Advisor on Deaf Children - Mark Douglas
Meet Mark Douglas, an Advisor on Deaf Children in Papakura
Mark Douglas started his career in deaf education in the 80s as a teacher of the deaf with Kelston Deaf Education Centre.
At the time, he had several years’ teaching experience and had spent time working in the banking and building sectors too.
His teaching post at Kelston soon led to more study –eventually adding a master’s degree to his teaching qualifications.
Today, Mark’s an Advisor of Deaf Children with the Ministry of Education in Papakura in South Auckland.
“One of the things I like most is the way we become part of a child’s journey – often starting when a child is very young and staying with her right into early adulthood.”
His story
Mark Douglas has several good points to make about his role as a Deaf Advisor with the Ministry of Education.
Top of the list is to understand that families lead the way and that each family is different.
He explains: “You need to listen when you first meet a family. You need to listen to their story, understand their circumstances and their strengths and you need to get to grips with their expectations.”
“Some families want all the information at once and will just run with it straight away. Some just don’t want to know and you have to take a step back and say: ‘The information is here. You let me know when you want it.’
It’s also important to focus on emerging research evidence showing positive outcomes for children who are deaf or who have hearing needs.
“We know we can make a difference when we work with children early in life, use the right technology and resources and set them up with language,” he says.
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The rewards and challenges
Mark notes the collaborative way people within the Ministry of Education work as a major plus.
“It’s also a very supportive context. There’s a well-established culture of sharing information and collaborating here.”
“I really enjoy having access to such a wide range of expertise – from education psychology to speech-language therapy and so on,” he says.
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His future aspirations
Mark’s completed his master’s degree, been involved in project work, experienced management and attended several conferences. He’s a core member within the wider deaf education community and a part time academic tutor with the University of Auckland.
So where to next?
“Right now, I’m happy to settle down and consolidate. I sometimes move away from my frontline work. But I always come back to it. It’s what I enjoy.”
Want to talk to someone like Mark about a career as an Advisor on Deaf Children? Give us a call on 0800 622 222 or send us an email special.education@minedu.govt.nz [no spam]