Student Highlights

My path to Deaf Education was not a traditional one. I received my doctoral degree in Audiology in 2015, and I worked for four years as a Clinical and Educational Audiologist. It was through this journey that I learned about Deaf Education and realized my passion for education. My goal is to combine both my passion for teaching children and my background in audiology to help fill the gap in services that are needed for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. What attracted me to TC was the comprehensive program and amazing professors and mentors. I feel this program has all the resources to prepare me to be the best educator I can be.

During her long-term career as a lawyer and a mediator in NYC, Amy often recalled her ASL courses at Brown University. While learning ASL as an undergraduate, she volunteered at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf, and then at the Jewish Guild for the Blind, where she worked with Deafblind adults. Yearning to reconnect with ASL and the Deaf community, in 2019 she resumed her studies in ASL and Deaf culture by enrolling in classes at the Sign Language Center in NYC, and Gallaudet’s ASL Connect courses. When Amy learned about the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program at Teachers College, she knew that the comprehensive program at Teachers College would prepare her for her next chapter working with the DHH community. She plans to mix her legal background with her degree from Teachers College to advocate for DHH students.

I am from southern New Jersey and received my BA in International Relations and Sociology. After completing my undergraduate degree, I served in the Peace Corps for 7 months as an Education Volunteer, teaching Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing upper primary school students in northern Namibia. I am Deaf and grew up with ASL and spoken English. I was also in a DHH
education program from first to eighth grade. My experiences in the Peace Corps helped me realize my passion for education, especially for DHH students. I am extremely passionate about
social justice and believe that enacting policies at the national or international level is not sufficient without societies who are well-informed about the challenges and opportunities they
face. The DHH program at Teachers College has been and continues to be instrumental in preparing me for the ever-dynamic field of DHH Education.

Isma received her bachelor’s degree in Childhood Education and Psychology, and is now pursuing a Master of Education with Dual Certification in Deaf & Hard of Hearing Education and Childhood Education. Teaching is a calling since she feels that her future deaf and hard of hearing students will be able to see a future for themselves in her. As a deaf child, Isma did not know any deaf adults who she could look up to. Attending Teachers College will allow her to gain the skills necessary to become a successful educator in an ever-changing society. She plans to create an environment in which differences are celebrated, not discouraged, and where disabilities aren’t a hindrance to what people hope to accomplish.

Lola is a Texas native excited to continue her academic journey by pursuing her master's degree here at TC. She grew up singing, dancing, and acting. This passion for the arts naturally guided her to ASL and the Deaf community. She began her teaching journey at the Greater Austin Dance Academy through high school and college, where she taught different styles and ages of dance. Lola graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders for Education of the Deaf. During her undergraduate experience, she student taught at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin. You can currently find her student teaching at St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf in Brooklyn.

After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in English and teaching abroad for several years, I am finally turning my interest in deaf studies into a career. As a student pursuing a Master of Education degree in Deaf Education and English Education, I plan to educate deaf teens and young adults, raise awareness for deaf individuals’ needs, and help foster a more inclusive community at large. At Teachers College, I am growing inspired by the rich network of devoted professionals and deaf education students who, despite the challenges, want to see others succeed. TC has also introduced me to the vast opportunities that exist in this field. Most importantly, I am learning how to be more confident in my ability to be a factor of change in deaf education.

Growing up I fell in love with ASL as a language and then as a culture. I love the freedom it gave me to express myself to the fullest extent without reservation or fears. I always loved teaching and helping my peers in school and realized that passion was what I wanted to pursue as my career. TC's DHH Program gave me the missing links to become a Teacher of the Deaf. It has taught me how to work with DHH children and how to expand both my knowledge about teaching but also about the Deaf Community. I know that by the end of my time here, I will be entering the teaching work-force ready and confident in my skills as a teacher and with an ever-present thirst for knowledge and growth.

Graduating with a directing background and an award-winning thesis short film about the Deaf community in Shanghai, I followed my inner voice and signs to find the Deaf Ed program at Teachers College that allows me to pursue my goal as an educator for the Deaf and hard of hearing. The courses here have expanded my views and understanding of not only the scientific methods of teaching but also accessibility and Deaf culture awareness. With support from our lovely professors and my cohort, I am always encouraged during my study. I truly wish that with my future experiences, I will be able to create good works that can contribute to the Deaf communities all around the world.