Let me show you

You are interpreting in English class. Your kids are to silently read a poem on birch trees. The poem is set up in one tall skinny stanza with words close together and tiny font.

Your student signs, "I can't read this. I don't get it.".

You ask, "have you ever seen a bitch tree before?"

Your student replies no. You look around and the teacher is busy with other students so you google on your smart phone: birch tree images. You show your student a few pictures of birch tree forests. Your student signs, "now I get it."

Were you right to search for clarifying images? Is that part of getting the message across or is it over stepping your role?

It's a heliocentric world out there

On a state test you are interpreting a question with the key word "heliocentric". Do you sign "sun center" perhaps giving away the answer, or do you fingerspell the word because they should know that vocabulary anyhow?

That was so sweet!!!

You work in a k-12 setting with a number of interpreters, Deaf ed teachers, and specialists. During a class you interpret, your student complimented another teacher to you. You thought it was sweet and shared it with the teacher.

-are you right to share the compliment? Everyone likes to hear positive news, after all.
-suppose it was a complaint. Would you share then?
-what are you compromising by sharing information with other staff members. What do you gain?
-if you are a member of the educational team, does confidentiality apply to this situation?

I'm only trying to help

We've discussed the dilemmas around teachers leaving classrooms. Suppose, now, you arrive to your class and your regular chair is missing. While you are securing an empty desk, the teacher leaves to find you a chair. Is the situation different since the teacher is trying to help you?

Substitute teacher=day off?

There is a substitute teacher in your high school math class. The sub handed out a work sheet and took attendance.

-is your job done as there will be no instruction?
-should you stay in the room, just in case?
-your bring paid to be present, so no question, you stay.

Calculus chaos

The teacher in this high school calculus class leaves the room. You are the lone adult in a sea of bored and unruly teens. One jumps out of his seat and closes the door behind the teacher, hoping it will lock behind her and she can't get back in. He the turns to you and says, "I was in my seat the whole time, Miss. Right?"

You know your supposed to follow the teacher out of a classroom but when she left you were interpreting an explanation and was surprised by the teacher's sudden departure.

List everything wrong with this situation.

What are things you can do to prevent such a situation from reoccurring.

If you can't prevent this situation, what options do you have for dealing with it, for making ethical decisions while in this situation.

How about a poem to me?

Your students are assigned to write a poem praising something. After you interpret the assignment, you suggest writing about your favorite interpreter--you! (me!)--in jest, of course.

Is that overstepping boundaries? Or is that relationship building?

Would it be different depending on the age if the client? (elementary vs high school vs college)

When would this kind if banter be acceptable or not?

No phones!

Electronics aren't allowed in school. The students are putting together a dance and the dance teacher, not bring able to go against school policy, asks the class, rhetorically, how they will bring in music to practice if they can't bring in an iPod, for example. She says, "I can't allow you to bring it in. ... If your smart, you'll understand what I'm saying.". She was implying that if the students brought an electronic device, she wouldn't stop them. But she couldn't openly say that.

The implication doesn't come through in your interpretation. So you decide to be obvious. "if you bring your iPhone," you interpret, "she's not gonna take it away."

Can you relay a message?

Class is over. Your student left. You are packing your bag. The professor comes up to you and asks, "can you tell your student x, y, and z? Please."

You have seen her talk directly to your student before so you conclude she wasn't avoiding your student but just missed them before they left.

Although you consider
1.) telling her you'll have the student talk to her at the beginning of class tomorrow.
2.) saying when you see the student in class, you'll tell them

Instead you say sure. After all, you'll see them again in 15 minutes.

Right? Wrong? Options?

Can I leave early?

You team the last period of a high school class. You are the 2nd team on and half way through class you come in to relieve your team. After the team leaves your student signs, “You can leave. There is nothing happening today.”

Would the following circumstances inform your decision:
1. The student never pays attention and you feel that is disrespectful.
2. They are doing group work and you know the student communicates well with his group.
3. You want to get some shopping done on your way home and would like to leave early.
4. You have nothing else to do and are paid to stay.

Consider the situation with the above variables. What would be the ethical options? What are the practical options. What would you do?

Coffee or Science?

You interpret in a high school on-going. During earth science you have a team as the material is difficult and the teacher lectures the entire period. Yet today—and about once a week—the students copy questions from the board and work on their own. Your team suggests, since neither of you are “working” you go out to buy your much needed coffee.

*Is it ok to leave during your scheduled interpreting time? Its possible you return the favor next week. And you’ll be back well before the next period.

*What are the professional consequences?

*What are the short and long term consequences?

*What pattern are you establishing for other interpreters in your high school?

Get a Room!

Its Friday. Its the last period of a long week interpreting high school. The students--hearing and Deaf--have basically tuned out. No one is actually doing work but because no one is being loud or obnoxious, the teacher is fine with the apathy.

You, because there is no lecture and no interpreting, open a book. When you look up to check on your student, you notice he is swapping slobber with his girlfriend. They aren't pecking and batting eyes at each other; they need a room!

You decide there is no need to witness the makeout session, so you return to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing office. Of course, you gossip to the other interpreters what happened (maybe you shouldn't have told everyone, but hey, you all work together). One of the interpreters suggested you should have interpreted what they were doing. You say, "Slurp, slurp slurp."

Later you wonder if you should have pointed out to the teacher the R-rated scene that was unfolding in her classroom.

• What are options you have in that situation?
• Should you stay/go?
• What are the short- long- term consequences?

Skipping out early

You interpret at a high school. Your show up to the last period of the day and notice your student skipped out early. What do you do? Do you leave? If you leave, do you report that on your invoice? What are your options?

+What is the ethical conflict?
+What is the Code of Professional Conduct the interpreters should be keeping in mind?
+What did you do?
+What should you do?
+What are the consequences of your decision?