Dana Miles: Creating Magic with Deaf Students
Part 1 of 5 in a series
Dana Miles, the 2023 Washington State Teacher of the Year, has produced a multimedia project in partnership with OSPI. This five-part series is comprised of video interviews that Dana conducts with experts on Deaf education, as well as articles she wrote to accompany each video.
This is the first part of the series. Find all parts of the series here:
- Part 1: Creating Magic with Deaf Students
- Part 2: Exploring a Magical World for Deaf Students
- Part 3: Unlocking Magic Potential in Deaf Students
- Part 4: Equipping Deaf Students with Magic
- Part 5: Embarking on a Magical Journey for Deaf Students
Hello, everybody! I’ve taught at Washington School for the Deaf (WSD) as a Work Experience and Bilingual Language Arts teacher for 11 years. This year, I got a new job as a Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator. I have a couple of fun tidbits to share here. I’ve been attending as a student at WSD since I was ten years old. I met my husband, Billy Miles, in high school. He also teaches there as a K–12 Art Teacher. My mother, Judy Miller, worked as a Math and Science teacher for 26 years. WSD holds many wonderful and special memories for me.
When I taught Work Experience and Bilingual Language Art classes, I used career-readiness and real-world related English materials to prepare my students for the working world. I also placed students in various work settings (school store, on-campus, and off-campus positions). I served on the statewide transition committee with the Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY) to develop materials created and designed for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students across the state. I am also on the School Design Advisory Team for upcoming new academic and gym building designs for her school, with visions for on-site work experience settings to better prepare students for their futures.
Before working at WSD, I used to work as an Employment Consultant with Washington Vocational Services. As I supported my clients to seek employment while overcoming many obstacles, the experience made me realize that I am privileged to have a strong foundation in language. From the time of my birth, my Deaf parents provided me with a language-rich environment in American Sign Language and English. I was fortunate that I didn’t have to endure the same hardships as many other Deaf people, who struggle with language deprivation and discrimination. My parents shared many stories of how they fought hard throughout their lives to overcome obstacles. With all these experiences combined, I’ve been inspired and determined to advocate for my students at WSD to equip them for the working world by teaching them to advocate for themselves. After all, students with strong self-advocating skills will go far in life!
My Message
As part of my platform, I believe advocacy is the key to success for everybody, especially those with disabilities. Advocacy unlocks the potential in a student by breaking down obstacles and creating opportunities. To advocate or to self-advocate, we must start by embracing our differences, including our disabilities. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word “embrace” is defined as “accept or support (a belief, theory, or change) willingly and enthusiastically.”
What does it mean to embrace someone, especially when someone is different? After putting together my materials, I came up with a simple formula to help us remember how we should do this.. I decided to narrow it down by focusing on three As:
- Affirm
- Ask
- Advocate
AFFIRM
We must affirm people with disabilities by changing our mindset from trying to fix their disabilities to embracing their disabilities. In the Deaf community, we often face discrimination. For example, we must disclose our disability on job applications. That may hinder our opportunities to get an interview. To get an interview, we often will ask for an interpreter, which may also cause the employer to view us as “expensive” since the interpreting services will cost them money. These are a few examples among many barriers that prevent many Deaf people from getting jobs. Oftentimes, the discrimination we face is hidden. Whenever we experience discrimination, it often makes us feel like we’re a burden to society.
To make people with disabilities feel welcomed and valued, we must affirm their disabilities by embracing and celebrating their differences. To celebrate their differences, include them as representations in situations that usually don’t have people with disabilities. Anytime we create accommodations for specific situations, we often end up help many other people who may not have disabilities. In schools, whenever we incorporate people with different disabilities into curriculum materials, we will make them feel embraced. After all, our differences are what make our lives much more interesting!
ASK
We must ask people with disabilities what works for them rather than deciding what is best for them. Often, they are not included in the planning process. For example, educators may start creating an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for a student with a disability by going to their parents first. While that is a normal and logical part of the process, we need to remember to pay attention to the individual who needs the services by asking them what they need. To ensure the best educational path for a child, seek out successful adults who share the same disabilities to ask them what worked for them. Not one, but several, since there will always be an exception to the rule or a “poster child,” which may misrepresent the child’s needs. By collecting information from several appropriate representations while including the individual with a disability, we will be better equipped to make an informed decision.
ADVOCATE
Successful advocacy is a two-way street. For it to be successful, it takes one individual to say and do something and another to listen and do something. Self-advocacy is also a crucial skill for people with disabilities to develop. Most successful people with disabilities are often the ones who have strong self-advocacy skills. Advocacy comes in many shapes and forms. Advocacy isn’t limited to doing something that requires legal actions like writing bills, voting, or changing policies. It can be as simple as being open to new ideas. Maybe turn on closed captions on TVs in restaurants, fitness centers, and airlines. Use your network to create job opportunities for people with disabilities. It could be as simple as learning some basic sign language. Bill Gates even took a moment to learn a few signs with me! Brainstorm ideas with decision-makers to ensure accessibility and accommodations for all. Magic happens when we advocate for each other.
The bottom line is to open your heart, open your mind, and open doors to create opportunities. Be the magic.
DISCLAIMERS: This article was written by Dana Miles, the 2023 Washington State Teacher of the Year. The author’s opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints do not necessarily reflect those of OSPI, and publication of this story does not constitute OSPI’s approval or endorsement of its contents. With questions, please contact OSPI’s Communications team at commteam@k12.wa.us.
Dana’s use of the term “Deaf” includes, but is not limited to, different types of members of the deaf community: Deaf, deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and DeafDisabled. Dana uses the term “sign language” in place of American Sign Language (ASL) to include all sign languages worldwide. The terms used here are meant to be inclusive.
