horrified in Ohio/way to go!
Wow! I live in the Miami Valley in Ohio and I KNOW where Centerville is. It is WONDERFUL that you are able to play in the band and go to classes with a "terp." There is NO EXCUSE for behavior like that on the part of an interpreter ANYTIME or ANYWHERE. As for Sinclair, it is a "mixed bag." Some "terps" who graduate from there are GREAT, some are "so-so," and some...well--they ought to find another line of work. Many years ago (and when my hearing wasn't quite SO bad), I took some ASL classes at Sinclair. I got a lot of A's, but I didn't learn very much. I was (often) waaaaay ahead of my classmates. When I was in "intermediate ASL," we had a Deaf teacher and, after a few class sessions, a "terp" started coming--in order to "reverse" the Deaf teacher's lecture. I was ASTONISHED to learn that my classmates often had NO CLUE what was going on. I think the ASTONISHMENT grew to SHOCK when the interpreter did not show up one day. One of the students was kind enough to call the "terp" on her cell phone--that is how we found out she was stuck. Well, we all decided to "plunge ahead." I kept my eyes glued to the teacher and I stood where she could lip-read me, and "reversed" the lecture. Technically, I was not supposed to be able to do that, since I had not yet taken "SIGN-TO-VOICE I." I remember "dropping out" about 6 months later, without even completing the Certificate in Deaf Studies. I DID enjoy having a Deaf teacher, though. In THAT sense, I learned a lot. I also learned how ignorant and unkind some people can be. Luckily, though, there were also many who were sincere and dedicated in learning to become professional interpreters. People are people. You'll find that anywhere. Anyway, you are to be COMMENDED for standing up for yourself as you have.
Wow! I live in the Miami Valley in Ohio and I KNOW where Centerville is. It is WONDERFUL that you are able to play in the band and go to classes with a "terp." There is NO EXCUSE for behavior like that on the part of an interpreter ANYTIME or ANYWHERE. As for Sinclair, it is a "mixed bag." Some "terps" who graduate from there are GREAT, some are "so-so," and some...well--they ought to find another line of work. Many years ago (and when my hearing wasn't quite SO bad), I took some ASL classes at Sinclair. I got a lot of A's, but I didn't learn very much. I was (often) waaaaay ahead of my classmates. When I was in "intermediate ASL," we had a Deaf teacher and, after a few class sessions, a "terp" started coming--in order to "reverse" the Deaf teacher's lecture. I was ASTONISHED to learn that my classmates often had NO CLUE what was going on. I think the ASTONISHMENT grew to SHOCK when the interpreter did not show up one day. One of the students was kind enough to call the "terp" on her cell phone--that is how we found out she was stuck. Well, we all decided to "plunge ahead." I kept my eyes glued to the teacher and I stood where she could lip-read me, and "reversed" the lecture. Technically, I was not supposed to be able to do that, since I had not yet taken "SIGN-TO-VOICE I." I remember "dropping out" about 6 months later, without even completing the Certificate in Deaf Studies. I DID enjoy having a Deaf teacher, though. In THAT sense, I learned a lot. I also learned how ignorant and unkind some people can be. Luckily, though, there were also many who were sincere and dedicated in learning to become professional interpreters. People are people. You'll find that anywhere. Anyway, you are to be COMMENDED for standing up for yourself as you have.