Hello! I was born hearing and became Deaf at the age of two due to spinal meningitis. I grew up as an oralist and knew only the basic alphabet, but I discovered my true identity after enrolling at the Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf following high school. There, I became fully immersed in Deaf culture and American Sign Language, which has been central to my life ever since.

I earned my degree from Trenton State College, where I also volunteered and worked at the New Jersey School for the Deaf. After graduation, I joined the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, where I worked for three years in the Life Skills Program and in elementary education. Later, I moved to Florida and spent 11 years at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind as both a high school teacher and Residential Instructor. In Delaware, I worked for 10 years on the Student Life Team as a Residential Instructor.

Currently, I am in my fourth year of teaching American Sign Language at a public high school. Each of these experiences has been both rewarding and enriching, giving me the privilege of working alongside incredible educators and students in diverse Deaf environments.

I am proud to be Deaf. I believe that Deaf people can do anything except hear. American Sign Language is a beautiful language, and I am passionate about sharing it so that everyone can experience its richness.

0 minutes
Hello. My name is Candace Dutcher. I am from Delaware. I worked at four Deaf schools. First one is New Jersey School for the Deaf. Second is Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. Third is Florida School for the Deaf. Fourth is Delaware School for the Deaf. I am currently teaching ASL at a public school. I have been teaching over 25 years- a long time.
0:41
My teaching philosophy is that all students are unique and have a stimulating environment where they can grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. My desire to is to create a type of atmosphere where students can meet their full potential.
1:36
It is important to use facial expressions, no voice, good fingerspelling and practice a lot.
1:50
Thank you for watching my video.