- May 1: Better make room for Clarke grads! In honor of College Signing Day and Better Hearing and Speech Month, we’re excited to share that Avani will attended University of Central Florida’s Honors College this fall where she will study computer science.
- May 2: A virtual conference you don’t want to miss! Clarke team members will present “Integrating Technology with Parent Coaching to Optimize Language Development” tomorrow, Monday, May 3, 1:30-3:30 pm, at the 2021 Massachusetts Early Intervention Consortium Conference.
- May 3: Three cheers for educators around the world who made learning possible for students during the pandemic! One mother of a Clarke student shared, “It’s been an extremely difficult year for everyone, but the teachers continue to innovate ways to keep the children engaged in class. Although remote learning is especially difficult for young children, Clarke does a tremendous job reinforcing community and friendship. They have far exceeded our expectations during remote learning as well as in-person learning.”
During Teacher Appreciation Week, May 3-7, share a note of gratitude by using the hashtag #ClarkeVillage on social media.
- May 4: The Clarke team—and educators across the nation—inspire confidence, ignite imagination and instill a love of learning in children. For this, and so much more, join us in saying “THANK YOU” on Teachers Day. Hear one family’s tribute to their child’s support team.
- May 5: Having a teacher of the deaf (TOD) on a child’s interdisciplinary team is critical to their success. Judy Sexton, chief program officer at Clarke, highlights the important role and expertise of a TOD in the Hearing Journal.
- May 6: In honor of National Nurses Day, meet Natalia, a parent of a Clarke student. Her inspiring resilience as a nurse and mom is spotlighted in the latest issue of Clarke Speaks magazine.
- May 7: Tune in today for virtual professional development at the Nemours Children’s Clinic annual Hearing Loss in Schools conference! Clarke leaders will share strategies for guiding students who are deaf or hard of hearing and use listening and spoken language as they transition to mainstream schools.
- May 8: Celebrate the joy of reading aloud as a family with #ClarkeBookClub recommendations produced in partnership with Shuli de la Fuente-Lau, an assistant principal in California and content creator of Asian Lit for Kids.
- May 9: Ketty, the mother of a Clarke alum, shares how it felt the first time she heard her daughter say, “I love you” on Powering Potential, a podcast series by Hearing First.
- May 10: “Eyes Open, ‘Ears’ On!” Clarke encourages children to use hearing technology during active hours all day, every day. Our friends at Hearing First share a checklist for helping children reach 40 million words by age four.
- May 11: Tune in to a free webinar tomorrow, May 12 at 4:00 pm. Hear Barbara Hecht, PhD, director of Clarke Boston, present “Optimizing Outcomes for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.” Barbara was one of the writers of About the Guidelines – Deaf Education Guidelines. The guidelines will be reviewed and strategies for implementation will be discussed.
- May 12: Scarlet, a Clarke alum, and her father, Matthew, published a children’s book about her journey in a mainstream elementary classroom. Scarlet is an excellent advocate for herself — often describing her hearing loss as her “superpower.” The book is free to download.
- May 13: Hear Shane celebrate his third hearing birthday. His mom honored the anniversary of the day her son’s hearing technology was activated by noting: “We have celebrated every sound, word and phrase and are thankful every day!”
- May 14: Heather Stinson, Clarke itinerant teacher of the deaf, looks ahead to fall planning in the Hear Me Out Blog and shares practical resources for student support teams.
- May 15: Clarke works closely with families of infants and toddlers to create a language-rich environment at home—where so much early learning takes place. Read one family’s experience participating in Clarke’s Teleservices program.
- May 16: Tune in to Powering Potential, a podcast series by Hearing First, to hear Mercedes, the mother of a Clarke alum, share her family’s bilingual listening and spoken language journey.
- May 17: Get active for good and register for virtual Family Yoga benefitting Clarke on Saturday, May 22. This virtual event is for all to enjoy — including children of all ages. Read suggested benefits of yoga for children shared by the Washington Post.
- May 18: For parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, May is a good time to think about ways to incorporate listening and spoken language skills into upcoming summer activities. Find language-enriching activities suggested by Heather Stinson, Clarke itinerant teacher of the deaf, in the spring issue of Mainstream News.
- May 19: Hear Garrett share what it means to be a good friend. Garrett has bilateral hearing loss and started his listening and spoken language journey at Clarke Florida when he was 18 months old. Today, he is exceling at a mainstream high school and will begin his junior year in the fall!
- May 20: Clarke teachers of the deaf have extensive real-world experience with how various technology tools support their students. Find a sample of their favorite technology options to improve sound access here.
- May 21: Services provided by a teacher of the deaf (TOD) look different for every child depending on their unique needs—but there are commonalities. Read about what a successful TOD partnership looks like.
- May 22: Audiologists recommend that a child’s Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT)—such as a classroom remote microphone system or a personal system used outside of school—be examined during the summer. Read more about hearing technology best practices.
- May 23: Stay current on best practices for mainstreaming students who are deaf or hard of hearing! Subscribe to Clarke’s Subscribe to Clarke’s Mainstream News publication.
- May 24: Meet brothers, Jake, a recent graduate of Syracuse School of Design, and Patrick, a freelance journalist, in Clarke Speaks magazine as they think back to their time at Clarke and reflect on their shared drive to normalize accessibility.
- May 25: Are you growing your family or do you know someone who is expecting? Hearing screenings for newborn babies are important. Our friends at Hearing First provide a newborn hearing evaluation reminder for expecting caregivers.
- May 26: Hear the inspiring reason why Aisha, a Clarke teacher of the deaf, is part of Clarke’s village of support.
- May 27: A great resource for professionals! The World Health Organization (WHO) published the first World Report on Hearing that provides evidence-based guidance for global ear and hearing care.
- May 28: Meet Clarke alums and long-time friends Juliet and Carys. Learn why friendships matter and how to help children navigate these important relationships.
- May 29: Tune in to hear Lindsay Petersen, speech-language pathologist at Clarke, share best practices for virtually supporting children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- May 30: Join Clarke in celebrating all students moving up and moving on in the fall! Find resources to help celebrate Clarke students here.
- May 31: As Better Hearing and Speech Month comes to a close, Max, a Clarke alum and recent high school graduate, reminds us that bright futures await! Max was accepted to Dickinson College and will be a freshman this fall! Max shares advice for other students who are deaf or hard of hearing and planning their transitions to higher education in the Forbes Civic Nation Blog.
Clarke Hearing Center Celebrates 50th Anniversary in 2024
In 2024, the Clarke Hearing Center marks 50 years serving the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and beyond!