A Meeting with Teachers (Учителя)

This morning, I spoke at a meeting of teachers at the school for the deaf.  Вау!  Wow!

I spoke to them about deaf education in the United States and tried to be as positive as possible.  I mentioned Gallaudet University and the opportunities offered to deaf and hard of hearing students who study there.  I presented examples of successful deaf Americans, such as Marlee Matlin, among others.  I talked a little bit about deaf culture - language, art, theater, dance, etc.

As a lead-in to a discussion about higher education, I talked about educational practices in the U.S. such as inclusion for students with disabilities and the IEP process.  Then when I mentioned equal opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing students to attend institutions of higher education in the U.S., the meeting became noisy, and the teachers grew quite boisterous.  Most of them do not believe that deaf and hard of hearing students can succeed in colleges and universities.  The meeting became rather acrimonious at times, and Dr. Kresk stopped interpreting, and from the tone of her voice she appeared rather stern, herself.  It was frustrating for me, because everyone was speaking very loudly and very fast in Russian, and all I could get were isolated words or phrases.  I could tell the discussion was emotional, and I wanted to be able to respond effectively to the teachers’ comments, but Dr. Kresk had stopped interpreting, intentionally as I later learned, because she was responding very directly and “aggressively” as she put it.  One person asked her what I was I expecting to get out of my time here in Luhans’k.  What were my motives; what did I want? Apparently, some teachers are not trusting, a holdover from Soviet times, Dr. Kresk later informed me.

She told me that she had also rebuked the teachers for not doing enough to prepare the students for study at institutions of higher education and went so far as to tell them that it was poor teaching.  She also said most of the teachers do not support admitting deaf and hard of hearing students to the university.  Maybe 15% are supportive of her initiative.  She said it is the same situation at V. Dahl EUNU.  The Rector is supportive, as long as it does not cost money. 

The students who attend the university absolutely must succeed.  If they fail, then everyone will say, “See! Deaf and hard of hearing students can’t make it in higher education!” We have to make this work.  This initiative has to be a success—for the future of all students with disabilities and for the future of Ukraine.  I know it can be a success, though.  Deaf and hard of hearing students are just as capable as anyone else.  We just need to prepare the students and provide them with appropriate support and guidance, so they can excel.  No, this will not be easy, and we have a lot of work ahead of us, but I know the students can succeed.