Introduction

Introduction

I was asked if I could fill in for a term at a school for deaf children, teaching art and design for grades 4 – 10. My only prior teaching experience at school level has been at a high school teaching visual art and design to grade 11 and 12. This was uncharted territory.

The school is religious, and small, just over 200 learners ranging from preschool to matric. It is a signing school. Students to not speak. Some learners have added different/dis/mixed/abilities, and there is a stream for those who do not fit into the national academic curriculum. The staff are warm, friendly and inviting. There is a startling transparency in the school, which allows things to come out into the open and be addressed in an open, honest and supportive way. I had never really considered deaf/ness before, nor the deaf community, even though I worked with a deaf colleague the whole of last year! I found that deaf people possess, especially those that sign, a disarming directness and intensity. They look at you when they communicate. There is something about the full focus attention when communicating that hearing speaking people lack. There is a presence.

The first week was an orientation week, and I observed different classes. I learned that Sign is an official language, has its own grammatical structure, there are dialects, and is not universal. I.e. there is English sign, Afrikaans sign, yet it is not a direct translation of English or Afrikaans. I was immediately overwhelmed as I am resistant to learning languages. I comforted myself with the knowledge that the subjects I was teaching did not need spoken or written language, that Art is a language itself.

I became so overwhelmed that I was ill the second week. The third week I packed myself up and was ready to leave. After offloading with the principle I tossed a coin in order to make a decision, do I leave or stay, three times heads for stay!

I then committed. I did not tackle any theory as I was totally out of my depth and fortunately there was another teacher to care of the grade 10 theory.

I came to understand that the students needed direct demonstration. Giving them free rein and encouraging them to do their own thing resulted in confusion and mayhem.

This was a challenge for me as my usual approach to teaching is to define a context [the brief/task] and then allow students to engage with that in their own unique individual way. I do not demonstrate as I want learners to find their own way, not to copy.

This would not work in this context. I demonstrated and gestured and the learners followed me. It always amazed me how each learner would have their own unique shape, texture, colour and line, form even though at a glance everything looked similar.

It has been a term of learning and growth. I have learned much about myself, strengths and limitations. It has been a time of marvelling and gnashing my teeth at the diversity of humanity. I have learned that everyone is actually doing their best, and that is good enough. I learned how much I am a control freak and how that grows from a deep knowing that I am not in control! I witnessed how willing young humans are to engage and focus when the conditions are right. I also experienced how forgiving and accepting young people are. This has been a tremendously moving and fertile experience and I am left with a deep gratitude.