Frustrated!!!

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chipmunkis

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I am a Deafblind Intervenor...NOT an Interpreter. Today, I was sent to work with a Deaf high school student...because they have no one else to fill in when his Interpreter is ill. WTH??? I didn't have a choice, so in I went, but I told the kid that my signing is nowhere near what he needs but that I would do my best and take lots of notes and write what I couldn't sign. There was a LOT I couldn't sign... he is in Grade 10 Chemistry, and Calculus. He was VERY patient.

I am mad. It is just WRONG.
 
Was it at a Deaf school or a public school?
 
wow that is why order boss right, but you tell principal but will fired interpreter but back up?? do you have interpreter back up, but not enough interpreter?
 
sound like public school. If they couldn't find a interpreter, they should have at least hire a CART
 
Wow that is awful. I can see why you were frustrated. I could see that frustrating me, especially since I'm not even certified. I feel it is wrong for us who are not certified to be forced to interpret. I, personally, feel uncomfortable interpreting when I am not certified.
 
Bliss DeCartha said:
Wow that is awful. I can see why you were frustrated. I could see that frustrating me, especially since I'm not even certified. I feel it is wrong for us who are not certified to be forced to interpret. I, personally, feel uncomfortable interpreting when I am not certified.
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Prize for the most uses of, "certified, interpret, frustrated" in a paragraph.
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I realize this has little bearing on the OP's topic, but maybe we need a little thread for people to express their empathy on things they don't even d0.:hmm:
 
The student has an Interpreter, but there is no QUALIFIED backup. It seems that the District has decided that I will be the backup from here on, if his Interpreter is ill or away for any reason...and have talked about "training" me. No!!! I can not simply be "trained" to fill in when needed; he needs and DESERVES someone there who can actually communicate in his language at HIS level. He should not have to dumb things down for me!
 
Oh, and yes, it is a Public School. We had two Interpreters, but one moved to another city a year and a half ago, and they haven't replaced her.
 
chipmunkis said:
The student has an Interpreter, but there is no QUALIFIED backup. It seems that the District has decided that I will be the backup from here on, if his Interpreter is ill or away for any reason...and have talked about "training" me. No!!! I can not simply be "trained" to fill in when needed; he needs and DESERVES someone there who can actually communicate in his language at HIS level. He should not have to dumb things down for me!
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I wonder if you could advocate for this student a little more to the right people since you are sort of letting them get away with this?
 
Bottesini said:
Prize for the most uses of, "certified, interpret, frustrated" in a paragraph.
21e8col.gif


I realize this has little bearing on the OP's topic, but maybe we need a little thread for people to express their empathy on things they don't even d0.:hmm:
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Good topic!
 
That really makes sense. From someone who is also hearing, I think it is unfair for us to try to fill shoes that are too big, not only for us, but for the person needing the interpreter.
 
chipmunkis said:
Oh, and yes, it is a Public School. We had two Interpreters, but one moved to another city a year and a half ago, and they haven't replaced her.
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What does it say in your employment contract? If your contract says you may be required to sub as a terp, then you're stuck. If your contract does not say that, then you have a stronger case.

Can you meet with the interpreter and find a way to acquire an additional terp? It appears obvious that the school administration won't bother to do that, so you and the interpreter might have to do the leg work on this.

Does the student's parents know about the situation? If the school isn't fulfilling the requirements of the student's IEP, then the parents should be informed. They might put pressure on the school.
 
Part of the problem with hiring sub terps for schools is that they pay about 1/4 the rate that freelance and agency terps normally charge. When I sub at public schools I accept a lower rate than normal but I did manage to get it increased from the original.

The school used to pay the equivalent of one-hour's rate for working a full school day. That broke down to less than minimum wage.

Not too many terps are willing to accept that, and the schools refuse to pay the normal rate for terps. That's part of the problem.
 
Tousi said:
I wonder if you could advocate for this student a little more to the right people since you are sort of letting them get away with this?
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Letting them get away with it? How so? This only happened yesterday, and short of risk losing my job for refusing to go in, there was nothing I could have done at the time. I told them (the person who called me in, as well as the person in charge of the "Deaf and HOH program") that I am not qualified, that he should have the services he requires, that I was uncomfortable being told to do this because I would not be able to fulfill the needs of the student and that I was going in under protest...I was told that if I did not go in, there would be nobody at all with him, which had apparently happened the day before.

I don't want this happening to this kid, and I would definitely appreciate any constructive comments on who I can go to and what I can do, but I don't see how deciding that, based on what I posted, I am "letting them get away with this" is helpful to me in this situation, or to this kid. Who would be the "right people" to go to? I don't know, since I have never been put in this position before and, while I am annoyed at your comment, I DO want to know how I can advocate for this boy.
 
Reba said:
What does it say in your employment contract? If your contract says you may be required to sub as a terp, then you're stuck. If your contract does not say that, then you have a stronger case.

Can you meet with the interpreter and find a way to acquire an additional terp? It appears obvious that the school administration won't bother to do that, so you and the interpreter might have to do the leg work on this.

Does the student's parents know about the situation? If the school isn't fulfilling the requirements of the student's IEP, then the parents should be informed. They might put pressure on the school.
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I posted my other response before I saw this post...so thank you for your ideas. My contract doesn't say anything about it one way or the other... it has a vague statement about being expected to do various duties "as required"...

I like your idea of talking to his terp...maybe between the two of us, we can find a way.

His parents did know that the day before he was left on his own with no support at all... and they were not happy, which is why I think that I was thrown in there...
 
chipmunkis said:
Letting them get away with it? How so? This only happened yesterday, and short of risk losing my job for refusing to go in, there was nothing I could have done at the time. I told them (the person who called me in, as well as the person in charge of the "Deaf and HOH program") that I am not qualified, that he should have the services he requires, that I was uncomfortable being told to do this because I would not be able to fulfill the needs of the student and that I was going in under protest...I was told that if I did not go in, there would be nobody at all with him, which had apparently happened the day before.

I don't want this happening to this kid, and I would definitely appreciate any constructive comments on who I can go to and what I can do, but I don't see how deciding that, based on what I posted, I am "letting them get away with this" is helpful to me in this situation, or to this kid. Who would be the "right people" to go to? I don't know, since I have never been put in this position before and, while I am annoyed at your comment, I DO want to know how I can advocate for this boy.
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Some people tend to forget that laws are different in different countries.

If they plan on continuing this and you don't want to risk losing your job, I guess you have no choice but take more classes on sign languages. I don't know what else to say except to say you should try talking to other interpreters in your country about the situation and see what they say about it.
 
I forgot to ask, what happens to the Deafblind student when you're with the Deaf student?
 
chipmunkis said:
Letting them get away with it? How so? This only happened yesterday, and short of risk losing my job for refusing to go in, there was nothing I could have done at the time....
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I think what Tousi meant was that by accepting the task once, you have set a precedence. Each time you accept the role of interpreter, even though you protest, the record will show that you did go along with the request.

To protect yourself, if you do it again, you might want to have your objection in writing and signed by you and the supervisor.
 
deafgal001 said:
Some people tend to forget that laws are different in different countries.

If they plan on continuing this and you don't want to risk losing your job, I guess you have no choice but take more classes on sign languages. I don't know what else to say except to say you should try talking to other interpreters in your country about the situation and see what they say about it.
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Thanks. as a Deafblind Intervenor I am always working on learning more sign language, but there are no Interpreter programs, or even basic signing classes in this community or anywhere close to here. :( I think the closest is about 3 1/2 hours away. I am going to try to get a hold of his former Interpreter and see what she says...maybe she'll know what I can do.

Reba said:
I forgot to ask, what happens to the Deafblind student when you're with the Deaf student?
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There is another Intervenor who can work with my student.

Reba said:
I think what Tousi meant was that by accepting the task once, you have set a precedence. Each time you accept the role of interpreter, even though you protest, the record will show that you did go along with the request.

To protect yourself, if you do it again, you might want to have your objection in writing and signed by you and the supervisor.
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Unfortunately, I can't afford to lose my job, or I would have refused. I like the idea of putting it on paper.. hadn't even thought of doing that, I was so flustered.
 
I am curious as to how you got a job for an D/B intervenor if you don't know ASL? I hope Mrs Bucket sees this and lets us know the standards for woriking in Canada.
 
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