Re-interpretation

Your client is preparing to take a hands on test. The instructor explains what needs to be done for prep then walks off. The Deaf client asks you to repeat what was said. So you re-interpret from memory what the instructor said. The instructor walks back and gives you a look that says, "what?" you realize it looks like you are assisting the Deaf client, perhaps helping them cheat.

--what would you do next time to avoid the appearance of cheating?
--if you weren't done with your initial interpretation--perhaps the client needed a lot of expansion--how could you keep the instructor there?
--what are your options?

Can we be friends?

You heart your client. You and her hit it off right away and chat about things you both love. You ask to Facebook friend her.

Yes? You love her!
No? Doesn't matter. She is a client.

Can I see your pictures

Just to follow up on the last post, should you even be looking at a client's pictures? Is it ok to show then your pictures?

I have a problem

You are interpreting at a job training center. Your Deaf client starts chatting with you about her personal life. It's not her break and you assume she will get reprimanded for taking a break at an unauthorized time. (not to mention you don't want to know about her personal problems.)

Do you
-chat. Or at least pay attention. If she gets in trouble that is in her.
-advise her to get back to work.

The boss walls by, looks at her and you and asks what is going on. What do you do?

You're here! Great! Want to work?

Today you have to go into your agency's office to take care of paperwork.  You expect waiting time, disorganization, and frustration.  In the end--not your fault--you can't even finish the paperwork and have to come in the next day.  But, your agency offers you a week of work.  Its as if every person who came in to take care of paperwork is rewarded with a plum job.

Certainly its not unethical to accept work your agency offers you.  But you feel like the agency held these jobs for people who put in face time.

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?

Can you find me a job?

You interpret a job interview. The deaf client turns out not to be qualified for the job. As you are walking out, she asks if you know of any jobs available and if you'd ask around.

--on one hand, you admire her resourcefulness. Of course you'll help.
--on the other hand, you've just met this person and only spoken with her for 15 minutes. How can you possibly help her find a job.

Are you ready?

It's a dry spell and you want work. You are cold called by a random agency you've never heard of asking if you can work tomorrow at 9am. "yes!", you think but hold your cool enough to ask, "until when?"

The agency replies, "depositions usually last a couple of hours."

Deposition=law. Your certified but not with a law specialty.

--you accept the job anyhow because it's all interpreting anyhow.
--you accept because although you aren't certified with law, you are qualified.
--you turn it down because your not qualified and kick yourself for being unprepared for an opportunity
--you turn it down but give the agency the name of another interpreter who is qualified and certified.

What to do?

You are interpreting a state test. Math, to be more specific, but without giving anything away. There is no interpreting actually happening as your client either knows the math formulas or not. During the test you can:

--leave? No interpreting happening anyway.
--play on your phone? Even though students aren't allowed electronic devices, you can play on yours, right?
--read? Traditionally an acceptable pastime for interpreters.
--other ideas?

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?

But it's my break!

You work all day, on-going at one location. You get a prep period to eat lunch and catch up on things, which may include preparing for a class. Occasionally you are asked to give up your prep to interpret.

Do you
-guard your prep with the ferocity of a tiger?
-agree to give up your prep occasionally because you are being paid through the prep so you can be available?
-agree to interpret during your prep but request another time slot be set aside for your prep?

What are the benefits and downsides to each option?

Read this

You lent a book to one of your clients.

--ok?
--turns out they love the book. Does that make it ok?
--suppose they don't give it back.
--what was your intention in loaning the book in the first place? (to build a relationship? Because the book and client happened to be in the same place at the same time? Because you encourage reading in general?)
--does your intention with lending the book make the act more un/ethical, less un/ethical, or it's just a simple book! Stop stressing already!!

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?

Excuse me, please

An alarm on your cell phone goes off while you are the "on" interpreter. The entire class, including the teacher, looks at you. Of course you have to reach into your bag and turn off the phone. Your client asks what happened.

How do you remedy the situation.
How do you prevent this from happening again?

Keep your opinion out of it.

You are interpreting in a drug rehab program. You are interpreting a movie (no captions!! Ug!!) which you find to be overtly simple and preachy. You make a face. As soon as you do, you see your client respond...to your face and then respond differently to the movie.

--what are your options to now erase your opinion from the conversation?
--suppose you hear, a week later, your client quit the program. Are you partly responsible?

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."

Enjoy this book

You gave a book to one of your clients. A novel. Because the two of you have been discussing books. You bought it used on a dollar shelf, anyhow. You don't need it back.

Is it appropriate to share books? No? What would it be ok to share? What would it not be ok to share!