What do you remember about the SLP/Deaf Hab program at TCU?

The program was relatively small.  In 1993, there were 3 of us graduating with the Deaf Hab  Major.

The professors had high expectations and demanded excellence from us. The passion and competence of the professors was impressive. The standards were set high—either you made it or you didn't. The program was concise in it's objectives and gave a level of preparedness that was well respected and received as professionals. Our educational background from TCU was recognized and appreciated.

What was your favorite memory of TCU?

This questions makes me laugh because I have a million great memories. The campus has changed it appearance so much—I'm pretty much "old school" now. Probably best to leave those stories behind. You a had to be there to "get it" anyway.

No, wait...I do have an indelible moment...It was right after teaching a lesson to a 3rd grade class, self contained-hearing impaired. The lesson was in History, I had barely finished my second semester of siGn and this lesson was going to be observed and graded by Mrs. Gonzales. It was a miserable lesson. As a matter of fact, I think it must have been down right painful for everyone involved. I think Mrs. Gonzalez only stopped writing notes because she ran out of ink or wanted to ward off the potential of carpal tunnel syndrome. There we were, kids gone—just she and I. I wanted to run and cry, but I sat down anyway to hear a review of my performance. Both sitting in chairs, that are too small and short, she looks at me and says, "Well, how'd you think that went?" Thank God I got the chance to laugh before I cried.

What do you remember most about working at TCU? How was your experience working at TCU?

My undergraduate experience truly prepared me. I was armored with knowledge, and filled with the passion to know no limits.

After I graduated, I went to work for the FWISD. I taught a K-1 class for a few years, then created a "reverse mainstream" K-1 class in collaboration with my principal Mary Jane Marshall. It was such an awesome experience because of my education at MSHC and the early childhood education department at TCU; I was prepared to meet the needs of young children. While I was earning a Master of Education Degree at TCU, I had the honor of being the graduate associate for TCU's Starpoint School. When that wonderful 2-years came to an end. I became the co-director at KinderFrogs. Tremendous to have the opportunities as rich and rewarding were these!

Where you are currently working/what you are doing?

I've just come from the official launch of a DVD series called dAYwiTHyOU.com It is a video series created for young children to adults using siGn language and children songs. There are 4 DVDs in the series. The next one coming out is dAYwiTHyOU: aRound the ZOO. Each DVD comes with a "cheat-sheet"—it a quick reference guide that has pictures of the siGns in that dvd. This way the big people won't have to watch the video over to remember a siGn. They can just look at this sheet and say, "Oh, yeah! I remember the siGn for that!" The soundtrack is "adult-friendly". It was created from necessity—I know what the children like and what the adults wanted and needed.

What is your favorite thing about what you do?

I realized a LONG time ago that children are children first. There are somethings that just work. And to limit one by a "special-need or disability" isn't a good thing. From that idea came my motto-"Music isn't only for the hearing and siGn isn't only for the deaf." I love what I do because I can reach so many people. This DVD series is open-ended and created a bunch of ideas for future themes.

If you could maybe explain your career path, something interesting about yourself, why you chose TCU, why you chose to be a SLP/Deaf Hab major, etc?

It's getting close to almost 2 decades that my careers has been devoted to working with children with varying abilities

My career has provided me with the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing individuals.

Becoming an expert never did have much appeal to me. I just wanted to know as much as I could in relation to the type of needs of the individual learners. I became interested in things like;language building,reading acquisition, oral motor therapy, genetics, play, dyslexia, sensory integration, autism, applied behavior analysis, etc. There's always to much to know—I crave knowledge. I have figured out that I'm totally enamored with the baby-3rd grade learner age range. Truly amazing and fun.

Now, as for choosing this major of Deaf Hab. I read the TCU catalog of undergraduate degrees, audited a class and made the selection my sophomore year.

What was you biggest contribution to your field so far?

Just this past May, the first group I taught as 3 YO graduated from high school. I felt an immense sense of admiration. And also with a little bit of pride, hoping I had helped build some of their solid foundation. There were times when kids had achieved goals or just been happy at school—I'd like to think I help create an environment where the kids to realize potential.