POKER FACE

I have always been a very expressional person.  My face is very much a window into what I am thinking.  If I try to tell a lie... You will know it.  If I do not approve of something, oh you so can tell by my expression.

Working with Deaf people I am becoming aware of the need for a Poker Face.  When I am talking to my "kids"... sometimes they can play me and read me too well.  If only I could put a Poker Face on... 

Had a little confrontation the other day.  What started as a chat between two of my teens that were not getting along turned into a tense situation...  They saw FEAR in my Face. If only I could have showed "no fear" perhaps I could have gotten a handle on things better.  {BTW~ It wasn't that bad, just the first time I saw such negativity between a couple of Dears.  I was a bit afraid one of them was going to get physical, which they did not.}

So anyway... I am trying to learn how to control my facial expressions.  It is so important in conversation.
My Deaf friends can read me like a well known book.  They can tell when I am not feeling well, when I am sensitive,  when I am confused, and when I am pissed.  My Deaf friends are way more in-tune with my emotions than my Hearing friends.
Another thing... I notice little things that we do so differently that are rather crucial.  They can be taken the wrong way if not understood that we have these differences.  Such as, looking away... the next time you are talking to someone that is hearing, pay attention to how often you or the person you are speaking to looks away..  we do it all the time, and think nothing of it.
I will be talking & explaining something, and I am not looking at the person I am talking to but rather the space just beyond them. 
When speaking to someone that is Deaf, it is proper to look them directly in the face. I use to watch their hands, to see what they are saying.  But I have been corrected and now know that looking at them directly into their face, you still see what they are saying with their hands .
My immerse into the Deaf Culture has been so wonderful.  I am learning so much, not only about this Culture, but about myself.

So excited to start my ASL classes (thanks to our partnership with Vincennes University).  They will begin in January.  I do believe that this will help me not just with my signing but with expressions, my understanding and maybe, just maybe, I will learn to use a Poker Face!

My New Not so Quiet Silent World

As I have already said...
I LOVE MY JOB!
I have been very busy these past two weeks getting into the groove, quickly polishing my American Sign Language skills, and getting acquainted with the students.




Even though I had previously worked here (same position) 25 years ago, things have changed a bit.

First, previously I had 1st to 4th graders.. Now I have Kindergarten to 12th grade.  The school has closed the Elementary Dorm and moved these itty bitties over to the Middle School & High School Dorms. So.. now those Dorms are Boys Dorm/ Girls Dorm but Grades Kindergarten to 12th Grade. The Dorms are connected with shared common areas in the center. (Candy Store, Media Room, Work Out room, Dean's offices).

Second, these dorms are so much better with individual rooms for the students, opposed to big rooms where 10-20 kids share a sleeping dorm. They are divided by age/grades. Elementary, Middle School, and High School floors.

This time around I am one of very few hearing staff.  Most everyone is Deaf. It's interesting being a minority. I am often isolated and trying to catch up on conversations (that are most often too quick for me to follow.. I get bits & pieces of the conversations and have to concentrate hard to follow). Therefore, I am picking up my signing skills quickly or left behind. I have had a couple of miscommunication, but, makes me pay better attention!

Many of my new Deaf friends. co-workers, and students, have some hearing and use their voices while signing, some are easy to understand, but others not so much. Many can lip read.

ALL are patient with my learning. Willing to help and teach me. Eager for me to fully join this new world of communication.

Although not all can hear, they can all feel vibrations. It is interesting how other senses are enhanced when one of our senses are not strong. We rely on other senses to pick up and carry through.
One evening we watched a movie. "I am Number Four". Pretty good flick. But I saw it different than any movie I have seen before.  The students wanted to turn the volume (Vibration) up. WAY UP.  A Deaf Supervisor stopped the student reminding him that our new Supervisor, Janis, was Hearing, and it would be difficult for me to tolerate the sound. All heads turned to me... I said, No, that's fine, turn it up".. So they did... then turned to me again waiting for me to approve it higher.. I did... two more times. It was as high as it could go.  Talk about feeling the vibrations! The kids all quickly appreciated my tolerance. I guess that upped my cool factor.
I also watched/listened/felt "Gnomeo & Juliet" with the younger kids.
Mega Audio Headache/Hangover following these evenings. But I survived. (I need to remember to pack earplugs in my bag).

It's also an interesting adjustment to the noise factor with the sounds that some deaf people make. There are many high pitched shrieks, moans and clickings.  When things are moved, unlike hearing people, Deaf do not mind sounds like a chalkboard scratch or dragging sounds. Door slams, bangs, and crashes are common place.  I am learning to block out these distracting sounds. But, it isn't easy.

My World of silence is by far, not a very quiet world at all. I love every single sound of it.