John Tracy Clinic invites you to the 2009-2010 TIES (Teacher Inservice Educational Support) Workshops. Click here to find out more about these free workshops.

Graduating in May from the joint JTC/USD Master’s Degree Program were seven onsite students and four in the online option.

A national shortage of teachers of the deaf has existed for decades.  Early identification, advanced amplification and intervention, however, have created a new and urgent need for teachers with the knowledge and training to provide a listening and spoken language program to maximize the tremendous potential that the new technology offers.  Of the 80 deaf education programs across the United States, the John Tracy Clinic/University of San Diego Deaf Education Master’s and Credential Program is one of only 12 programs that emphasizes listening and spoken language for very young children. No wonder that the program’s one-year, onsite option is full to capacity this year. Eight new graduate students will spend their year of teacher education doing coursework, fieldwork and practica at JTC and surrounding spoken language schools in Los Angeles. A total of ten students are enrolled in the two-year, online option. Read the rest of this entry →

Acceptance to the Distance Learning Option for the JTC/USD Master’s and Credential Program requires that each graduate student come for the first of two Summer Residencies at JTC with a mentor who can provide the link between theory and practice as the graduate student applies what is learned during the two-year program.

The mentors must be highly experienced, qualified professionals in the field who can work directly with the individual graduates to enhance their knowledge, skills, and perspectives. With the help of their mentors, these graduates, who are all full-time teachers, will be prepared to assume supervisory positions, to pass international certification exams, and to further develop and refine the deaf education program at their particular schools.

The Teacher Education Department is pleased to welcome to the JTC LA campus mentors Terri Ouellette, Director, St. Joseph Institute, Indianapolis, IN, and Linda Goodwin, Teacher, Tucker-Maxon, Portland, OR. Ms. Ouellette is mentoring two Distance Learning graduate students—Valerie Chernavage and Megan Perria, while Ms. Goodwin is mentoring Michelle Proctor.

Ms. Ouellette and Ms. Goodwin are on campus during the week of July 27 to experience the first Summer Residency, work directly with their students and advance their skills in mentoring and coaching. Part of their visit also involves being introduced to each campus department in order to gain familiarity with JTC programs, philosophy and concerns. Such familiarity will enable them to better relate the JTC approach to their programs back home.

photo: Master teacher, Jill Muhs, distributes materials to mentors and grads.