Federal Way Public Schools Graduates of Note

Becky Wanamaker

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher

Decatur High School Graduate
Graduate, Class of 1999

After her journey through Federal Way schools, graduating from Decatur High School in 1999, getting a B.S. in Bible and Theology from Multnomah Bible College in Portland, a B.A in Elementary Education from Concordia University in Portland and a Masters in Deaf Education from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Becky Wanamaker had attained the confidence and education she needed to take a risk. Because she loves the outdoors and wanted to try something totally new while she was young and single, she decided to begin her career adventure in Alaska.

In high school, she belonged to the National Honor Society, played the oboe in the band, swam and did gymnastics. She maintained a 4.0 grade point average there and was named co-valedictorian of her class during her senior year.

In Alaska she works hard, but she also plays hard. She’s gone hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, down-hill skiing, mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, ice-climbing, rock climbing, biking, running rollerblading, ice skating and swimming in the Arctic Ocean. “Outdoor recreation was one of the many attractions that drew me to this beautiful state,” says Becky.

What are your most recent accomplishments?

After getting my Master’s degree in 2005, I traveled to Anchorage where I started teaching at the Alaska State School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ASSDHH). Since arriving here, I have taught a different grade level each year. Our program is small and very fluid, so class groupings are based on a number of factors, including language level, academic skills, age, etc. Although I’ve always taught the Primary I class, that class has contained different levels each year. My versatility and diverse training in oral and sign methodologies for Deaf Education has definitely helped me adapt to the different grade levels.

Please describe an experience, event or individual in your public education experience that inspired or motivated you.

I took American Sign Language (ASL) for two years at Decatur and that piqued my interest in teaching deaf children. Guided by my sign language teacher, Ron Podmore, I discovered the beauty of ASL and developed a passion for the deaf culture. He showed our class an open glimpse of the Deaf community, the needs of Deaf children and the complexity of the language. Many of the differences between hearing culture and deaf culture are subtle. For instance, how do you get the attention of a deaf child? You can’t shout or say their name. Instead, you tap them or use a blinking light device.

Mr. Podmore also put time and effort into helping me gain confidence and fluency in the language. As my motivation and my skills increased, he spent more time assisting me so I could go beyond the daily class work.

What advice would you like to share with teachers in schools today?

Teachers need to help their students find out what they are passionate about and then encourage them to study and pursue those passions. Every student doesn’t fit into the same box, so teachers should get to know each student on an individual basis.

What advice do you have for students in schools today?

This is very similar to what I said about teachers. Students need to look for the areas of study that they have passion for and then do everything they can to pursue those areas.