When I was a senior in high school, I spent part of the year living in Vancouver, Washington. I thought I got to know the town, which is just across the state border from Portland, pretty well while I was doing some programming for the local power company. But I recently found out Vancouver is home to one of the state’s most remarkable schools—and 17-year-old me had no idea.
The Washington School for the Deaf is the state’s only fully bilingual K-12 school in American Sign Language, or ASL, and English. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students come from across the state—many staying overnight during the week to attend classes—to learn in both languages. The school has had a lot to be proud of since its founding more than 135 years ago, but it recently added a new feather to its cap: WSD is home to Dana Miles, the 2023 Washington State Teacher of the Year.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dana. I was blown away by her thoughtful, compassionate, and practical approach to teaching. As a graduate of WSD herself, she understands how her kids feel when they first step into her classroom. Many of them grew up in hearing families where they don’t sign, so they learned how to communicate later than most children. Some even join Dana’s classes with virtually no language at all.
“My students often feel insecure because maybe their English or ASL isn’t good enough,” she told me through an interpreter. “So I first want them to know that whatever they share during class is important. Once they realize what they say has importance, they feel like, ‘Okay, I matter.’ And that’s when they start learning.”
Dana teaches three classes to high school students that she describes broadly as “Adulting 101.” The first is a consumer math class, where students learn how to double recipes, calculate paycheck deductions, and more. The Gates Foundation supports many partners working to make math more engaging to students, and I think Dana’s focus on how math is used in the real world is super compelling.
Her favorite class to teach is Work Experience, because it’s all about helping her students imagine their future after school. As they work in a campus coffee shop, the school’s office, or off-campus at a local store, Dana helps them learn the hard and soft skills necessary for a successful career.
Many of Dana’s students will choose not to go to college, because there are other paths to a career that are more appealing to them. “A lot of my students really enjoy vocational fields because they’re hands-on,” she told me. “They don’t require as many linguistic requirements. Vocational fields can provide them with the potential to pursue a dream job.”
I was especially interested to hear about the third class Dana teaches, Applied Bilingual Language Arts. Just like in any bilingual class, her students study vocabulary and grammar in both languages at the same time. What makes Dana’s class unusual, though, is that all of the lessons they learn are directly connected to a real-world scenario they’re likely to encounter.
As an example, Dana told me about a transportation unit she does every year. If you’re a hearing person, chances are you learned a lot of what you know about transportation passively. You grew up overhearing your parents talk about what time a plane arrives or how the bus schedule just changed. If you’re deaf or hard-of-hearing, that might not have been the case. So, Dana teaches her students not only the vocabulary needed but how to read maps, navigate the city bus system, or even purchase car insurance. It’s a deeply practical approach to education that I believe every kid could benefit from.
I asked Dana if she could teach me a couple of signs, and she was kind enough to oblige me. I have a long way to go before I’m fluent, but I’m glad that I now know a couple key phrases. You can watch a video of Dana teaching me here:
I also asked Dana what hurdles she faces as a teacher. “For me, the challenge with bilingual education is the lack of resources,” she said. “We tend to create materials from scratch, because it’s not easy to find Bilingual Language Arts materials.” For example, if she’s teaching her students about job applications, she will film a video of her filling one out. She also records herself explaining what she’s doing in ASL, which she overlays on the corner of the screen. Videos are an effective tool, but they’re time consuming for Dana to create.
Fortunately, technology is improving a lot for the Deaf community. When Dana was in school, she had to ask a hearing family member to help her if she wanted to call someone. Now, her students have a huge array of communication tools at their disposal. She showed me two of them: an app called Cardzilla that transcribes spoken language super quickly and displays typed responses in a large font, and a video relay service, or VRS, on her phone that instantly connects her with an interpreter when she needs to call someone. (I was surprised, however, to learn no one has made an app that translates ASL to spoken English yet. I think it’s doable.)
Dana believes that introducing her students to all the tools available to them is one of her most important jobs. She says, "It is so critical for Deaf people to learn how to self-advocate, because often we are oppressed by so many barriers in our lives that we need to figure out how to overcome. Teachers have a responsibility to teach how to overcome those barriers.”
I am always amazed by the passion and commitment our Washington State Teachers of the Year bring to their work. Dana brings that dedication to an area of incredible need, and I left our meeting more inspired by our state’s remarkable teachers than ever. Educators like Dana make me proud to be a Washingtonian.
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It does really touch my heart. Can't say any words. She is so great. And really appreciate her strenuous efforts.
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It is good to have such an amazing educator as Dana around for ages. Thank you Dana for the immense care you are providing to others.
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What an inspiring insight from Dana!
I'm spurred to do more as a teacher myself.
Thank you for sharing!
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I always enjoy reading Gates Notes articles as the topics are good, writing impeccable, & they give me faith that all is mostly well. Perhaps you would consider the insidious topic of rampant gun violence that stains the country. My hope is that a bright shining light shone on those entities that profit or benefit from all things firearm related might shock US citizens to pester their national & state legislators to rein in the profiteers.
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Alot of people in Africa need such kind of support but it's not readily available.
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Great
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Great
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Hey Bill, thank you for this. As an educationist, it gives me a better perspective of how I can create more impact on others. Thank you!
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Hey Bill, I am huge fan of yours. I like the blog. ASL and cyber security interests me. New codes that can made from braile (maybe?)
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wow, i just watched the video.. i could see your wheels turning Bill.. lol
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Teachers are the roles model in our community, so respect should be properly giving to every teacher, before you become anything in life you most under go a training by a teacher. Kudos to our lovely teachers in the world.
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✅ Qualità non comuni! 🧑🏻🏫👩🏫
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All teachers' work is god's work. You really need to have the passion to teach others, whether they are preschoolers to high school students, they all come with different needs and is up to us, the educators, to identify, not only the academic needs but also everything related to help them succeed. Being deaf or hard-of-hearing takes things to a different level. Wonderful work this teacher is doing, my respects. Thanks for sharing.
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ho
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Very good ideal for VSL . Help people adapt to SL with customers. 👍😁
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I himsilf a poor man in and I want that u will halo the poor peopal every wiher in pakistan and the world . I pary for u every Tim
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Nice and very nice work
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it really a nice move cause I really feel sorry and down whenever I see those of our brothers and sisters. Thanks for being you
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Awesome ❤💯.
Ms. Dana Miles deserves congratulations for her outstanding dedication and drive to innovate and assist the community.
The most striking aspect of her work was her zeal and passion.
Great👍
Keep it going, i love you ❤❤
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Washington is great ✌️
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Nice move
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Hi, Dr. Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Having a teacher to teach us is the most meaningful thing to achieve in our life. Looking for the nature of our need for someone who can take care of us from learning to walk as a baby at our home to studying in a university, and then acquiring other resources for enhancing our knowledge all of which is the process of the learning stage.
On the other hand, there are no limited learning materials that we can understand only with the help of a teacher with professional experience in that area like Dana Miles does besides the financial assistance to realize the outcome. Thank you so much for taking the effort to make our life better as you have always done.
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Super
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Amazing 👏🏽👏🏽
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So it's good and amaze
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👌
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Hello Mr. Gates, congratulations on this awesome initiative. It's exciting to see your interest in discussing about Convo. As the Chief Impact Officer at Convo, we would love to engage with you about your idea. Are you open to a conversation? #ConvoRelay
Our website address is convo.global
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This touched my heart so completely. And I also felt guilty that I haven't taken the time to become fluent in ASL and to somehow volunteer in the deaf community. I had a beautiful positive aunt who was deaf and I learned a few phrases but what I loved most of all was seeing my dad or any of his other 5 brothers "talking" to Marguerite. I cld never follow along for they were so fast but most of all I saw how much fun they had with each other. They teased and joked and had the best time. She was the only girl w/all those brothers but u cld tell she didn't put up with much. Thank you so much for ur article on ur Washington Teacher of the year. I'm not sure it still exists but there used to be a deaf school for kids in our capitol, Austin, Tx and that's where my Aunt went. The c whole family moved there and prbky camped out there by the river for they were poor folks. I'm encouraged now to take the first step in my volunteerism in the deaf
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And furthermore adding to my comment about deaf. I would suspect children and/or adults that cannot hear the audio probably here inner voices. But they're not really voices more of a knowing of something being said. It's hard for me to explain. But living in a silenced audio sound type environment must create for some very interesting people and children.
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I might have to add to my comment about changing the classroom title of deaf. Even what I called it audio deficit that's not right either because we're saying it's a deficit. Because hearing does not just take place outside of the world around you as in sound. So something that could be thought about and redo that word. I don't have a very good English vocabulary so I'm not sure what would be the best word to use. Because what if a child can hear whispers inside their head not that they're crazy but if you know what I mean. That's not necessarily deaf now is it?
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I did not get a chance to read the whole article I just would like to put out there that maybe instead of using the word deaf we should say something like audio deficit. Thank you have a great day everyone!
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Amazing!
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Amazing!! 👌🏽🙏🏽💗
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God knows this was very interesting. 👌🏽🙏🏽💗. And Mr. Gates is that you ?
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What is my work
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Mrs. Dana's good work cannot be overstated.. She is amazing and she is taking her work forward so that deaf and hard of hearing people can benefit more and live a better life.. Thanks mrs. Dana for your thinking.. and also to Bill Gates Guruji who connected with him and understood his feelings and praised his work... You always did good to people like this. May God's blessings be upon you always✔️❤️🛐👍🏼
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Good work
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Ms. Dana ..u r thoughtful, compassionate, and i found "forward thinking" in ur approach.
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Congratulations to Ms. Dana Miles, for her exemplary dedication and urge to innovate and help the community. Her zeal and passion towards her work stood out the most. I am certain with latest technology anything can be achieved, and healthcare is one sector which can be its immediate and major beneficiary. Perhaps it is a leap in this direction and we are getting closer to knowing more about neural waves and sound waves, which if coupled, would lead to groundbreaking innovation, and I have no reason to believe that it is not possible. Journey forth and claim a new scientific milestone. All the best!
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Inspiring Thank you very much you do a good job
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Good working
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Inspiring
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Thank you very much ！！
you do a good job~
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I am extremely proud of Mrs. DANA I think for my part this experience should serve as an example to all our teachers of the deaf and dumb who are fighting to help us communicate with our deaf relatives despite the difficulties encountered here in Africa where technology is still traditional is better to import these kinds of experience still with us.
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Very good work by Dana and Congratulations on the Teacher's of The Year Award.
This is things most people overlook who does not experience the same difficulties or challenges or has someone close who faces these challenges.
Its a good cause to make learning easier for the students to equip them with the necessary skills to tackle everyday challenges in the world.
Great initiative by Mr Gates. Excellent work.
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Thank you very much Mr Gates for your great job to make this world a better place to live ！！
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Thank you for impacting change in the vulnerable
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Congratulations to Professor Dana for the sensitivity that allows her to give hope!
They are people who need to be understood and helped.
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I checked on the causes of deafness and it’s mainly loud noises and aging so even lip reading apps could be useful for elderly people. The article didnt mention whether elderly also had access to the courses or any assistance. It looks as though there is at least one app e.g. Speech Recognition for the Voice Impaired produces speech by reading your lips..
Here all the deaf trades people can be fantastic at non verbal communication.
With the far right in UK leading the uncaring style with apparently 100 plus north sea oil and gas drilling licences it’s worth considering possible reasonable authoritarian far right approaches to such minorities as common ground. For risks to the wider community the lack of connection to community reality of such deaf minorities could be improved through apps and teachers instilling respect for regulations inline with traditional or for example new persistently repetitive protocols microsoft is testing for AI systems. e.g. some examples of deaf community encouraged norms without wider acceptance here include stamping, banging on tables, turning lights on and off, touching and hugging. Some aspects to enhance effective communication access could include regulations to protect aspects the deaf community see as rude such as staring at deaf people signing and grabbing the hands of a deaf person signing, plus regulations requiring deaf cards etc to protect and enhance communication.
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It truly is inspiring to watch Dana Miles do her work. I enjoyed connecting with Gates Notes.
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Dear Bill
Is it possible to invent a sign language translation app?
like a language translation app
Use the mobile phone to enter the screen using sign language, and then convert it into text,
we can communicate with each other.
Thank you for your time.
Best regards,
Sam
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I think that would be a great idea.
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✅ 𝔼𝕕𝕦𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚 👨👩👦👦
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Fine
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Amazing, Dana's interest in her job is laudable. Congratulations to her fortunate students, they have an excellent teacher. I wish I had a teacher like her.
Great post as always.
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Dana is doing an amazing job, especially with the language barriers. I enjoyed this excerpt Bill. I have been caregiving for my father who is deaf and the gene is all throughout our males as is the baldness. I, unfortunately, can hear absolutely everything; I think in itself it is a curse as I find my dad is able to focus more on what he is doing without distractions. I know, it sounds stupid but sometimes the sounds of the world are deafening. Face to face contact now that masking is over is essential for communication with my hearing impaired family. Me, I just put on the earphones and blast ACDC or something sometimes to just dis-communicate with the world. Thanks a lot for this insight.
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Cheers to this amazing spirit💐. This doesn’t look easy at all.
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thanks for dana,helping more deaf students
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One can see the dedication to the deaf community in her eyes. ASL to spoken English ....why not . I wonder what Dana thought about that.
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The good thing I notes about Dana, She really likes what she is doing and she is doing it with her all heart and big smile on her face. Marvellous!!
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Dana is really amazimg. She had made teaching appear easier.
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Wonderful blog, wonderful teacher, wonderful students... Self-advocacy - a new magic word. Thank you!!
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Hello Bill sir,
I read this article about Dana's effort in supporting deaf community.
Dana is doing a great job by helping people having hearing impairment. She has open the door for all those physically challenged persons to educate themselves and pave way for their future. I appreciate her effort in helping and promoting deaf community for their well bring.
And also a big heart for you Bill sir for assisting donorsGroup financially from your charity. That's so kindful of you to help such institutions and I truly appreciate you and the entire gatesFoundation for the charitable support.
It's a lesson for us also to consider it as a moral duty to help others by donating some small amount in such institutions who are doing such a great job of helping and propping such peoples in the society . The inherent pleasure that we get by helping such needy people is no less than a full plate happy meal for us.
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Good day Thanks to share this Note This project is very Intersting.
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I wanted to let you know of your broader impact - I logged into Donors Choose from your email about this post and found some local school districts are offering 2x matching so I gave there instead of through your match. My donation might not show in your tally, but it increased your impact even more by pointing me there! Perhaps you can take credit for any bump today in Donors Choose gifts across the board. Thanks!
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Am from Africa Cameroon precisely and so much love the Bill gate note where people share their journey via success.
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LOVED that Bill actually went to my Alma Mater, WSD. Born and lived here in WA and see Microsoft whenever I go out but it’s “not for us, deaf”. Have always looked up to the Gates and it’s so meaningful he cared enough to peek into ‘our world’.
