When I started as an itinerant teacher my schedule was awful.  I felt scattered all the time.  I was literally driving in circles every week with more windshield time than time with my students.  I had students I would drive more than an hour to see, so that I could spend 30 minutes with them.   Is your schedule crazy like this?

I was frustrated.  I felt unorganized and unbalanced.  

I finally recognized that my schedule was controlling me.  I needed to turn things around so that I controlled it.  

Having domain over my schedule and having ongoing, easily accessible, materials at my fingertips for all students lightened my load and completely changed how I delivered services - and increased the impact I had.  

Let me give you the 5 steps I took, and you can take, to control of your schedule.

5 STEPS TO TAKE DOMAIN OF YOUR SCHEDULE:

1. Group kids in a similar area on the same day 
2. ...

The school year is rapidly approaching and I am working to make sure my students with hearing loss are established in an environment that will support them and give them the opportunity to thrive.

I am reminded that students with hearing loss who need sign language to fully access their classroom may not actually thrive in a classroom with an interpreter. In fact, this environment may actually hold them back.

The key is LANGUAGE. Do they ALREADY have enough LANGUAGE to be able to benefit from a sign language interpreter?

Children cannot effectively learn sign and develop language by watching an interpreter.   They must have the language first.

If they do not, putting them in this environment may actually impede their learning and have lifelong negative effects.

I recently posted about this in my Facebook group Professionals Working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students and Parents ACCESSing the Way for Their Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child and the...

Establishing Foundations for Success in the Gen Ed Classroom

What will lead to the success of a deaf and hard of hearing student in the general education classroom? There are many factors to consider, including the mutual understanding and  interpersonal dynamics between the general and special educators, as well as time for instructional planning.   Below are a few tips to help establish some foundations that will allow for success for a child with hearing loss.

Tip 1: Keep away from assumptions. If you’re a general education teacher who will be working with a student with hearing loss, you may be entering this year with some assumptions about your new student.  These assumptions may be based on a past student you’ve had with hearing loss, or from things you’ve heard from others, or even from what you’ve seen on TV.  Be aware that students with hearing loss are just as diverse as students without hearing loss and it’s very likely...

As promised, we’re back with a second post about preparing your deaf or hard of hearing child/student for the mainstream classroom! If you need a little refresher of what we talked about last time, we went into detail about how to identify if the general education classroom is inclusive and accessible for your child/student. Check back on the previous post to read those details of what to consider and how to get started. In this blog post, we will talk about how to start implementing tools to ensure that your DHH child/student is prepped for success. 

Now that you have determined that the general education classroom is appropriate, how do we get a general education classroom ready for a child who is deaf or hard of hearing? The first step is to determine potential barriers. Then, design teacher training procedures around strategies to reduce challenges (we’ll get to that later…..). 

Right now we are just going to talk about some factors...

Is your Deaf or Hard of Hearing student REALLY ready for the mainstream classroom?

This blog post will help you confirm this placement and help align your student for success. 

Why this post?  Providing you with a way to get  data-based and needs-specific information for student placement will ensure your student will be in a classroom and environment that caters to their specific needs. Not only will your student have access to their mainstream education through this tailored learning, but they will also be better equipped in social situations and communicating with their peers. 

Why prepare?  Isn’t what’s in place already good enough? Nearly 90% of DHH students in the US are mainstreamed in public school programs. And, of those students, about half are in a general education classroom with the support of a DHH itinerant teacher. That is a large number of DHH students in a general education setting needing support. This means that...

I recently spoke to teachers and family members in New York about meeting the social needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.  This is a topic that I am passionate about and one that is a special challenge - especially for students who are mainstreamed.

I'm passionate about this topic because of the statistics of mental health for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.  Let's take a look at them:

Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing:

*  Are 1.5 times more likely to feel left out  

*  Have a 25% higher incidence of loneliness  

*  Are 1.46 times more likely to experience mental problems  

*  Are 28% more likely to find overall mental health fair or poor

Why are students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing more likely to experience these feelings of isolation?

Lack of access to people and missing what's going on around you can create feelings of isolation.  For many students who are deaf or...

It’s almost the 4th of July!  While this holiday marks the epitome of summer fun for many of us, it often is not fun for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.  It can often cause feelings of insecurity, isolation, and frustration if a child does know what to expect or does not have the ability to communicate easily with those around them.

The Online Itinerant supports families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing by building capacity and understanding of how hearing loss impacts their child, then supports the family in breaking down any barriers and supporting these needs - all while, well, still being a family.  

Bev Teeter, a Parent Coach in the FRIEND Academy, offered a training for parents to help support social events for their entire family.  She taught about her approach called Prepare/Engage/Reminisce.  

This approach allows your child to gain access to events, occasions, celebrations, and pretty much...

Top 10 Assistive Listening Devices for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children 

Are you a parent of a Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) child or a professional who supports families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing?

Many of us are unaware of the assistive listening devices that are available for children that would be helpful in the home environment.  Looking at all the different options can be overwhelming and feel potentially expensive. You don’t know where to look or what works.

I’m here to simplify things for you. 

Below you can find my top ten list of devices that can significantly improve a child’s independence, access, and overall confidence.

The top three on this list are the products that are most universally used and what I most recommend you consider, while the other products listed have specific functions that may or may not apply to your situation. They are definitely worth looking into, but may or may not be a fit...

Are you an Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing?   This job can be tough!  There isn’t a lot of training out there on how to be an ITINERANT Teacher of the Deaf.  And, yet, this role is VERY different from a classroom Teacher of the Deaf position.  To add to the challenge of not having formal training on how to do the job, many times as an itinerant, you are just given the job, without much direction, support or resources.  This is because the person who gives you the job usually has no experience as an itinerant and you may be the only itinerant teacher in the district.

As the Founder of the Online Itinerant, I connect with literally hundreds of itinerant teachers regularly and hear their frustrations and their challenges.  You are feeling frustrated in this role, you are not alone!  And, if you are new to the role, I have some tips to offer to help you.

Below are, in my opinion, the biggest mistakes that...

Are you excited for summer? Us too!   The FRIEND Academy recently hosted a training for family members sharing tips on how to help your family make the most of it with your deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) child.  This is such an important topic because what may be fun for other children can be stressful for your child.  In case you missed the training, we will outline the highlights on what to expect and how to prepare for any challenges that may arise.

Time for Summer Fun?

As you are getting ready for summer, you may have some of the following top summer activities planned.  Water sports, biking, campfires/camping, nature activities, picnics, community celebrations (hello, 4th of July!), amusement parks and family vacation/travel, anyone?  

Yes, please!  

But there's only one problem.....

These things are all insanely fun for most people. However, they can be incredibly stressful for children with hearing loss. 

A lot...