NTC student overcomes obstacle to succeed
May 18, 2013
Staff Reports [email protected]
A student at Northeast Technology Center’s Afton Campus is not letting her inability to hear the world keep her from being a part of it. Erin Barnes, from Quapaw, is a deaf, first-year Information Technology student under the direction of instructor J.R. Morris. Before coming to NTC, Barnes attended the Oklahoma School for the Deaf in Sulfur, Okla. Barnes says the learning experience she has received at NTC is very different.
“They are different worlds,” Barnes said through her interpreter. “It was an adjustment for me, but now that I’m getting used to it, it is really nice. I love the projects and hands-on instruction here.”
One of her recent projects, called Fruit Salad, consists of networking several computers together. The idea behind the project is to establish a small network that over time will continue to grow in complexity. Barnes did really well with this project and found it to be very interesting.
“It is really interesting going through the program. I’ve learned so much and Mr. Morris has been a huge help. He is always available to answer my questions, and his PowerPoint presentations are really nice.”
Erin plans to return to NTC next year to complete the program. After that she hopes to get a job doing computer repair and support for the casino near her home.
“I am learning so many new things. I really enjoyed the computer-repair projects I got to be a part of, and now I am learning networking, and it is also very interesting. I really hope to get more into computer building when I come back next year. Hopefully I will be able to retain all that I’m learning and take these skills with me when I go to work.”
Misty Moreland is a Certified Sign Language Interpreter who facilitates communication within the classroom every day. She will complete her degree in Interpreting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock this month and plans to continue her contract with NTC next year and work with Barnes through her completion of the program.
Moreland states that it has been a very good experience for all of them, and they have worked very well together.
“Even though communication barriers exist between Erin and Mr. Morris, he is not afraid to push Erin and encourage her to do better. Because of that, she has really blossomed and developed a thirst for learning,” said Moreland.
Instructor J.R. Morris also said that while there were hesitations and anxiety about how the modified program would work, it has been a great experience for everyone involved.
“The neat thing we didn’t expect is the relationships we built through this process,” said Morris. “Watching Erin grow and develop an eagerness to learn has been very rewarding, but realizing she has taught us so much more than we could have taught her has been enlightening. Getting to see her personality come out and watching her interact with others in the classroom has been such an amazing experience. A teacher will instruct many students during their career and will always have a few experiences they really cherish. This is definitely one of them.”
SOURCE:
http://www.miamiok.com/schools/article_4546f1fa-a2c9-5a96-84c6-165f23b17ea9.html