exhibits some of the signs of CAPD, but she is MR and HOH. The hoh part is the reason I've never been able to have a discussion with any ST or audiologist about CAPD (just like the MR part is the reason they really don't think she could have dyslexia even tho she does write backwards) , the other part is I'm not so sure they actually test for it around here. It is a specific test that most places aren't trained in. Oh well, she is happy at MSAD.

The important point is that she is happy, as parent we know when our children are happy.

 

[jackiesolorzano]

You can explain it until you are blue in the face. But they will still be exposed tot he type of attitudes in general society that shel is trying very hard to explain to you. You can only do so much as a parent. You cannot lives your children's lives for them.

You are right I cannot live their lives for them but I can kept an open mind and be there for them.

 

[jillio]

You are right I cannot live their lives for them but I can kept an open mind and be there for them.

Speaking of an open mind, have you taken the time to read some of the posts in this thread that were made by deaf people regarding educational issues and communication issues? Have you read any of the comments from some of these people regarding growing up and being educated in an oral environment?

 

[jillio]

The important point is that she is happy, as parent we know when our children are happy.

What the hell does that have to do with CAPD?

 

[Cousin Vinny]

Recently, Ridorlive.com released an entry regarding my alma mater. The discussion has evolved somewhat, talking about what are the top five Deaf schools, and what makes a Deaf school a 'top' one. I should warn you readers that there may be some profanity in the comments following that particular blog entry.

Check out the FSD entry;
RidorLive's FSD Blog Entry

 

[jillio]

Recently, Ridorlive.com released an entry regarding my alma mater. The discussion has evolved somewhat, talking about what are the top five Deaf schools, and what makes a Deaf school a 'top' one. I should warn you readers that there may be some profanity in the comments following that particular blog entry.

Check out the FSD entry;
RidorLive's FSD Blog Entry

Thanks for the link!

 

[Buffalo]

Great oral teachers of the deaf. That scares me! The oral-only philosophy itself is so flawed unless the deaf children themselves become hearing.

Would u deny blind people braille and expect them to read from books that sighted people use in the educational setting? That is what the oral-only philosophy does to deaf children.

We know that blind children rely on touch and hearing to learn while deaf children rely on sight (I am not sure about touch) to learn. By denying them a visual language which is sign language, it is forcing them to use the one , out of all 5 senses, that is not functioning to the fullest. Why not use one of the senses that is fully functioning, the eyes, to make access to education and the curriculm easier? Why do u, the oralists, want to make things more difficult for us by making us use language that is not visual? The public is so ready to make all the tactile and auditory accodomations for blind children to ensure that they learn just like their sighted counterparts but not for deaf children? Why the hell not? That is why I think the oral-only philosophy really sucks.

Beautifully said!

 

[Bebonang]

Beautifully said!

I agree with Shel about the oral teacher of the deaf and the oral-only philosophy,too. We really need the visual like the sign language to be able to understand functionally better than trying to lipread and trying to speak when we can not speak very well. Our voices are pretty bad if you can imagine that we will be laugh at or frown on us. We will keep arguing and fighting about what is right or what is wrong. Sometimes we don't get the answers to our questions to why hearing people want to have oral than sign language. I agree with Buffalo with beautiful said and I am on Shel's side,too.

 

[deafdyke]

So please quit using tactics that put down kids with MR and other speical needs.

Ever hear of sarcasm? jag, what you don't get is that I'm railing against the nondisabled attitude that Sign/Braille/cane travel/using a wheelchair/using other adaptive equiptment is somewhat worse then doing things "normally" (whatever that means)

 

[Buffalo]

Well why not have a "track" system?
I really think that Deaf schools need to "segregate" the MR kids but also make sure that the just regular kids get proper support and encouragement so they can really acheive, instead of lumping everyone into one group.

I agree that they should separate MR kids from regular deaf kids. I had one severe MR in my 1st grade. The school usually put about 3 grades together in one class. I suspected that they divided kids according which kids can speak good or not because I met a deaf woman who finished that school at the same time as I and I didn't know her.

 

[jillio]

I agree that they should separate MR kids from regular deaf kids. I had one severe MR in my 1st grade. The school usually put about 3 grades together in one class. I suspected that they divided kids according which kids can speak good or not because I met a deaf woman who finished that school at the same time as I and I didn't know her.

That is exactly the technique that oral schools used for classroom placement. Kids were placed according to oral skills.........and then the oralists will say that they don't value oral skills over sign, and don't consider one superior to the other. Their mouths say one thing, but their practices say another.

 

[shel90]

That is exactly the technique that oral schools used for classroom placement. Kids were placed according to oral skills.........and then the oralists will say that they don't value oral skills over sign, and don't consider one superior to the other. Their mouths say one thing, but their practices say another.

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