For Every Step Forward: So far this month, we’ve seen Deaf artist Matt Daigle’s wonderfully designed breastfeeding logo win a national contest (that’s the logo in blue and white). We’ve learned of new research touting the mental health benefits of breastfeeding for children. But then, for all the progress and enlightenment we’ve supposedly achieved in our so-called advanced society of …
Read More18
Sep
2006
Sorry, Hannah, You Can’t Study Albert Einstein
By: Deaf Counseling Center
Category: Audism, Children, Gender, Psychology, Racism
Believe It or Not: Sexism still exists in classrooms today, and we wonder – is anyone paying attention? Consider these scenarios that we recently witnessed: 1. A girl comes home from school, crushed after learning that the role of Peter Pan in her class play can only be played by a boy. Girls must take on “girl” parts; boys must …
Read More15
Sep
2006
Is Homework Worth It?: According to an article in the Washington Post, one of the nation’s leading researchers on homework has once again concluded that homework does not offer as many benefits as people seem to think it does. The homework that is most helpful is reading. Many students, unfortunately, bring home overloaded backpacks each afternoon. Schools are pressured to …
Read More5
Sep
2006
Why One Should Not Compare Apples to Oranges: Deaf Students and Hearing Students
By: Deaf Counseling Center
Category: Assessment, Audism, Children, Psychology, Research
Back to School: With September underway, Deaf students are once again heading back to schools and universities and once again, on the front burner, are concerns about Deaf education, student achievement scores, reading levels, and other related topics. It’s inevitable that comparisons will be made between Deaf students’ performances and those of their hearing peers. Apples and Oranges: When an …
Read More30
Aug
2006
Sticks and Stones: Bullying and Deaf People
By: Deaf Counseling Center
Category: Children, Psychology
What’s So Unique about Bullying and Deaf People?: What’s the first thought that comes to mind when you see the words “bullying” and “Deaf”? Is it a lone Deaf child being picked on by hearing schoolmates? This scenario is what many people mention, perhaps recalling their own childhood experiences or relying on common preconceptions of bullying. While hearing-on-Deaf bullying in …
Read More3
Aug
2006
KODA Families: Following up on yesterday’s post on Deaf-hearing relationships, today we turn the spotlight onto KODA families. Short for Kids of Deaf Adults, KODAs are hearing children who have at least one Deaf parent. They may also have Deaf or hearing siblings and other relatives. Depending on their exposure to ASL and the Deaf community, KODAs grow up with …
Read More11
Jul
2006
The Irony of “Inclusion”: Here’s an article on Deaf schools from our northern neighbors. In the same way as in the United States, Canadian Deaf schools face threats of closure as a result of the push toward “inclusion” or mainstreaming students. Money issues are usually the main reason for efforts to shut down Deaf schools or change them in major …
Read More5
Jul
2006
Home Alone: We often have parents ask us when it is okay to start leaving their children home by themselves. It depends on what state you live in. Most states don’t have laws about specific ages, but do offer parents guidelines through local child protective services. Maryland is one of the few states with a law about this. Under Maryland …
Read More29
Jun
2006
Deaf Children = Wild Animals?: You’ve probably seen those yellow signs by the roadside that announce “SLOW Deaf Child” or “Caution: Deaf Child Area”. Are these signs really necessary? Deer, cows, and ducks may occasionally have their own signs, but do Deaf children need them? Deaf children are not wild animals. They can be taught how to play outside and …
Read More23
Jun
2006
A Positive Move: There is good news for Deaf foster children in San Diego, California. The County has announced that it will set up a group home for Deaf foster children. We are crossing our fingers that this group home will be Deaf-centered and staffed by Deaf people. We also hope that this group home will consider including KODAs. In …
Read More