2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
3/06/2023 | 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM | Fostering Joy Part I & II: A Toolbox for Parents, Parent Leaders, DHH Adults and Professionals | DECC 207/208
Fostering Joy Part I & II: A Toolbox for Parents, Parent Leaders, DHH Adults and Professionals
Part1: Introducing the Fostering Joy Project, created to help families: see their child who is deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) or D/HH plus additional challenges as a whole being with tremendous strengths; to prioritize and cherish the caregiver-child bond; and to attend to their child’s social-emotional development through regular celebrations of “the little things.” Joy is a positive emotion, generally felt in response to some good event; yet, it is possible to cultivate joy and experience more of it (Emmons, 2020).
In the words of caregivers:
• “It is good for me to think about the positives, because I think it is easy sometimes to get caught up in the little everyday stuff, like the dishes, and changing diapers and stuff like that. So, when I have to chance to sit back and reflect on what it’s like to have a deaf child, it just makes me smile.” (Szarkowski & Brice, 2016, p.253)
• “The everyday things require a lot of effort. We take her to the school for the deaf, and we have teachers from the county come to our home. Every day of the week we have activities that help facilitate her language learning and her development. But really, now that I think about it, maybe we should all do this for our children? Deafness forces you to be more involved, but the reward itself is being more involved.”(Szarkowski & Brice, 2016, p.254)
Part II: Introducing the Fostering Joy toolkit supported by Hands & Voices HQ (Family Arm) and the Institute at CCCBSD (Professional Arm).
Many resources and tools are available for families and professionals. Participants will learn about family resources (Parent Tip Sheets; Fostering Joy Journal for Families, and the Fostering Joy Journal for Kids) as well as professional resources (e.g., Joyful Prompts and Activities and Joy in Work).
- Describe 2 benefits for families to “foster joy.”
- Name 2 Fostering Joy resources for families and 2 Fostering Joy resources for professionals.
- Identify 2 examples of how to implement Fostering Joy in your EHDI system.
Presentation:
3420032_15619CandaceLindow-Davies.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
3420032_15619AmySzarkowski.docx
Presenters/Authors
Amy Szarkowski
(Primary Presenter), Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf, amyszarkowski@cccbsd.org;
Amy Szarkowski, PhD, is the Director of The Institute at the Children's Center for Communication/ Beverly School for the Deaf (CCCBSD), and faculty for LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities), at Boston Children's Hospital. She is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from CCCBSD.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf and University of Massachusetts Boston.
Nature: Employment.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Candace Lindow-Davies
(Co-Presenter), Hands & Voices Headquarters, Candace@handsandvoices.org;
Candace is the mother of an adult son who is deaf plus other health concerns. For 16+ years, she developed and directed parent support services for MN Hands & Voices. May 2017, she became the Director of Outreach for Hands & Voices HQ and has served on the Core Management Team of the Family Leadership in Language in Learning or FL3 Center. She has developed materials for and provided technical assistance/training to family-based organizations in the US, US territories and China. She is passionate about supporting the needs of children/adults who are deaf/hh plus other health issues, creating health and employment equity, as well as ensuring families have access to adults who are deaf and hard of hearing. She is a Core Member of the Fostering Joy project, focusing on the joys of raising children who are D/HH.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Beth Jones
(Co-Presenter), Nevada Hands & Voices, bethj@nvhandsandvoices.org;
Beth Jones is the Executive Director for Nevada Hands & Voices, as well as the Guide By Your Side Coordinator and an Educational Advocate for the ASTra Program. Prior to beginning a family, Beth earned her master’s degree in Special Education and worked as an Autism Teacher and Behavior Mentor Teacher. Beth became involved with Hands & Voices when two of her three children were identified as being deaf/hard of hearing and has been a part of Nevada Hands & Voices since 2012. She serves on many state-wide and national committees, teams, and advisory boards as a parent leader to help advocate and support children who are deaf/hard of hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Heidy Nazario
(Co-Presenter), Minnesota Hands & Voices, Heidy.Nazario@lssmn.org;
Heidy Nazario lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband, daughter and 2 dogs. She is profoundly and bilaterally deaf, and her hearing difference is genetic--many family members on her dad's side are DHH (deaf or hard of hearing). She serves as the DHH Guide Program Coordinator for Minnesota Hands & Voices. Heidy has been supporting DHH families--including Spanish-speaking families-- since 2016.
Heidy has a bachelor's degree in Preschool and Elementary Education and an associate degree in Tourism. She has experience teaching in Puerto Rico and Minnesota, and has had the opportunity to present about the DHH Guide Program in various platforms including schools, Hands & Voices chapters, and other organizations.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Rashaun Davis
(Co-Presenter), DE Hands & Voices, drrashaundavis@gmail.com;
Dr. Rashaun Davis is a 21st Century Advocate, Educator, and Strategist specializing in helping others maximize their potential to maximize impact. A Multifaceted, and goal oriented professional with a passion for equity, Dr. Davis possesses over 20 years of experience working in training and development and leadership roles with varied populations. Dr. Davis considers himself self-motivated, and an energetic problem solver that places emphasis on inclusion, a drive for results, and leveraging innovation.
These acquired skill were obtained at an early age while growing up in Trenton, NJ and garnered while gaining his undergraduate degree at University of Delaware and post graduate degrees from New Brunswick Theological Seminary and United Theological Seminary. The acquired passion was focused and unleashed when his daughter was born with hearing loss. Dr. Davis and his wife swiftly embraced their roles as advocates and passionately pursued avenues that would develop their daughter into the most productive, self-aware and confident child possible. Dr. Davis is married to his wife of 17 years Tyheshia, and parent to Jyare and Maddison Davis.
Dr. Davis’s affiliations and appointments include former board member of the Parent Information Center of Delaware, an organization that educates, informs, and advocates for families of children with special needs. Governor appointment to the state of Delaware Early Hearing and Detective Intervention (EHDI), Delaware Hands and Voices advisory board member, Fostering Joy Core Team Member, and Omega Psi Fraternity, Inc. This commitment to advocacy is driven by the philosophy that accessibility is only beneficial if it is accessible to all.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -