Deaf Teachers teaching Deaf Students [ in an ORALISM school ]

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bwright6

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I'm a Deaf Education graduate student, and a very interesting topic came up in class today. We all say that we want D/deaf people as role models, and that's a great thing in a school for the Deaf-- but the realistic view is that only a small percentage of D/deaf children are in the "culture", so most go to an oralism school. As a deaf individual, do you think I'll have a harder time getting a job at a school where they speak or use simcom, since I won't be able to hear if the student is speaking correctly? Sure, they can't legally say to my face that that is the reason, but surely it's a huge factor.
 
My daughter has attended 3 oral schools. All of them have had deaf employees. One was a teacher, another the counselor, and the third had an administrator and an audiologist.
 
Hey, I feel you. I am deaf myself and I seriously doubt I would ever get hired at an oral only program simply due to the fact I don't hace cochlear impants. I have seen and visited many oral only programs and NOT once I have seen a deaf adult working as a staff there. You aren't the only one who feels this way. Hearing people do not understand our fears.
 
As a deaf individual, do you think I'll have a harder time getting a job at a school where they speak or use simcom, since I won't be able to hear if the student is speaking correctly
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I think you might at an Auditory Verbal style school, but there's enough exposure to all kinds of communication at a sim com style school, that you would be safe. You wouldn't be able to hear that a student would be pronouncing things correctly, but neither can many hoh teachers.
 
My professor was saying that he probably wouldn't be hired at a oral school because of his inability to hear; since so much focus is placed on how to speak he would be of no benefit. He used a comparison of a wheelchair user teaching phys ed-- he said they wouldn't be able to say it to her face, but they would definitely be thinking of the safety issues at hand. I had enough issues when I worked at a hearing preschool-- people were whispering about fire alarms, etc. and my presence.
 
I read an article from strong oralists (I don't remember if it was AG Bell or Cochlear Implant Online) that said they wish MORE deaf teachers would work in oral schools. They talked about how important deaf teachers are and that the issue of a "deaf voice" or being unable to hear themselves would be minimal because there are many other "typical" voices that kids hear everyday.
 
fact of the matter is that unless there are very strong oralists most dhh as kids won't become oral teachers b/cquite frankly its too much like speech therapy.
 
bwright6 said:
My professor was saying that he probably wouldn't be hired at a oral school because of his inability to hear; since so much focus is placed on how to speak he would be of no benefit. He used a comparison of a wheelchair user teaching phys ed-- he said they wouldn't be able to say it to her face, but they would definitely be thinking of the safety issues at hand. I had enough issues when I worked at a hearing preschool-- people were whispering about fire alarms, etc. and my presence.
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Your professor is correct. The chance of a Deaf/deaf individual securing a job in an oral only school placement is slim to none.
 
faire_jour said:
I read an article from strong oralists (I don't remember if it was AG Bell or Cochlear Implant Online) that said they wish MORE deaf teachers would work in oral schools. They talked about how important deaf teachers are and that the issue of a "deaf voice" or being unable to hear themselves would be minimal because there are many other "typical" voices that kids hear everyday.
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Ever stop and think about why they wish that?

It would show that more deaf are successful with their methods. Since that doesn't play out in real life, they are left with wishing.
 
jillio said:
Ever stop and think about why they wish that?

It would show that more deaf are successful with their methods. Since that doesn't play out in real life, they are left with wishing.
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The oral schools my daughter attended have deaf employees and active alumni organizations and have introduced families to many graduates who are successful and happy. In fact at JTC they have a teen, school age and adult panel (that changes every year) and parents ask questions and get the perspective of many different deaf people who have been through JTC.
 
faire_jour said:
The oral schools my daughter attended have deaf employees and active alumni organizations and have introduced families to many graduates who are successful and happy. In fact at JTC they have a teen, school age and adult panel (that changes every year) and parents ask questions and get the perspective of many different deaf people who have been through JTC.
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You keep saying "deaf employees". The poster is asking about deaf teachers. Stick to the topic, please.

The second part of your post is completely unrelated to the topic, and is just another self serving attempt to cite the wonders of oralism.
 
faire_jour said:
I read an article from strong oralists (I don't remember if it was AG Bell or Cochlear Implant Online) that said they wish MORE deaf teachers would work in oral schools. They talked about how important deaf teachers are and that the issue of a "deaf voice" or being unable to hear themselves would be minimal because there are many other "typical" voices that kids hear everyday.
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Oh, really? AG Bell or other oral schools are wishing more Deaf teachers would work in oral schools, but it won't work because of their Deaf voices? To me, it seems discriminatory (or perhaps safety reasons)? It does not make sense to me.

There are not that many deaf teachers with excellent speech working at any oral schools unfortunately. Most teachers are hearing with little or no knowledge of sign language skills (perhaps they know some sign language, but show no interest in it). Most Deaf teachers with their Deaf voices tend to work at Deaf schools or schools with total communication methods. It is a common knowledge.
 
jillio said:
You keep saying "deaf employees". The poster is asking about deaf teachers. Stick to the topic, please.

The second part of your post is completely unrelated to the topic, and is just another self serving attempt to cite the wonders of oralism.
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I was very clear about their jobs in an earlier post, and one was a teacher.

You said that oral schools do not have success in real life, and that is why there weren't more oral deaf teachers, I was responding to that. If it is off topic, it was because I was responding to you.
 
Oddball said:
Oh, really? AG Bell or other oral schools are wishing more Deaf teachers would work in oral schools, but it won't work because of their Deaf voices? To me, it seems discriminatory (or perhaps safety reasons)? It does not make sense to me.

There are not that many deaf teachers with excellent speech working at any oral schools unfortunately. Most teachers are hearing with little or no knowledge of sign language skills (perhaps they know some sign language, but show no interest in it). Most Deaf teachers with their Deaf voices tend to work at Deaf schools or schools with total communication methods. It is a common knowledge.
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Read it again, that is the OPPOSITE of what I said. They said that would NOT be a problem.
 
deafdyke said:
fact of the matter is that unless there are very strong oralists most dhh as kids won't become oral teachers b/cquite frankly its too much like speech therapy.
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Totally agree..who wants to teach in a class that misunderstandings will be constant? It doesnt sound like a good setting for good classroom management and effective teaching.
 
faire_jour said:
I was very clear about their jobs in an earlier post, and one was a teacher.

You said that oral schools do not have success in real life, and that is why there weren't more oral deaf teachers, I was responding to that. If it is off topic, it was because I was responding to you.
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Exactly. One. Which supports my claim that a deaf teacher finding a job in an oral school is slim to none.

Where did I say that oral schools don't have success in real life? Really, FJ, you need to remove your blinders before reading.:cool2:
 
jillio said:
Ever stop and think about why they wish that?

It would show that more deaf are successful with their methods. Since that doesn't play out in real life, they are left with wishing.
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jillio said:
Exactly. One. Which supports my claim that a deaf teacher finding a job in an oral school is slim to none.

Where did I say that oral schools don't have success in real life? Really, FJ, you need to remove your blinders before reading.:cool2:
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Right there.
 
jillio said:
Exactly. One. Which supports my claim that a deaf teacher finding a job in an oral school is slim to none.

Where did I say that oral schools don't have success in real life? Really, FJ, you need to remove your blinders before reading.:cool2:
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One out of three have a deaf teacher in a classroom. (Another has a teacher of the deaf who is deaf and is in charge of the curriculum, but isn't in a classroom.)
 
faire_jour said:
One out of three have a deaf teacher in a classroom. (Another has a teacher of the deaf who is deaf and is in charge of the curriculum, but isn't in a classroom.)
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And one out of three is still one, now isn't it? And administration does not qualify as teaching.
 
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