Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/120877
> OPINIONS & LETTERS COMMENTS Classes now in B Ar ay ea! E arn Your Master���s Degree and ASL is the primary language of the home. Three instances come to mind, and all three students ended up being moved into regular education by the end of the year because what they really needed was exposure to English. I myself have hearing loss (I wear a hearing aid) and communicate a little in ASL. I live and work near a school for the deaf, so I know we have a good number of people who belong to the deaf culture. Many hearing children are growing up in the deaf culture and using ASL as their primary language. They are acquiring English as a second language. Why are these students denied ESL services and being labeled as having speech and language delays? It seems so unfair and discriminatory to me. Am I alone in feeling this way? Stephanie Piotrowski Moreno Valley Educators Association CELLPHONES ARE A CRUTCH it costs more. As a retired teacher, I can���t afford one. What about the children whose parents work for minimum wage ��� are they the toss-away kids left to beg and borrow from rich kids to learn something in school? I can just see the teacher distributing a test. Cellphones click to take a picture for another outside friend and everyone gets 100! Think of all the 4.9 grade point averages sent to colleges. Throw away the damned cellphones, install a filter to stop the transmissions in the school, and go back to teaching. What happens if the battery is dead on their cellphone and these kids have to think for themselves? Jack Csizmar Palmdale (retired) OOPS I just received my March copy of California Educator and noticed in the ���Bargaining updates��� section that the St. Helena Teachers Association in Sonoma County added an extra student instruction day. Actually, St. Helena is located in Napa County. I just thought you might like to take note. George Hoyer Napa (retired) Regarding the article about cellphones in the classroom (March), cellphones are a crutch. Editor���s note: We stand corrected! Have students use their brain, not their fingers texting for answers. I contacted Sprint, and for two cellphones with a two-year contract it only costs $150 a month. If I add apps 8 California Educator April 2013 in E ducation Administrative Masters with Preliminary Credential (30 units completed in 17 months) Curriculum and Instruction (30 units completed in 21 months) School Counseling with Pupil Personnel Service Credential (40 units completed in 28 months) Satellite programs available! Convenience: Five 8-week sessions per year ��� Classes meet 4:30 to 8:30 one night a week ��� Schedule mirrors academic calendar with comparable holidays and breaks ��� Competitive cost $440 per unit ��� Cohorts are created in local districts to minimize commutes ��� Engaging, collaborative learning settings Program Features: Common Core Standards ��� strategies to hook ���digital learners��� ��� design deep learning assessments Contact: Patty Hunt patricia.hunt @cui.edu 949.214.3362 Learn More: Go to www.cui. edu/maedsf to learn about rigorous programs.