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Coordinator's Corner
Has anyone noticed problems with their hands lately?
Over the last few years my hands tend to “fall asleep”. It started to happen at night. I would wake up with my hands “burning”. So I would get up and rub them, shake them, rinse them under warm water to eliminate the pain.
I thought the answer was to wear wrist braces at night. That way I wouldn’t twist my hands under and that would keep the circulation flowing. And it did help immensely. My chiropractor also showed me how to rub my thumb across the wrist, and sometimes that would stop the “burning sensation”.
The wrist braces had ceased to help. So I spoke with Jeanette Santin – who has also had some problems with her hands “falling asleep”. We had talked before about the situation and what to do. She told me that she had taught herself to sleep on her back with her arms and hands at her side. I decided it was worth a try. I slept with my arms/hands at my sides and it worked – no “burning sensation”.
I spoke with my chiropractor about it. He said of course that would keep the circulation flowing through your hands because there would be no restriction (bent elbows or wrists). He also said that sleeping on your back helps the back and neck stay in alignment.
That’s another thing. I believe part of the problem with our hands is also related to our shoulders (muscle tension in neck/shoulders). When you are interpreting, if you notice tension in your shoulders and neck, drop your arms and shoulders and relax.
Hope this helps.
Paula
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Student Activities
Elementary Extravaganza Provides Fun for All
Nine students and 4 adults from the Central Western area made the jaunt to Norfolk on November 3, 2007. The Elementary Extravaganza took on an art theme this year. Brad Czaplewski led the students in creating tie-dyed shirts, while Ricky Smith helped students find their miming talents. We were also treated to the magic of a local magician. The adults were just as amazed as the students. Although we didn’t get to go swimming, we did have a great time playing games in the gym. On Sunday morning, the miming apprentices gave a short performance for parents.
Storytelling Festival Features Three Deaf Artists
What happens when you put Michelle Banks, Ricky Smith and Debbie Thompson in a room with 49 elementary students from across the state? Amusement, creativity and delight could sum up the day.
Michelle Banks, from Washington DC, is an award winning actress, writer, director, and producer. She directed her group as they performed cultural pieces of literature. One of the selections that the children staged was how alligators got their rough skin from a Mexican folk tale. Michelle also entertained students and adults with a condensed version of her one-woman show, REFLECTIONS OF A BLACK DEAF WOMAN.
Novice mimes learned how to tell a story without words from Ricky Smith. Ricky’s enthusiasm always fascinates the students and has them on the edge of their seats. With Ricky’s encouragement even the most hesitant youngsters were performing.
Masks were the theme of Debbie Thompson’s presentation. Students choose a mask and transformed into character. Younger students told what they would eat and what they would do all day. Older peers were put into groups and created a unique story around their characters.
Fun With Food & Science
It was a day of fun and experimentation. Young scientists gathered in Scottsbluff in early December for some fun experiments with everyday ingredients that you can find in the kitchen cabinet. From self-inflating balloons to slimy goop, everyone had a chance to get down and dirty with science. The scientists measured temparture change over time and came to the conclusion that layers insulate better than other options. At the end of the day, each person had an experiment book to take home to try to duplicate the experiments from the day.
Transition Time
As with any winter event, we never know what Mother Nature will offer on any particular weekend. The weekend of the conference was proof of that. Students and their families from across the state braved the extreme winter weather to participate in the transition conference in Aurora. Many parents came in the night before and had a chance to get to know one another during an ice cream social. In the morning, Teresa Coonts helped get everyone started by talking about Person-Centered planning. Representatives from Pep-Net and Education Quest helped get students prepared for life beyond high school. There were many booths with information for transitioning to college including representatives from Gallaudet and National Technical Institute for the Deaf. If you were unable to attend the conference, look for more information about our next conference in the next few years.
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Professional Activities
Interpreter Workshops
To Sign or Not to Sign...That is the Question
Frances Beaurivage facilitated the workshop on Shakespeare at the ESU16 North Platte location. Once again the polycom provided access to several locations in the western region. She focused on the plays “MacBeth” and “Julius Caesar”.
Interpreting Shakespeare successfully comes through preparation – preparation – preparation. Two internet resources, “Sparknotes” and “Nofear Shakespeare” provide simplified versions of the text, with detailed explanations, which are invaluable to interpreters. Another internet resource is “William Shakespeare Elizabethan Dictionary”. By using these websites an interpreter can analyze the text, and gloss for conceptual accuracy.
Should the interpretation articulate meaning or actual content of the play? The student has the exact text in written form. They are being exposed to the Elizabethan language, while the interpreter is providing the meaning. Gives us something to consider (presentation).
Storytelling Festival – Adult Workshop
Dr. Byron Bridges of Austin, Texas, presented the seminar “Rethinking Deaf Education” at the Storytelling Festival in Hastings on January 25, 2008. Byron has his BA in Deaf Studies, his MA in Linguistics, and PHD in Deaf Studies and Deaf Education.
The morning started with ASL Prosody – the “feel” of the language. “ASL prosody is a visual spatial image, created by several features. These features include: -head and body movements – eye squint – eyebrow movement – mouth movement – speed of signing – sign formation – pacing, and pausing.” (Byron Bridges) Byron explained/demonstrated the different ASL Mouth Morphemes for the word “smart”, “ugly”, “clean”, and others as participants struggled to think of vocabulary that matched.
SMART – genius – witty – clever – bright – intelligent – sharp – brainy – savvy – etc.
UGLY – gross – disgusting – grungy – hideous – repulsive – unlovely – beastly – etc.
CLEAN – fresh – neat – orderly – spic-and-span – spotless – tidy – sparkling – etc.
He emphasized the use of vocabulary that “raises the bar” for deaf children. As shown above, when working with deaf children, using the word “smart”, “very smart”, or “smarter” doesn’t expand the child’s use of language. Expose them to language that challenges and expands their horizon.
Dr. Bridges shared his knowledge with parents, interpreters, and deaf educators related to the Deaf Child’s Journey to success, happiness, a full life, the American dream, and close relationships with family. He talked about signing all the time, reading, and asking questions. Encourage your students to be responsible, honest, trustworthy, and compassionate – become leadership material.
There were many other aspects of this workshop that space doesn’t allow for (i.e. learning hearing culture norms – like raising your hand in class).
Participants received a two-day seminar in less than four hours. Needless to say, many requested that Dr. Byron Bridges be invited back to Nebraska for another session.
Saturday – Storytelling Workshop
Michelle Banks, a native of Washington D.C., has received many awards as an actress, writer, and director in the performing arts. After working with the children on Friday, she taught interpreters, deaf educators, and a few spouses of the professional staff about the technique of NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION.
Non-verbals include facial expression, head tilt, body language, and gestures. Participants learned how to use Visual Vernacular (the physical movement using long shot and close-up “film frames”, fast/slow motion, zoom in and out, panoramic view, and role shifting) in presenting stories.
These nonverbals are critical components in storytelling. By using these strategies effectively, it will impact a child’s comprehension, cognitive skills, reading skills, social skills, and self-motivation.
Everyone enjoyed demonstrating their newly acquired skills in visual vernacula?r techniques and the non-verbals for some storytelling activities.
Michelle gave us other resources to check out for improving our non-verbal communication and storytelling skills:
Books “From Mime to Sign” by Gilbert C. Eastman and “Non-Verbal Communication”, by Robert A. Hinde.
Use DVDs/Videos and books from Dawn Sign Press
Observe Deaf Storytellers
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Miscellaneous News
Midwest Technology/
Education Expo
April 19, 2008
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Civic Auditorium
Omaha, NE
Free and Open to the Public
Everyone is welcome
Entertainment provided by DeafNation
Vendors and information
or people who are D/HH
Sign Language Classes
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