an opportunity to share…to learn…& to collaborate

An Opportunity To An Opportunity To Share…To Learn…& Share…To Learn…&

To CollaborateTo CollaborateHarold Johnson/Professor – Kent State Harold Johnson/Professor – Kent State

UniversityUniversityFormally a Member of the Memphis Formally a Member of the Memphis

City School – Deaf Education Faculty City School – Deaf Education Faculty (1971-1977)(1971-1977)

December 12, 2002December 12, 2002

2An Opt. To Share...

Its been a l o n g time!Its been a l o n g time!

Please tell me…Please tell me… Who is here today?Who is here today? What and where do you teach?What and where do you teach? What is the biggest challenge you now What is the biggest challenge you now

face within your teaching?face within your teaching?


Since I left Memphis in Since I left Memphis in ‘77‘77

1977-1980 - Univ. of Cincinnati – Ed. D.1977-1980 - Univ. of Cincinnati – Ed. D. 1980-present – Kent State University – 1980-present – Kent State University –

Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Program Program Teaching & Supervision Teaching & Supervision

Language Assessment & InstructionLanguage Assessment & Instruction Instructional Approaches & Settings Instructional Approaches & Settings Curriculum Design & Instructional Strategies Curriculum Design & Instructional Strategies Practicum & Student Teaching Practicum & Student Teaching

Research & Service Research & Service Use of technology to enhance teaching & Use of technology to enhance teaching &

learninglearning Establishment of a community of learnersEstablishment of a community of learners


My Nonacademic WorkMy Nonacademic Work

Almost Done

How it looks now from my home office window


I need your advice…I need your advice…

Part of my job calls for me to see the Part of my job calls for me to see the “big picture,” to design the “big “big picture,” to design the “big solution” and to then seek the “big solution” and to then seek the “big funds” that are needed to implement the funds” that are needed to implement the “big solution.”“big solution.”

As such, I need your advice to determine As such, I need your advice to determine if I am on the right track or not. if I am on the right track or not.

Please don’t be shy….tell me what you Please don’t be shy….tell me what you think. think.


Three Main ProblemsThree Main Problems

What is your reaction to the What is your reaction to the following summary of the major following summary of the major problems facing Deaf Education? problems facing Deaf Education?


……ProblemsProblems Problem #1:Problem #1:

““The The primaryprimary problem of deafness… problem of deafness… ……is not too little hearing, but too much is not too little hearing, but too much

interpersonal and informational isolation.” interpersonal and informational isolation.” ……1999-2000 AY – 71,500 d/hh K-12 students1999-2000 AY – 71,500 d/hh K-12 students ……80% of those students are now educated in public 80% of those students are now educated in public

school settingsschool settings ……60% of those settings serve 1-3 students a year60% of those settings serve 1-3 students a year = d/hh students lack sufficient:= d/hh students lack sufficient:

role models & role models & comprehensible, engaging , rigorous and age comprehensible, engaging , rigorous and age

appropriate learning opportunities appropriate learning opportunities

Is this a problem in Memphis?Is this a problem in Memphis?


… … ProblemsProblems Problem #2:Problem #2:

““The The primaryprimary problem of Deaf Education… problem of Deaf Education… ……is not a lack of information, innovation or effort, but is not a lack of information, innovation or effort, but

rather a persistent and growing difficulty in achieving rather a persistent and growing difficulty in achieving critical mass of individuals, knowledge and resources.” critical mass of individuals, knowledge and resources.”

……too few deaf education professionals in a schooltoo few deaf education professionals in a school ……too much difficulty in gathering needed informationtoo much difficulty in gathering needed information ……too little access to pertinent learning materials & too little access to pertinent learning materials &

activitiesactivities = deaf education professionals lack sufficient access = deaf education professionals lack sufficient access

to:to: efficient collaborative opportunities concerning efficient collaborative opportunities concerning

effective, innovative teaching strategies &effective, innovative teaching strategies & engaging, rigorous, age appropriate curricular resources engaging, rigorous, age appropriate curricular resources

and instructional activitiesand instructional activities



……ProblemsProblems Problem #3:Problem #3:

““The The primaryprimary problem of Deaf Education problem of Deaf Education teacher preparation …teacher preparation …

……is not a lack of information, innovation or effort, is not a lack of information, innovation or effort, but rather a persistent and growing ‘realities divide’ but rather a persistent and growing ‘realities divide’ between what is taught in colleges and how teaching between what is taught in colleges and how teaching is conducted in K-12 settings.”is conducted in K-12 settings.”

……college resources are not found in K-12 settings college resources are not found in K-12 settings ……research neither informs or is informed by practiceresearch neither informs or is informed by practice ……preservice teachers receive conflicting information preservice teachers receive conflicting information

in their college classes vs. field experiences in their college classes vs. field experiences = preservice teachers lack access to:= preservice teachers lack access to:

innovative and effective K-12 teachers of d/hh students innovative and effective K-12 teachers of d/hh students &&

engaging, rigorous, age appropriate curricular engaging, rigorous, age appropriate curricular resources and instructional activitiesresources and instructional activities



SolutionsSolutions

How many years of teaching How many years of teaching experience are represented by the experience are represented by the Memphis Deaf Education faculty Memphis Deaf Education faculty here today?here today?


……SolutionsSolutions

Given all those years of experience, Given all those years of experience, please share with me some of the please share with me some of the “tricks of the trade” that you have “tricks of the trade” that you have learned.learned. Please tell me what you have found that Please tell me what you have found that

enables you to engage, challenge and enables you to engage, challenge and inform your d/hh students.inform your d/hh students.

Please tell me what YOU have found to Please tell me what YOU have found to be engaging, challenging and informative be engaging, challenging and informative within Deaf Education. within Deaf Education.


……SolutionsSolutions

Since 1991 I have been working to Since 1991 I have been working to establish an online learning establish an online learning community that collaboratively seeks community that collaboratively seeks to recognize excellence and enhance to recognize excellence and enhance learning within Deaf Education. learning within Deaf Education.

Rita….if you have not already done Rita….if you have not already done so, will you please pass out the so, will you please pass out the brochures and posters that I sent to brochures and posters that I sent to you.you.


Have any of you been to this Web site?

Are any of you already users of the site?


A few of the Web site A few of the Web site features…features…

Deaf Web Net Search EngineDeaf Web Net Search Engine Information and links to the nation’s Information and links to the nation’s

Deaf Ed. teacher preparation programs Deaf Ed. teacher preparation programs and major professional organizations. and major professional organizations.

An interactive job/resume data base and An interactive job/resume data base and calendar of events. calendar of events.

An opt. to become a “Cyber Mentor” to An opt. to become a “Cyber Mentor” to an indi. who is in prep. to become a an indi. who is in prep. to become a Deaf Ed. teacher.Deaf Ed. teacher.

+….+….


……features (cont.)features (cont.) An opt. to ask questions/read the responses of a An opt. to ask questions/read the responses of a

growing array to “Topical Experts”growing array to “Topical Experts” Attention Deficit DisordersAttention Deficit Disorders Bilingual/BiculturalBilingual/Bicultural Early InterventionEarly Intervention Methodology Questions for New TeachersMethodology Questions for New Teachers Multicultural EducationMulticultural Education Multiple DisabilitiesMultiple Disabilities Oral/AuralOral/Aural Technology IntegrationTechnology Integration Thinking Skills for Deaf LearnersThinking Skills for Deaf Learners

An interactive data base of deafness related An interactive data base of deafness related scholarships, documents and Web sitesscholarships, documents and Web sites

““My DeafEd” Personnel Web pageMy DeafEd” Personnel Web page


So what do you think?So what do you think?

What would you like to know more What would you like to know more about?about?

What would you suggest we add to What would you suggest we add to the Web site?the Web site?

Do you want to give it a “spin?”Do you want to give it a “spin?”


First...You Must Log On to First...You Must Log On to the sitethe site


Who is going to be our Web Who is going to be our Web site Navigator?site Navigator?

Lets try out the Deaf Web Net Lets try out the Deaf Web Net Search engine….I wonder what we Search engine….I wonder what we will find if we search for “Memphis”will find if we search for “Memphis”


……Web site exploration Web site exploration (cont.)(cont.) Just for “kicks” lets see what kind of Just for “kicks” lets see what kind of

jobs are “out there” in Deaf Ed.jobs are “out there” in Deaf Ed. First lets look in TennesseeFirst lets look in Tennessee Other states you would like to look inOther states you would like to look in


……Web site exploration Web site exploration (cont.)(cont.) Lets also look to see who wants to Lets also look to see who wants to

work in Tennessee….resume search work in Tennessee….resume search optionoption


Moving On…Moving On… If we had more time, we could check out the If we had more time, we could check out the

other features of the Web site.other features of the Web site. I hope all of you will:I hope all of you will:

become registered users of the Deaf Ed. Web sitebecome registered users of the Deaf Ed. Web site place the poster in a prominent place in your place the poster in a prominent place in your

classroomclassroom pass the brochure along to a parent or another pass the brochure along to a parent or another

teacher of d/hh studentsteacher of d/hh students consider becoming a “Cyber Mentor” for an indi. consider becoming a “Cyber Mentor” for an indi.

who is in preparation to become our who is in preparation to become our colleague...just one e-mail message a colleague...just one e-mail message a week…sent/received….to share ideas, questions week…sent/received….to share ideas, questions and resourcesand resources


How are we doing on How are we doing on time?time?

So far we have just touched on “what So far we have just touched on “what is.”is.”

We have not even discussed what we We have not even discussed what we are working on now.are working on now.

I would love to know how you are I would love to know how you are planning to further strengthen what planning to further strengthen what must be one of the largest public school must be one of the largest public school K-12 deaf ed. programs in the countryK-12 deaf ed. programs in the country

If time permitted….If time permitted….


……timetime If time permitted, I would love to tell you If time permitted, I would love to tell you

about some of the projects I am working on about some of the projects I am working on now:now: Establishing a “Virtual Professional Development Establishing a “Virtual Professional Development

School for Deaf Education”School for Deaf Education” Research concerning the use of a Web based Research concerning the use of a Web based

curriculum tool (Nettrekker) in Deaf Ed.curriculum tool (Nettrekker) in Deaf Ed. Using Internet based video conferencing Using Internet based video conferencing

technologies to link K-12 w/ Deaf Ed. teacher technologies to link K-12 w/ Deaf Ed. teacher preparation programs throughout the countrypreparation programs throughout the country

Design & submission of a major NSF proposal to Design & submission of a major NSF proposal to enhance science and math instruction, resources enhance science and math instruction, resources and research in Deaf Ed. and research in Deaf Ed.

+++++ .....guess we just can’t catch up all at one +++++ .....guess we just can’t catch up all at one timetime


Ongoing InteractionsOngoing Interactions I hope that this is only the first of many I hope that this is only the first of many

times that we have to interact with one times that we have to interact with one another.another.

I know that I, my students and colleagues I know that I, my students and colleagues around the nation would benefit from around the nation would benefit from closer ties with the Memphis Deaf Ed. closer ties with the Memphis Deaf Ed. Program.Program.

Lets talk more about this....hopefully via Lets talk more about this....hopefully via the video system that Rita and Tracey are the video system that Rita and Tracey are working to establish at White Station.working to establish at White Station.


Goodbye from the Johnson Goodbye from the Johnson FamilyFamily

an opportunity to share…to learn…& to collaborate

Documents

teaching learningestablishment

lack of information

innovative teaching

teachers of dhh students

primary problem of deafnessis

years of teaching experience

settings research

college resources