I need advice

My point is for this parent to explore all program options, and not to potentially exclude one that could be a good fit for one or both of her children.
 
CSign said:
Jillio- please don't turn EVERY SINGLE thread into a battle. There is absolutely no need for it, and it's certainly not productive. Thank you.
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I didn't turn anything into a battle. I corrected a mistaken post. It is necessary to do so when dealing with people who are requesting advice in order that they not be as misinformed as the person spreading the misinformation. Get off that defensive tendency to turn everything into a battle about you.
 
CSign said:
My point is for this parent to explore all program options, and not to potentially exclude one that could be a good fit for one or both of her children.
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This parent has already stated that she has explored, and has made a decision regarding the best way to handle her children's education. Her request for advice was not related to different programs, but the way to achieve the placement she has already decided is the best for her children.
 
jillio said:
This parent has already stated that she has explored, and has made a decision regarding the best way to handle her children's education. Her request for advice was not related to different programs, but the way to achieve the placement she has already decided is the best for her children.
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Um, no she didn't. The statement was never made exploring all placement options actually. Also, she brought up the predicament of the school for the deaf being so far away. These are some of the things I was addressing in my post.
 
jillio said:
TC iis not a mode of communication. It is a teaching methodology.:roll:
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GrendelQ said:
If you are going to split hairs about it, TC is a philosophy of communication, not an educational method or teaching methodology. But then, I think csign's meaning was pretty clear, in that pursuing a program with access to ASL, whether in an ASL program or a TC program, is critical.
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jillio said:
A philosophy of communition devised to be used as a teaching methodology.

Looks like you still have your superwoman cape on, and are out there looking for poor victims to save.:laugh2: You have enough trouble explaining your own vacilating posts. Better to leave everyone else's alone.

The phrase was used as follows: ASL/TC. That arrangement is used when two things are comparable. ASL and TC are not comparable, and therefore, the entire phrasing was mistaken and a misrepresentation of the various types of programs available to deaf students. Now go away, you are an annoyance when you are in this frame of mind.
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I'll refer you to someone I know you think highly of: yourself. Unfortunately, she disagrees with you:

Total Communication (TC) is an educational philosophy. “Total Communication can best be defined as eclectic, borrowing techniques form a variety of different methods.”110 Ideally teachers can use sign, writing, mime, speech, pictures or any other communication method that works. The method of communication should depend upon the needs of the student and the situation.

...

Total communication (TC), a term coined by Roy Holcomb in 1967, is the title of a philosophy of communication, not a method (Scouten, 1984). Total communication may involve one or several modes of communication (manual, oral, auditory, and written), depending on the particular needs of the child. The original expectation of TC was for teachers to use the communication method(s) most appropriate for a particular child at a particular stage of development. Therefore, there would be situations when spoken communication might be appropriate, other situations where signing might be appropriate, others that would call for written communication, and still others where simultaneous communication might work best (Solit, Taylor & Bednarczyk, 1992).

Total communication seemed to be the bridge that allowed a crossover from an oral-only philosophy to a philosophy that embraced sign language. During the 1970's and 1980's most schools and programs for children who are deaf, as well as most major organizations in the field supported the TC philosophy. Today, although the debate seems to be between TC programs and bilingual-bicultural programs, " simultaneous communication is the most common form of communication used in educational settings for deaf children " (Kaplan, 1996, p. 469).
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Total Communication. ERIC Digest

The term Total Communication is often confused with “Simultaneous Communication” or “Sim-Comm,” which, unlike TC, is a methodology, not a philosophy. Simultaneous Communication refers simply to the simultaneous use of sign and spoken language. It is driven by the natural word order of English, and most often does not include function words and word endings. The completeness of the sign component of Sim-Comm is dependent on the skills of the signer.
Hands & Voices :: Communication Considerations
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OMG that is too funny. Hypocrisy in all it's glory. What's the phrase? Talking out of both sides of their mouth?
 
CSign said:
Um, no she didn't. The statement was never made exploring all placement options actually. Also, she brought up the predicament of the school for the deaf being so far away. These are some of the things I was addressing in my post.
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And she has already decided that a school for the deaf is the optimum placement for her deaf children. Again, you are misunderstanding, and think that she is still trying to make a decision regarding optimal placement.:roll:
 
GrendelQ said:
I'll refer you to someone I know you think highly of: yourself. Unfortunately, she disagrees with you:
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That does not negate the fact that TC is used, not as a communication philosophy, but as a teaching methodology. CS was originally designed as something completely opposite from the purpose it is now being touted for. Nor does it state anything contradictory to the post that I corrected asumption that TC and ASL are comparable.

The fact that you seem to find so many contradictions is nothing more than idicative of the fact that your understanding of these issues is completely superficial.

And your motive in these posts seems to be clear, as well. :cool2: Attack the person that has achieved acceptance by the Deaf community, because you, with your forceful tactics and your hearing perspective have not been able to do same.

Stop arguing and start learning. We will all be much better off.:cool2: Stop your petty defensivenss that derails every single thread around here that has anything to do with Deaf issues. Go back and read the OP and then help this woman achieve an ASL environment educationally for her children, as she requested, or leave the thread if you can't do that. This thread is about her needs, and the needs of her ASL using children, not about you.
 
AandEMomma said:
Hello My name is Sara I have two hearing Impaired children with a sevear sesrinorial hearing loss. I recently moved to West Virginia from Maryland. My daughter went to Maryland School for the deaf and my son was mainstreemed with an interpretor until he was accepted. before my son went to MSD we had to move now in west virginia there is only one school for the deaf and that is in Romney and it is an hour and a half from my place and the school system wants to boared my kids they are only 5 and 3 I do not know what to do does any one know anything about west virginia's policy's I want my kids to go to MSD but tuition is expensive and they need to be with the cutlure at least my son does because he only communicates through ASL
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Sarah, Any chance you can move closer to the Virginia School for the deaf? Another thought, you might visit the school and see how the boarding kids live. You might be surprised to find other kids that young there. I spent nearly 4 hours on the bus every day growing up. I was up in the morning before everyone else (except my parents), and I was in bed before everyone else. I hated it, hated it, hated it, hated it... (sorry a bit of a flash back there - but you get where I am going with this?) :)
 
Cheetah said:
Sarah, Any chance you can move closer to the Virginia School for the deaf? Another thought, you might visit the school and see how the boarding kids live. You might be surprised to find other kids that young there. I spent nearly 4 hours on the bus every day growing up. I was up in the morning before everyone else (except my parents), and I was in bed before everyone else. I hated it, hated it, hated it, hated it... (sorry a bit of a flash back there - but you get where I am going with this?) :)
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Can relate somewhat. In highschool, by son caught the bus at 5:10 am every day and did not get home until after 5:00 pm most days. When he was in grammar school, I was able to shuttle him myself because my job was close to the area, so the hours weren't that bad.
 
Cheetah said:
Sarah, Any chance you can move closer to the Virginia School for the deaf? Another thought, you might visit the school and see how the boarding kids live. You might be surprised to find other kids that young there. I spent nearly 4 hours on the bus every day growing up. I was up in the morning before everyone else (except my parents), and I was in bed before everyone else. I hated it, hated it, hated it, hated it... (sorry a bit of a flash back there - but you get where I am going with this?) :)
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Good points!!!! Although I DO think that if possible, kids need to wait til they are a wee bit older before dorming it. Dorms can rock, and if done right, can be like a really good summer camp. But, "early childhood" kids do still need mommy and daddy time. Either find a regional dhh program or bus it for a few years until they're old enough for dorming it. I think that busing it for just a few years until they are old enough, would be OK. Thing is, it's now really rare for little kids to be in the dorms. Even when we were young, it wasn't that unusual for kids to live at Clarke or CID at five. I think virtually all the time little kids in the dorms are DODA (Deaf of Deaf)
Another suggestion might be if you have relatives in other states,(that live closer to good deaf schools/programs) you might send them to live with them maybe? That would be REALLY hard, but also might be doable.
 
I read some of the advice I had Thanks everyone! Alot of concerns on what exactly I was asking. My son does not talk both of my children have a billateral sesrinero hearing loss I turned to the deaf culture for answers and ways my son can communicate. My son Austin, has picked up on sign language quickly after using picture boareds and full explosive speech thereapy and autistic methods of communication. I am interested more in the schools for the deaf because I firmly bealive that it has helped my son regain confidence in learning and now he has NO friends to communicate with by going to a bilingal community he would learn so much from the students and teachers. My daughter I know will be fine in a mainstreemed school because of how she is she talks and sign's but I do want her to learn more sign's to communicate with her brother. Im just trying to find ways I can fight at the IEP meeting with to get them in a deaf school with out them being boarded because boarding them is not for me my son has many disablitlities such as the hearing impairment (which is not a disability in my eyes), behavior problems and so much more i couldnt say because it has not been fully evaluated alot of his issues is his lack of communication.
 
deafdyke said:
Good points!!!! Although I DO think that if possible, kids need to wait til they are a wee bit older before dorming it. Dorms can rock, and if done right, can be like a really good summer camp. But, "early childhood" kids do still need mommy and daddy time. Either find a regional dhh program or bus it for a few years until they're old enough for dorming it. I think that busing it for just a few years until they are old enough, would be OK. Thing is, it's now really rare for little kids to be in the dorms. Even when we were young, it wasn't that unusual for kids to live at Clarke or CID at five. I think virtually all the time little kids in the dorms are DODA (Deaf of Deaf)
Another suggestion might be if you have relatives in other states,(that live closer to good deaf schools/programs) you might send them to live with them maybe? That would be REALLY hard, but also might be doable.
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I cannot afford to move really I have thought if nothing else works to move back to Maryland because Maryland School for the deaf is awsome and supportive to newbies...I live two hours away from all of my friends and family so I couldnt do that I only moved this far because I was from Pasadena, Maryland and rent was 1350 for a 3 br house and we pay 650 for where we live I want to be able to make it on my own without the help of my parents I am new to the deaf community I am hard of hearing myself but always thought i was the only child with such loss and it was for old people until I had children in Infants and toddlers program and found out about the ASL and all It was like i was in a shelter from my disablitly both of my parents are hearing so they didnt know much about it.
 
I cannot move closer right now. I am broke Im living pay check to paycheck barely making it I live 2 hrs away from friends and family and moved this far to make it financially in life I have however, said that if things with the school do not work out that i would move back to maryland because the School for the deaf is awsome and very welcoming to newbies. I am new to the deaf culture. Yes, I am hard of hearing with a billateral sesrinuro loss but growing up I thought I was the only deaf child I thought it was for old people really but it was when I had children and Infants and toddlers came around I found there was a whole community and it interested me.. So with that being said both of my parents are hearing and my children's father is hearing we just really do not know what else there is out there I turn to the deaf schools for the bilingal community so my son can have children to learn and play with since he does not talk.
 
AandEMomma said:
Hello My name is Sara I have two hearing Impaired children with a sevear sesrinorial hearing loss. I recently moved to West Virginia from Maryland. My daughter went to Maryland School for the deaf and my son was mainstreemed with an interpretor until he was accepted. before my son went to MSD we had to move now in west virginia there is only one school for the deaf and that is in Romney and it is an hour and a half from my place and the school system wants to boared my kids they are only 5 and 3 I do not know what to do does any one know anything about west virginia's policy's I want my kids to go to MSD but tuition is expensive and they need to be with the cutlure at least my son does because he only communicates through ASL
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So, are you only about 45 minutes from MSD? If so, that's great! Can you talk with the Admissions or placement officer at MSD to get advice? In that area, with PA, MA, WV, DC, and VA all so close, they must have cases of out-of-state placements being made, and may be able to provide you with some approaches that have worked, or contacts with other parents who were able to make it happen. Also, I think that if your IEP can't be met by the local school, they have to find you out-of-district placement within an hour ride each way, regardless of whether it is in state or not. (We actually had to fight against this protection because we were choosing a school beyond that distance, and there were several oral/TC based schools within, but it may work in your favor) .

This document seems to indicate it can be done.
 
AandEMomma said:
I read some of the advice I had Thanks everyone! Alot of concerns on what exactly I was asking. My son does not talk both of my children have a billateral sesrinero hearing loss I turned to the deaf culture for answers and ways my son can communicate. My son Austin, has picked up on sign language quickly after using picture boareds and full explosive speech thereapy and autistic methods of communication. I am interested more in the schools for the deaf because I firmly bealive that it has helped my son regain confidence in learning and now he has NO friends to communicate with by going to a bilingal community he would learn so much from the students and teachers. My daughter I know will be fine in a mainstreemed school because of how she is she talks and sign's but I do want her to learn more sign's to communicate with her brother. Im just trying to find ways I can fight at the IEP meeting with to get them in a deaf school with out them being boarded because boarding them is not for me my son has many disablitlities such as the hearing impairment (which is not a disability in my eyes), behavior problems and so much more i couldnt say because it has not been fully evaluated alot of his issues is his lack of communication.
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It is terrific that your daughter has been able to develop skills in 2 languages that way, but I want to caution you regarding the mainstream even though she has these skills. There is so much more to the mainstream placement that has a negative effect on the deaf child. There is a possiblity that she could be just fine, but there is a greater probability that she will encounter many problems.

If you are concerned about the IEP process for your children, stick around and ask questions. There are a few of us that deal with these issues on a professional basis, and I know that we all would be happy to help you any way we can.
 
Thanks again, I have looked into MSD for answers and out of state tuition has to be paid by West Virginia, tuition is $100,000 dollars, I looked into the price because i was thinking I will pay it but it is expensive and I cannot afford that. West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the country. (go figure) when i went to the school to set up an IEP for the kids to go to school I told them that they needed to go to a deaf school and that MSD is closer then West Virginia school for the deaf and blind and they said that they have a school for their needs and another mother boards her 4 year old son at the school. I disagree with boarding my kids they are too young and have little communication much less can understand why they cant go home to mommy and daddy. IF my children were maybe 8 or 9 I would consider it but I feel elementry school kids need to be home with their parents.

Speaking of differences of mainstreeming and deaf schools what benifits will my kids get from a deaf school?

Sorry I went to a mainstreem school I know little ASL from my kids but I am learning with Signing Time videos and books. I had no education on the deaf culture but my kids need to know that there are other children with Hearing problems, and how amazing it is that they created their own language using their hands my son needs it its the only thing he has to communicate.
 
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