Deaf woman goes to head of class

Sarah Cameron chose to go the mainstream route to a teaching career, reports MARY JANE BOLAND.

Struggles in her own schooling as she grew up made profoundly deaf Auckland woman Sarah Cameron want to be a teacher.

Her ambition came true yesterday when she became the first deaf person to graduate with a mainstream secondary teacher’s diploma from the Auckland College of Education.

Deaf people have traditionally trained at special education units or at schools for the deaf, but Sarah Cameron managed the standard course with help from an interpreter.

“As I’ve watched other deaf people as I’ve grown up they haven’t achieved well and I’ve realised something is wrong with the education system,” she said, with the help of interpreter Julie Coxhead.

The problem was a lack of deaf teachers for deaf students, particularly at secondary school level, where Sarah Cameron intends to work.

About 6000 New Zealanders are profoundly deaf and more than 40,000 people have a significant hearing impairment.

Mrs Coxhead received a certificate of achievement for her interpreting work, during the graduation ceremony at the Downtown Convention Centre.

Sarah Cameron said highlights of the one-year course included teaching advertising to fifth-formers at the Kelston Boys’ High School deaf unit.

She also had to overcome difficulties, particularly in English, where some metaphors are not easily translated into sign language.

“Both deaf people also have their own culture and that is not easily translated into a spoken language.”

Funding from the college, Workbridge and the Deaf Association had also made life easier.

The college’s director of secondary education, Stuart Middleton, said having a deaf student in the class was also a learning experience for tutors.

Mrs Coxhead had given tips on how to make her interpreting job easier, including asking Mr Middleton not to move round the classroom so much as he lectured.

“At the end of the day, a course that can be delivered to a wider range of people is a better course,” he said.

“I think Sarah has showed the rest of us how easy we showed it.”

Photo caption: NO BARRIER: Sarah Cameron signs “success” after becoming the first deaf person to graduate as a secondary school teacher from the standard Auckland College of Education course.