Pre-school teacher to deaf, mute and hard of hearing

Littlest_luna

Littlest_luna

New Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Messages
18
Reaction score
6
hello my name is Luna.
My goal is to be a Pre-school teacher to children who are deaf, mute and hard of hearing. I have been studying ASL for over 1.5 years now. and have worked with children who are differently abled since the age of 11. My speech impediments, learning disabilities and mental illnesses made it hard for me growing up. I fell threw a lot of cracks in our educational system. I wasn't given a voice and had no one to turn too. I want make sure students are given a voice and a safe space.
 
Last edited:
some of the things I have heard on the news says that the majority of the deaf community isn't in favor of having children who are non verbal in there schools if they aren't deaf. What are your thoughts on that? I also wanted to know if it is offensive for hearing people like me to want to be apart of the ASL and Deaf community if I don't have anyone in my life who is deaf ?
 
Littlest_luna said:
some of the things I have heard on the news says that the majority of the deaf community isn't in favor of having children who are non verbal in there schools if they aren't deaf. What are your thoughts on that? I also wanted to know if it is offensive for hearing people like me to want to be apart of the ASL and Deaf community if I don't have anyone in my life who is deaf ?
Click to expand...
It depends. We do think NONSPEAKING kids can have a place in Deaf ed. Like kids with apraxia, cerebal palsy, tracheostomies etc. In other words kids who cannot speak due to physical issues. We could even accept hearing kids with milder developmental issues that inhibit spoken languague .Matter of fact there's even a school for the Deaf that has an apraxia program. But the problem is that often nonverbal kids have SEVERE developmental issues. Like its the fact that they have severe or profound developmental issues that is the reason they cannot speak. They're on the level of a baby or a toddler. They don't use ASL as a LANGUAGUE, but rather as a very basic augmentive/alternative communication system. Their educational needs are such that they would be better served in a severe special needs program. Placing a child with severe or profound developmental issues in an "otherwise typical" very academic program, would be like you or I taking a class on advanced physics taught by Stephen Hawking.
 
I see what you mean so like children with autism who are able to actually communicate with others compared to a child with severe retardation who isn't able to communicate using ASL beside rudimentary words and might make better use of a facility that is caters to there specific needs.
 
Last edited:
Littlest_luna said:
I see what you mean so like children with autism who are able to actually communicate with others compared to a child with severe retardation who isn't able to communicate using ASL beside rudimentary words and might make better use of a facility that is caters to there specific needs.
Click to expand...
High functioning nonspeaking kids with autism are pretty rare, but yes you're right. I think you'd more frequently see nonspeaking kids with apraxia, tracheostomies, CP etc. Kids who are nonverbal b/c of severe intelligence issues,(ie they function at the level of a baby or toddler) would be much better served at a program or a school that caters to their level
 
Teacherofthedeaf said:
I am actually a preschool teacher of the deaf, what kinds of questions do you have?
Click to expand...
Omu omu omu (oh my universe) I am sorry I am excited I don't know anyone who is in the profession I want. I was wondering do you see hearing teachers who do the same thing as you?
 
what programs/majors do you suggest I take? do you think 23 is to old to go back to school for this profession? How do you feel about the pre-3 initiative?
 
Littlest_luna said:
Omu omu omu (oh my universe) I am sorry I am excited I don't know anyone who is in the profession I want. I was wondering do you see hearing teachers who do the same thing as you?
Click to expand...
I am hearing, the majority of teachers are.

I don't think 23 is too old at all. Do you currently have a Bachelor's degree?
 
I went to culinary school originally. I want to work towards a B.A. but I need to start on a associates.
 
As far as degrees... two may be good- Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Development. My friend majored in the latter and did become a pre-school teacher for about a year or so before she moved back home. I think it's helped her with the various jobs she's had since then as a paraprofessional.

Keep in mind though- both degrees were in the 80s lol. My (incomplete) graduate degree was in Education of the Multi-handicapped Hearing Impaired (yeah... not a fan of the title)- I know it's no longer at Gallaudet (probably rolled into Deaf Education or something)... I thought about working with deaf-blind kids. Never did.
 
Even if I want to work in deaf education. Like a preschool for the deaf.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top