GBYS Read Along

Welcome to our first GBYS Read Along!

Peter Rabbit

by Beatrix Potter

I chose Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter because of its rich language and its ability to be used with kids of all ages.  This week we will read and watch/listen to the story being read in ASL.  I have included a list of words that are linked to an ASL dictionary for us to learn together and words that can be investigated if your children are older.  

Please take the time to read the following: 15 Principles for Reading to Deaf Children.  These are strategies that will help you, the parent, as you journey with your child into language and literacy.


Week One:  Read the story and watch/listen to story in ASL

ASL Storytelling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCOMxxdhLnk

Learn ASL Signs:

rabbit
mother
father
garden
frightened
finger spell: Peter

Are your kids too young?

Read to them regardless.  Remember the importance of getting language in and then keep things simple. Train yourself to be intentional in the early days and start to slowly build a library for your children at home!

Are your kids older?

Discuss the following words:  mischief, naughty, thief, frightened, sob, implored, exert, tremble

Look up their meanings and discuss synonyms that could be used in their place.


Download Book Here:  http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14838
**the EPUB (with images) was downloaded to iBooks
**Kindle (with images) was downloaded to Kindle 

Enjoy this time with your kids and remember these everyday small investments add up!
Sara

                   

Georgia H & V Guide By Your Side Program Spring Events 2016

Hello,

Spring will be here soon! Let’s get out and meet each other! Below are some spring events I put together. Please RSVP so I will know to contact you in case we have to cancel or give out last minute information.

Scarlett Giles sgiles@doe.k12.ga.us or text 470-991-9187 (At events will have a GA H &V-GBYS sign to locate me.)

Event 1:

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016 - 3:30pm-5pm

North Point Mall Alpharetta

1000 North Point Circle, Alpharetta, Georgia 30022

Food Court/Carousel Area

I will bring my kids for a fun play date. Meet in the food court. Grab an afternoon snack & let the kids ride the Carousel. Carousel-Children under 2 free. Ages 2-12- Purchase tokens ($2 each - cash only) from token machine located beside the Carousel. American Girl & Disney Store are also good window shopping experiences.

RSVP by Tuesday, March 1st

Event 2:

Tuesday, March 29^th, 2016- 10am

Rev Coffee

1680 Spring Road SE, Smyrna, Ga. 30080

www.revcoffee.com

My kids are in school that morning. Children are welcome or you can come by yourself.

RSVP by Monday, March 28^th.

Event 3:

Wednesday, April 13^th,  2016-3:30pm-5:30pm

JJ Biello Park (next to CRPA Twin Creeks Softball Complex)

250 Brooke Blvd., Woodstock, Ga. 30188

I will bring my kids for a park playdate.

RVSP by Tuesday, April 12th

Event 4:

Monday, April 25^th, 2016- 9am

Martin’s Restaurant

2005 Cobb Parkway NW, Kennesaw, Ga. 30152

www.martinsrestaurants.com

Let’s meet for breakfast. My kids are in school that morning. Children are welcome or you can come by yourself.

RSVP by Friday, April 22nd

Looking ahead: Last year was our 1^st annual Meet in May Park Day. Details will come soon about locations and date/time in May.

Looking forward to seeing your family. –Scarlett Giles (Parent Guide)

Dog Blog-Things to love: Puppies and Reading

 Happy New Year,
        My name is Scarlett Giles. I am a Parent Guide with Georgia Hands & Voices. Our Guide By Your Side Program has been up and running for a year now. Below is a new post I wrote to our blog. We have a Facebook group, website (www.gahandsandvoices.org/Guide_By_Your_Side.html), and pinterest account as well. Check out our program in the new year. Let us know if you or someone you know needs our guidance and resources for their Deaf/HOH child.

 It's a post all about Dogs...and reading too!

My Family

Giles Kids

            We welcomed into the family not one, but two puppies this past September. Brindle-coated brothers, Hairy and Blue. Trouble and love all wrapped into one. We got two from the rescue litter so that when our older dog, Jasper, passes they will still have a playmate. The puppies annoy Jasper sometimes, but she has gained weight and perked up since they arrived. Puppies are harder than babies ...yeah I said it.  The first week, I didn't want them to go, but I didn't want them to stay.  I powered through with 6 kids (3 human, 3 dogs), because of one gift I knew I would get at the end of the struggle: Unconditional Love. Dogs are the only ones that give this type of love. Humans are too flawed and complicated to extend this pure love. Introducing our handsome boys:

Meet Hairy -Hairy was named after University of Georgia's Mascot- Hairy Dawg. His middle name is J.J. after our first born dog-Jasper. We first called him "trouble", but he has turned out to be the most loving and loyal guard dog. He follows me everywhere.

     Meet Blue- Blue was named after our oldest child Colin's nickname "Boy Blue." Blue's middle name is  JaJa after Jasper.  Blue looks "blue" with his shy and sulky eyes, but tends to be the instigator underneath. He's like the teacher's pet. Everyone thinks he is so perfect, but he has an evil side. He loves to get Hairy in trouble.

           This post is not just me proudly showing my new puppies. I wanted to tie the dogs with an important topic, reading. In the new year, make sure you make time to read to your kids, especially your HOH/Deaf children.  Literacy is so important. Language is so important. I wanted to share some info from Georgia Pathway to Language and Literacy Program, which was established in 2010. This program is made up of professionals and parents, in the state of Georgia, whose mission is to increase literacy in Georgia's D/HOH children. Their goal is to achieve grade-level reading proficiency by the end of third grade for all students with hearing loss. Check out their website for great resources and tools to help your child.  http://www.georgialiteracy.org/

            Dogs and reading, how do they go together? My mother-in-law bought a children's book on hearing loss when we first found out about my youngest Amelia. The book is,  Elana's ears or How I became the best big sister in the world by Gloria Roth Lowell. It's about a dog (Lacey) that reminds me of our first dog-child Jasper. I imagine Lacey having a dog birthday party or wearing baby gap clothes as did our Jasper. The book starts off introducing the spoiled dog who even has a raincoat in her wardrobe. Lacey's biggest hobby was barking. She started to notice her human mom's belly was getting large. The dog recalls one night in which her owners, for the first time ever, rushed out and didn't even say goodbye. When they came home Lacey in her words says, "Yes, they had gone and had a baby on me!" The next few pages talks about how Lacey's privileged life changes, because of that baby. She was jealous, but then she tries to form a friendship with baby Elana. She shows off her favorite hobby, barking, but Elana never responds. Lacey tries to get her owners to see over the next weeks that Elana is not responding to sound. Then pages 14 and 15 of the book come. The pages that choke me up everytime....even six years later. It transports me back to the room where three month old Amelia laid with electrodes hooked up all over her head and ears for the ABR(fancy for a test that determines if your brain is hearing sound.) The words that the audiologist spoke that day were words I knew were coming. "Amelia does have hearing loss."

And the book reads-Part of page 14,"Finally(moms and dads can be kind of slow sometimes) I heard them talking about Elana's ears, and the very next day they took her to the doctor. That was the second time in my life they didn't say goodbye." Page 15, "When they came home, both of my parents were upset. You know how you can always tell whey your parents are upset. I heard them call Grandma Renee and Grandpa Al to tell them the news I already knew in my heart. Elana's ears weren't working. Elana couldn't hear."

The dog starts thinking of how she would help Elana. "I would be Elana's ears..I would be Lacey, the first ever hearing-ear dog." Elana goes on to get hearing aids and Lacey explains her excitement when Elana hears barking for the first time. It is a wonderful book and I hope you will go read it.  I wanted to tell parents that there are children's books written on the topic of hearing loss. It could be used to help your family member understand. It could be used for you to journey through your emotional process, or  introduce your child and/or siblings to stories of others like them. In the new year, read, read, read.

          While on the subject of books and dogs, I wanted to tell you about one more book, Kayla the Amazing. The Adventures of a Super Dog by Kara Gagnon. The author, my friend Kara, wrote this children's book.  It is about her beloved dog Kayla who recently passed, but was a superdog in real life. The book is not about hearing loss, but it's another good book to read to your kids. Kara's family has been by our side through our hearing loss journey, so I wanted to share her book info.  Here is the link to check it out: http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000942841/Kayla-the-Amazing.aspx

Remember everybody loves puppies, but get your child to love reading this year too. -Scarlett Giles

It's story time!

I homeschool both of my children.  This is the first year Kellan has been home with us and I love every single minute of it.  He has a love for reading books.  He will line his work up for the day and lay out the books on the floor by his desk that I will be required to read to him once his school work is complete.  Please do not tell him reading is actual school work.  Often he will grab a toy that goes along with the story and he will play while I read.  If you have not yet looked at   >> T H I S <<  there is great information to help as you read to your babies-- I mean big kids.  I am now being informed he is not a baby.  Womp! Womp!  My very favorite is how he will stop me and act out the story line.  So stinkin' cute!  Speaking of cute...check out the signed stories from ASL Nook.  This little lady is PRECIOUS!

I wish you each a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Sara

How the Grinch Stole Christmas in ASL
Your very own Deaf Cindy Lou retelling the story of how the Grinch stole Christmas in sign language. AND it will make your heart grow 3 sizes!!
Posted by ASL Nook on Monday, December 7, 2015

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in ASL
With the holidays, there's no stopping us from doing ONE MORE story. This time around Shaylee does Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!
Posted by ASL Nook on Thursday, December 10, 2015

The Night Before Christmas in ASL
Let's ring in the holidays starting with "The Night Before Christmas" video:
Posted by ASL Nook on Tuesday, December 1, 2015

H & V Leadership Conference-Uniquely Created, Strongly United






          The 12th Annual Hands & Voices Leadership Conference took place September 18-20th in New Braunfels, Texas.   Four of the five Parent Guides (Sara Price, Deshonda Washington, Kelly Cashion, & Scarlett Giles) were able to attend. Terri Patterson, Georgia Hands & Voices Guide By Your Side Program Director, was with us as well. I have collected the thoughts and memorable moments my fellow guides experienced and will summarize our trip to Texas.

          First, let me talk about the theme of the conference, "Uniquely Created, Strongly United." I believe this theme accurately describes our Georgia Guide By Your Side team. We all have unique stories and different paths, but our strengths help unite us. We have different strengths as Deshonda often reminds us. I believe the one quality that "strongly unites" us is that of empathy. We can all relate to a common struggle. Our children all have hearing loss. The struggle is different in the why and the how life put us on this path, but it unites us. Our Georgia Guides are "Uniquely Created, Strongly United."

          Janet DesGeorges, Executive Director of Hands & Voices, opened the conference with a motivational talk on "The Accidental Leader." I personally can relate to the title. When we first found out about my child's hearing loss, it was not uncommon to hear from others "You are strong.  This will help you help others. God only gives what you can handle." While those comments were not ill willed they made me feel ill. I didn't want to be the chosen one, the tested one, or a leader. I just wanted a "normal" life. This topic of leadership came up again four years later when I was approached about being a Parent Guide. I feared, by helping others through what I went through in those early diagnosis days, it would break me...again. My mind said no, my heart said yes. I knew that I must turn around from where I had been and help/lead others along the journey. One quote that stuck out in my mind from the presentation was, "You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." That really is what each Guide has done...taken the first step and climbed the "Accidental leader"staircase.  


        

          During the first breakout session, Deshonda Washington and I went to a wonderful presentation. A butterfly sticker was place at our seat when we arrived (see pic.) The speaker opened up with a powerful statement. 'Butterflies are Deaf. What the Caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the Butterfly." Deshonda and I were so taken by such as beautiful analogy. It is a great take home point to tell our Guide By Your Side families about. In the beginning with your child it might seem like the end of the world. In some ways it is the end. It's the end of the way your world was or the end of the way you had planned it to be. As metamorphosis happens in your life, you start seeing peeks of the beauty that awaits you. The life lessons, the joys that special needs children bring to you and bring out of you. It's hard to see the butterfly in the beginning.  Our hope is that we can help our families to believe that the butterfly is waiting down the path. One day understanding may come, or even better peace may take flight and transcend that understanding. 


      

          The conference not only gives us personal inspiration, but also professionally helps us. The conference provides the opportunity to network with other state and international chapters including China, Kenya and Russia. Terri Patterson has attended eight Leadership conferences. She explained it best, "The diversity of culture, experience, stories, lives, and journeys of these parents still humble me, fill me up, comfort me, break my heart, encourage me, enrich me, surprise me, embrace me and teach me. We met and related to professionals and parents of children who are D/HH from all of these countries.  They are as passionate as we are about the importance of parent to parent support, communicating across multiple spoken and signed languages, and we all still “get it”.  I never leave without learning something new professionally, something new about myself and reigniting that fire in my belly that drives me to do what I do and reminds me that I am capable."


      

          The conference theme Uniquely Created was seen most beautifully from our seats as we watched the English language be interpreted into American Sign Language, Russian Sign Language, Chinese and live time captioning on a screen via CART (Communication Access Real Time Translation). So, if you were sitting in my chair at the conference during a presentation you would have heard English and Chinese, seen American Sign Language, Russian Sign Language, and live time captioning. That’s exhausting, but uniquely awesome! While on the international topic, I must say a word about Jackie Oduor from Kenya. I wrote about her when she spoke at our conference last year. She had talked about changing the taboo of Deafness in Africa, even if she had to stand alone. This year she attended the conference, again. Her life had taken a tragic turn since last year.  She tearfully spoke from her seat on the last day and said, "We don't know how much time we have."  And with her brief, but powerful words she impacted each of us.  She is only one person, but she is proof it only takes one person. My hope is that our brief interactions with each of our Guide families can be that powerful. We embrace each other, because we understand the unique journey. 


   

          The conference gave us some professional points, but it always seems to come back to the personal benefit.  Another take-home point from the conference came from one of our Guides, Kelly Cashion. She talked about hearing what she needed to hear when she attended a session concerning advocacy and IDEA law. It was personally beneficial as she has spent years advocating for necessary equipment for her son in the public education system. Upon returning home, she again found herself in these conversations and was able to share the reality that her son's need are protected under law. Speaking of reality.  Our reality, us Guides, is like your reality.  IEP meetings, advocating for our children to have fair and equal access, defending/denying stereotypes of Deafness, redefining Hard of Hearing as a result of technological advances, and educating the world. Wow, REALITY! The conference also helped me, personally, when I attended my child's IEP this week. The system does not want to define my child as HOH/deaf.  Her IEP is voice/speech, but she is HOH. We all know, or you will find out, that the system is complicated. We have some great people on our side in our schools, but they are the professionals. I am the parent. I am living the document they are writing.  All the legal terms and goals cannot quantify or capture the journey that it has taken us to get here. The paper does not tell the story of sacrifice and struggle. Yesterday, I cried at the IEP, because on paper it said she was not a deaf/HOH student, but in reality she is. Four years given to early intervention and I just needed them to acknowledge where we had been and where we are going. I wanted them to acknowledge her identity.  I think I got that from the Hands & Voices conference about the need and importance of identifying. She must embrace her differences. If you don't embrace yourself, you will never embrace others. It's so true..”.Know thyself” As Guides, the conference always reminds us of our personal journey. 

   

          The last topic of the conference is a hard one. Maybe you have never thought about this topic, never had to think about it, or you think, how would/will you ever survive it? “It” is Deaf Plus. A high percentage of children born have hearing loss plus other health problems or disorders. Three of our five Georgia Guides have Deaf Plus children. The parents of Deaf Plus kids will undergo tremendous stress. Their marriages experience higher divorce rates. Their social circles and support groups can become complicated, For example:” Do I fit into the Deaf community or the Autistic Community?” I do not have a Deaf Plus child, but there is an important message that I have and plan on delivering. You see, the "P" for Deaf Plus represents perspective, for me. Two moms spoke at the conference about their journey as Deaf plus moms. They gave me the gift of perspective, and I hope they give it to you, as well.  I must have repeated a thousand times, in my head, how thankful I was during their presentation. At the beginning of my journey, I struggled with one diagnosis, hearing loss, and that is justified and that is ok. However, Deaf Plus moms struggle with many, and I want to make sure we remember them. A few of my friends with Deaf Plus children have told me they were concerned about death, not deaf, in the beginning. Talk about Perspective! They have to talk about things we never want to talk about, such as long-term care, medical devices, and planning funerals. They are burying their babies and struggling to glue back their broken souls. We all start our paths in different places and different situations.  I have not "walked in their shoes", but I marvel at their strength and perseverance. I think that is why people say that blessings come from the bad. Let us not forget the Deaf Plus families, because their struggle blesses us with perspective. 

  

          In closing, the end of the conference is by far the most special.  We all participate in what is called the Naming Circle.  Everyone who attends the conference holds hands and we circle the room.  A microphone is passed and you speak the names of your Deaf/deaf/HH child(ren). The purpose is to lift up those children who need us to be their voice. Sara, one of our Georgia guides, eloquently describes the circle. "It’s the butterfly moment.  You speak the name of the struggle that unites each of you and you squeeze a hand and shed a tear and you see the beauty that is always created out of hard spaces." As we each shared our experiences from the conference, Sara also reminded us of the value of the small, faithful moments.  She wrote, " Hands & Voices is strong because of the strength of each individual small unit, the chapter.  The chapters are strong because of each individual willing to donate time, experience and a listening ear.  When we walk away, we want each family to know your small moments in the confines of your home matter.  The books read and appointments scheduled.  The time spent in your car and sleepless nights rocking your babies.  Those are the beautiful, butterfly moments.  Thank you for sharing them with us!" We went to the conference to stand as a whole, but we walk away ready to change the world even if we are only one, uniquely, strong person.

Scarlett Giles -Georgia Guide By Your Side Program/ Hands & Voices

 

Another group of friends

Isn’t it strange how parents will share intimate details about their children with complete strangers at a playground simply because you are standing next to each other pushing a swing.  Even stranger yet, the advice that we take from them, whom we know nothing about nor they about us  When my son, Wyatt was 2 ½, and still not talking, I can remember a parent telling me that I should just try talking to him.  She had no idea that I was all talked out.  I talked and talked, and sang, and rhymed, and danced.  He ignored me.  I tried to entice him with the Itsy Bitsy Spider, to no avail.  He had no interest.  I looked up every verse, and memorized, “Frog Went a Courtin” just to make sure I had something to sing to him in the bathtub.  I still know the entire song by heart.  I just didn’t know that he was deaf.

When he wouldn’t babble, the pediatrician told me not to worry yet.  My mother-in-law claimed that he babbled all day at her house.  When he didn’t respond to my voice, the occupational therapist said that he heard me, but, he had a sensory disorder and didn’t know how to respond.  When I screeched out a few notes on the violin, or vacuumed the house, we bragged about what a great sleeper he was.  A wise friend at work told me that I should keep on explaining everything to him.  He really was listening to me.  Then there were at least a dozen stories about a child, usually a boy, who never said a word, and started speaking in full sentences when he turned 3.  Oh yeah, there was even a center for speech and hearing where I was told that hearing probably wasn’t an issue. The first audiologist I took him to told me he probably had some minor hearing loss, but not anything significant.

He can’t hear anything.  He is completely deaf.  It is genetic and I have reason to believe that he was probably born like that. 

Wouldn’t it have been nice to hear from a parent of a child that is deaf?

Yes, it would have.  He is now 8, making progress, and trying to catch up from 3 years of missed language and many of life’s lessons that come with it. When I try to explain to parent’s of typical hearing children some of the problems I encounter as a parent, I still tend to get a lot of bad advice, from well-meaning people, who really just have no experience, knowledge, or understanding of what I go through on a day to day basis trying to teach my child the things that they take for granted in teaching their children.

I have always had a circle of women friends.  Sorry dads, I know you are out there too, but probably just not reading this article.  As an adult I have found that I have my work friends, my neighborhood friends, my social friends, and my family friends.  I have also taken on another group of friends who are very near and dear to my heart.  My Hands & Voices friends are a blessing and sometimes the only people who understand me as a parent.  There are also those immediate connections with strangers of DHH children.  At the water park, the zoo, the rest stop on the highway, when you see a child signing or maybe wearing cochlear implants.  There is an immediate connection and understanding of one another.  I feel as if I have been chosen to part of a very elite group of parents.  I am so glad to have finally found my way here.   Thank you Hands & Voices.  I love this community, the people I work with, and each and every parent that shares their story with me asks me to share mine.  I like the common themes and threads, as well as the unique challenges that we face. 

Beth

Music to My Ears

Well, the 2014-15 school year is now in the pocket. We weathered our daughter’s high school graduation and all of the end of the year festivities for both her and our son, Riley (a rising upperclassman).  During these celebrations, we attended the end of the year orchestra concert. These concerts always kick off with the school’s Fiddlers’ group playing some folksy bluegrass and Celtic selections. As the show opened, I was watching one of Riley’s best friends walk in playing a solo to the left.  My husband kept nudging me, “pay attention”, and as I pan to the right…in walks Riley playing a lovely solo, leading in the rest of the group (video at the end). This is Riley’s 5^th year playing violin, first chair, no less. Oh, did I mention, Riley was born profoundly deaf in both ears.

So, flash back 15 ½ years, when we received confirmation of Riley’s hearing loss. For me, the memories of holding him close, singing and telling him about the world, that he didn’t hear, haunted me. My (unfounded) fears of the future…would my Dad learn to communicate with his grandson or learn sign language; or will someone love him enough to spend the rest of their life with him, kept me awake at night.  For Matt, my husband, it was months later when we were driving down the road and he looked over at me with tears, the realization had hit him that the mixtape (yes, we are that old) he spent tireless hours creating for Riley's musical intro to the world…was never heard.

Music is an important part of who we are as a family. We are fans, we are musicians, and it narrates the story of our life.  How were we going to share this with Riley? How were we going to explain to Molly why Riley isn’t “listening” to her sing and read to him? How were we going to encourage our large social network of friends and family to communicate with Riley, to include him?  The child we were expecting came into the world in a whole new unexpected way.

We got involved in early intervention, therapy, and toddler groups, learned about language, learned about technology.  My eyes were opened the day our early interventionist, now a dear friend, asked me if I was talking to Riley, singing to Riley, reading to Riley?  My answer, well, not really…he can’t hear me. Mind you, Riley wasn't our first child, I was raised by generations of educators, I knew to read, sing and talk to babies. It’s all about language, language, language, however, Riley came to me with a different set of instructions…so I thought.  We now saw things in a different light, let’s get language into him, let’s engage him in EVERYTHING.  On a positive note, I could sing at the top of my lungs without Riley crying (some do, honestly), he just saw my joy. As a family, we made the choice to pursue technology and commit to the hard work that comes with that choice, and no guarantees. We also chose to be hopeful… safety, improved auditory perception… enjoying music? Well, that would be the cherry on top.

We kept reading, we kept singing, we kept talking. I guess I should have been flattered when one of our speech therapists told me it was great that I was SO loud and talked SO much…not sure everyone in my life would agree. 

We weathered the ups and downs, the successes and the defeats, the what ifs and why nots.  So, you see, this concert was a long time coming. His 16^th birthday hits mid-July…he’s excited to get his driver’s license and asked for tickets to go see his favorite band, Imagine Dragons, with his friends (okay, he has also discovered his own taste in music, we tried).  The cherry on top… he now attends music festivals with us and entertains us at night, lip-syncing songs from the 80s, while we prepare dinner.

This is our story and having shared it, I also want to say that I have seen the same zest for music and dance at concerts and in music videos which are interpreted in sign language.

Jazz Fest 2013...couldn't keep my eyes off of Holly Maniatty, on the right, look her up, she's famous.

Have you seen the DJs and dancers out there who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, too…you should! So, what does this all mean, it means find what feeds passion in your family and share that with your child. It means help your child explore what his or her passions may be and just leave out, “well, he can’t because he can’t hear”…throw it out, ignore it and explore it.   

As I am writing this, Riley asked me what happened to the mixtape ...you know what, I don't know. Who has a tape player these days anyway, we will just make some new music together. 

Here is the referenced Fiddlers' performance, if interested. Listen for the, "Pay attention." at :31.