My visit to Lviv was packed with one activity following another. My visit began with a tour of the school for the deaf, where I met a number of students and teachers. At the conclusion of my tour, the kindly principal invited me to his office for delicious oladi and tea. He was full of questions and eager to hear my impressions of the school. My impressions of the teachers and students was quite favorable, but I was disheartened by the sad state of disrepair of the facilities. There is no money to properly maintain the building. I found the school to be in worse physical condition than the school for the deaf in Luhansk. However, I emphasized that I was highly impressed by the commitment of the teachers and work of the students, and I found everyone to be extremely kind and inviting. The visit to the school was absolutely enjoyable.
Next, Ihor, my guide and a professor at Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, took me to the school's wood shop. The equipment there is quite old, some of it dating back to the dawn of the 20th century, but the students and staff are able to use it to create many beautiful projects. Students not only take woodworking classes in the shop, but the teachers also make furniture and sell it to raise money for the school.
Our next stop was the Lviv Deaf Club. As in the United States, some cities have clubs where deaf adults get together to socialize. Deaf clubs have been a highly valued aspect of life for many years, both here in the U.S. and in other cities throughout the world, though today. these social clubs tend to be frequented mainly by retirees, as younger people today have many more employment and social opportunities than their grandparents had. I met a large group of elderly deaf pensioners at this club in Lviv. I described the American deaf community and the many educational opportunities available to young people who are deaf or hard of hearing. They were highly intrigued and asked a multitude of questions. They were visibly surprised to learn that deaf adults in the U.S. are permitted to drive. I signed to them the entire time, which I think they appreciated, even though Russian and Ukrainian Sign Language is different than American Sign Language (ASL).
Next Ihor walked me over to a garment factory that hires deaf workers. These workers make high-end designer clothing. Among the labels on dresses waiting to be shipped out included the famous British brand "Laura Ashley," stores of which can be found in American cities such as New York, Boston and San Francisco. These are not inexpensive dresses. They ranged in price from 80 to 140 euros, a fortune for the average Ukrainian worker. These workers were making 1,000 hryvnia a month (about a $125), less than the cost of just one Laura Ashley dress. An individual worker can turn out scores of dresses in a single day. It was quite educational experience for me.
The garment factory was my last engagement of the day, so I had the evening to myself. I walked around some of the quaint neighborhoods near the university dormitory where I was staying, and I was able to enjoy a typical Ukrainian supper in a pub frequented by locals.
The following day, my first lecture was not until the next afternoon, so I also had an opportunity take the trolley bus downtown to do some additional exploration. Lviv is a stunningly beautiful and enchanting city. Without an exaggeration, it is probably one of the most European cities in Ukraine.
A neat clock down the street from the opera house
The Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet, built 1897 - 1900
Following my all too brief tour of Lviv, I presented a lecture to graduate students in the Department of Pedagogy at Catholic University: The American Deaf Community and Deaf Culture. For all of these students, this was an entirely new subject, and they were highly attentive, much more so than my college and university students in the U.S. I really got spoiled teaching in Ukraine. One of the topics that really got their attention was a discussion of the Deaf President Now! protests (known as DPN! in the Deaf community) at Gallaudet University in 1988 that toppled a hearing president and led to the appointment of I. King Jordan, America's first deaf university president. The Ukrainian students were in absolute awe that their American peers could have such power and influence. That the students protesting were deaf enthralled them even more. Not only were they impressed by the political savvy and strength of the students, but also by the fact the deaf students were actively engaged in higher education. Most deaf and hard of hearing students are not permitted opportunities to study at universities in Ukraine.
While keeping them engaged through the subject matter was not difficult, I also asked them multiple questions and encouraged them to ask me as many questions as they wished, an uncommon practice at Ukrainian universities where students are expected to quietly and submissively listen to professors' lectures. Many of the students were cautious and highly reluctant to speak up, but quite a brave souls did find the courage to ask some very interesting questions, which was encouraging.
I ended the discussion by stressing that the future of deaf education in Ukraine lies with them. They are the individuals who can change both attitudes and educational practices. Nearly all of the other educators in the profession are too old and set in their ways. Those young graduate students truly hold the keys to opening new doors, no one else does.
Before leaving the room, many of them asked me to autograph their copybooks (notebooks) and have their pictures taken with me, which I found touching. More importantly though, I am hoping their reaction demonstrates a genuine and enthusiastic commitment to making significant, positive contributions to improving the education of deaf and hard of hearing students in Ukraine.
No comments:
Post a Comment