[ASL] history of ASL at Hampshire

[Laura Vitkus]

Thanks for sharing this history, Kaitlyn!

I also wanted to ask if anyone has interest in a class specifically  
oriented around deaf culture and history.  I have this idea to offer  
a new 100-level course, possibly an introduction to deaf culture or  
something like that.  If we can demonstrate interest, we might be  
able to convince the college to offer this as well.

Write to me if this is something you might pursue, should Hampshire  
decide to offer it.

thanks,
Laura V

On Dec 12, 2005, at 7:49 PM, Kaitlyn Millen wrote:

> Dear Hampshire ASL Email List Members,
>
>
>
> First, for those of you not in the ASL classes this fall- thank you  
> for being tolerant of the course-specific emails. Second, I just  
> wanted to say thanks for helping to make ASL at Hampshire a success  
> so far. Your continued interest in ASL and Deaf community events is  
> the foundation of these ASL classes.
>
>
>
> When I first came to Hampshire in ’02, there were no ASL classes in  
> any of the five colleges that were open to all students. Michelle  
> Bernstein (F’01) and I commuted to Holyoke Community College to  
> learn ASL. Last fall (2004) we decided to teach a student taught  
> introductory level course at Hampshire since there was nothing else  
> available (we knew that it was controversial for hearing students  
> to be teaching ASL). I registered the teaching of this class, along  
> with outside research as an independent study while we arranged for  
> students to get credit for taking the class as an independent  
> study. There was a strong interest in the course.
>
>
>
> Laura Vitkus, who works in Student Affairs and is fluent in ASL  
> helped Michelle and I draft a proposal to bring professionally  
> taught ASL to Hampshire. Laura searched for a teacher and helped  
> with much of the behind-the-scenes work. After a semester of hard  
> work on the class and many meetings, Hampshire committed to  
> offering ASL! Spring of 2005 was the first ASL class, added to the  
> list at the last minute but still filled. This fall, so many  
> students expressed interest in ASL classes that a second section  
> needed to be opened up. Debbie Rotkowitz (F’02) and I were T.A.s  
> for these classes. Now, this spring, ASL 2 will be offered.
>
>
>
> I just wanted to say that I am so excited that Hampshire has this  
> to offer. Possibly some students will continue to be involved with  
> ASL and the Deaf community. If nothing else, students are able to  
> explore an interesting topic and will be more aware of a different  
> culture.
>
>
>
> Thank you so much to everyone involved with this process. I  
> especially want to thank Ruth Moore (professor of ASL at Hampshire)  
> for being such an AMAZING professor and for really inspiring many  
> people. Without an effective teacher, the classes could not be a  
> success.
>
>
>
> Finally, if there are any students who decide they want to pursue  
> Deaf Studies and have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to  
> contact me. I will use the below email for at least a couple more  
> years. As someone who made Deaf Studies as part of my concentration  
> before there were ASL classes, I have many suggestions for how you  
> can make it work as well as resources in the area.
>
>
>
> Have a wonderful break!
>
>
>
> Kaitlyn Millen, F’02
>
> kmillen at hampshire(dot)edu  (this is to prevent spam since it’s a  
> public list)
>
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