Monette's Musings > CART provider
CART provider
Author: monette | Category: captioning prep, CART provider, Coach, court reporter certification, Court Reporter Tutor, CRRbooks.com, Life Coach, NCRA Court Reporters, Uncategorized, Written Knowledge Test
You, Ken-Tu, And The Mockingbird
~~ Originally published in my column “Beyond The Comfort Zone” within NCRA’s Journal of Court Reporting, JCR
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved
Some days are not dull. I swear my life could be a sitcom. This is only one gem when silliness seemed to unfold at record pace.
I view many ‘life lessons’ as I read forums and e-mails from court reporters and reporting students. Respectfully, I share my life lesson below.
My sister-in-law appeared with nephews and skateboarding teens. She needed help closing her car’s trunk because the key had broken inside the lock.
(Schools were closed for the swine flu. Locally, skateboarding kids gathered in ‘teen pods’ [my term] – pretending to cough on each other, while laughing at ‘the’ adults.) That is the moment a cat appeared from the heavens on her car roof as we worked to help her close the trunk, so she could drive home.
In the driveway, a nephew gasped and pointed, “Hey! Where did that cat come from? It catapulted from the sky!”
The cat was bleeding with multiple fresh wounds on both sides of its neck and back.
Then the cat raced into our garage. Immediately, ‘cat’ sat with its front paws pointed ‘to’ the exact spot where [then] husband said a few hours earlier, “I wish I could do something about that mouse in the garage!”
That first night, still in the garage, I sat with him. The cat placed a warm, dead mouse near my feet. How do I know? I picked it up. Yes, eugh.
He did not understand any words except “stop that.” I did not want to name him Stop That.
I spoke to him saying, “You-ken-tu” and “He-ken-tu” as I observed the cat, considered adopting this wounded animal. Perhaps someone was missing their pet? I named the cat Ken-Tu.
The vet shared Ken-Tu is eight years old and had been “homeless at least one year – possibly more, based upon deformed ears, ear mites and bulbous tumor that exploded, creating a cauliflower ear.” He also shared that the cat had old wounds, scars, and had been used “in fights.” The vet said solemnly, “Based on what I see – NO one is looking for ‘this’ cat.” Of course, I hugged the new cat in our family. Ken-Tu ‘healed’ in the garage (post a huge vet bill).
Years ago, I volunteered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, SVDP, as a caseworker. I also volunteered to assist in the initial organization of a new no-kill animal shelter (rescuing wild and abandoned animals) and a new women’s shelter. I learned many ‘life lessons’.
Each event was a teacher, to me.
For years, I filled my car for families, children, rest homes, churches, and hospitals helping a wide area. I then delivered donations and offerings to individuals and churches.
(Also, I learned that damaged clothing, items, could be donated to the State hospital. There, long-term patients were rewarded for positive behavior in the psych ward. Items that needed repairing were ‘repaired’ by other patients learning ‘life skills’. When ‘fixed’, those items were placed in the hospital thrift store. Positive behavior was rewarded with coupons. Coupons presented new gifts for the patients. To me, win/win! I added the State hospital and their staff to the list. We had great fun.) Life lessons were plentiful …
The weekend I’m documenting with Ken-Tu, I was assisting my cat Chicos, a special spirit, who was in kidney failure for eight months. I softly teased people that I was the hand-maiden who shared food in syringes and “closed the deal.” (We have rituals; cats love rituals.) I administered IV subcu fluids, as needed. I knew that Chicos and I were rounding another one-way corner.
The court reporters and students whom I privately tutored and coached reached out to me. I know Chicos’ life was extended as others shared their personal experiences and their wisdom.
Soon on a Sunday, we decided to bring Ken-Tu into the humble house, which already had two cats and one 70-pound, two-year old dog (all rescued animals). Ken-Tu was in the laundry room, snarling as needed. At 17 pounds – our ‘starving kitty’ was a force. (Because of abuse – with little provocation – he swung overhand.)
That afternoon – just prior to bringing the cat ‘in’ from the outdoors – my husband went to the store. Upon each return, I know he usually rushes in with the groceries. In my worry that he would trip over Ken-Tu (who was passionately vaulting head first into the laundry door to get back into the garage) – I opened the laundry room door to avoid a collision with then husband and this cat.
Thus, silliness begins.
Ken-Tu sprinted through the garage to the front yard. Husband stopped, his arms loaded with groceries.
I immediately went after Ken-Tu, but I’m not as fast as the mockingbird in our front yard. (Within the garage, Ken-Tu stood on a car roof looking through the window at that bird. The bird flew by the window and appeared to be well aware that a cat was watching. Oh yes.)
Immediately, the mockingbird began diving Ken-Tu’s head, Beak first. I headed for ‘escaped’ cat, avoiding all eye contact with husband.
The cat darts for cover – in the neighbor’s large hedges. Husband was cussing. It’s Texas hot; he immediately departed for Lowe’s – “to return later.” Husband drove off; did not look back.
With my arms outstretched, I called Ken-Tu. The mockingbird never dove for me but flushed the cat out of the neighbor’s hedges. The cat scampered, low to the ground – racing into my yard, and under our hedges. As I tried to retrieve this cat, Ken-Tu accurately swatted me.
In realtime, I remembered that neighbors might be watching – I’m in my short shorts bent over this cat in my front yard. I can just imagine someone saying, “Yes, and she hit that kitty.” (No one could see the scratches ‘leaking’ small amounts of blood.)
I refrained from hitting the cat, which was swinging overhand with two paws after he rolled in dirt around all hedges.
I refocused on trying to coax cat back into our garage – until my meter goes off – and then I’m done.
I lowered the garage door to the height a ‘starving’ cat could return to his food. Done. I returned into house. The kung-fu kitty was on its own.
Soon, I feel guilty. I sit in an uncomfortable lawn chair within my garage, reading my JCR, Journal of Court Reporting, calling Ken-Tu until ‘that’ becomes silly.
The entire time, I can tell exactly where Ken-Tu was because of the mockingbird and its shrieks. That bird was working to injure that cat – feathers flew.
Later, I heard the garage open; husband does not immediately enter. When he did, this husband was ‘not’ happy.
Red-faced, slowly (perhaps to contain anger?) he asked, “Did you know the mockingbird was in the garage when I pulled my car in?”
Me: “WHAT!?”
Husband: “Yes, dear, it was in, flying all over the garage.”
Me: “That can’t be. I left the garage door cracked just a little.”
He: “Then that bird followed Ken-Tu. The cat was lying on his towel licking himself. The bird was flying into the walls and the ceiling. When I opened the door, it became trapped within the small space between the garage door and ceiling.”
Me: “WHAT!?”
He: “Yes, then – I had to get a broom.”
Me: “WHAT!?” (I could not keep a straight face.)
He: “The bird was frantic. It was throwing itself around, hurting itself.”
Me: “Really???”
He: “So, I had to use the broom. Open the door to the side yard. Move the mower and yard equipment. And sweep that bird out the side door – not an easy job – as it became more frantic.”
Me: “Maybe that bird will move? Where’s Ken-Tu?”
He: “Asleep in the garage. What the hell were you thinking?”
Ken-Tu strolled in, as if on cue, moved to the dining room and began pre-emptive screaming. If something looked at him, Ken-Tu screamed.
And the large dog? You don’t want to know.
Soon Ken-Tu moved into the bedroom. Woah, daddy! Did kitty spit and hair fly.
But as life rolled itself forward, events calmed down. Ken-Tu now spends his time in the dead armadillo pose.
As we prepare for the holidays, I wish you great peace and the ability to laugh at some of your/our silliness. I know ‘you-ken-tu’ grow from life’s lessons.
The day before I submitted this series, Chicos died in my arms.
I want to share with you that I continue to learn multiple lessons from this one question: “Is my life better from this experience?”
My answer today is ‘yes’ regarding Chicos and yes, Ken-Tu.
And the mockingbird? It’s back – singing, not screaming, perched on the garage roof.
Now I ask you, “What makes your experiences and your life lessons better?”
About Monette: Monette Benoit, an experienced 35+ year court reporter, has taught multiple theories, all academics, speed classes, and 225-homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and community college. Daughter of educators, Monette understands challenges in our multi-faceted, growing industry.
In 1993, she CART captioned for a Deaf mass, San Antonio, Texas. Wonderful opportunities presented from Big D, Little D, Oral Deaf, HOH, hard-of-hearing individuals – special moments.
Monette has worked with thousands of professionals, students, instructors. She’s worked to create new court reporting programs, worked with federal grants, assisted instructors in developing curriculum for in-class and online students. Years ago, she was named the Court Reporting Whisperer by CR students and reporters.
Her confidential tutoring, coaching, has assisted thousands to advance with specific, custom-designed guidance!
Monette’s Musings is an informative, motivational blog for busy individuals seeking to create success –and– to enjoy this special path. Monette’s goal IS your success.
An American RealTime/Captioning Services, LLC: www.ARTCS.com Monette may be contacted www.CRRbooks.com – Monette.purplebooks@CRRbooks.com Blog: www.monettebenoit.com
20 Oct 2021
Author: monette | Category: ADA, ASL, Big D, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coach, college CART, Court Reporter Tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, Deaf, HCV, HLAA, HOH, Interpreter, Life Coach, Monette's Musings, NCRA RPR Test Prep, Sign Interpreters | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
You All Start In CART Now, Right?
~~ Originally published in my column “Beyond The Comfort Zone” within NCRA’s Journal of Court Reporting, JCR
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved
An invitation to join friends (each working in college student services) for lunch with their colleagues began with introductions. I selected the restaurant, away from busy “spots” as many were new to this city.
While chewing my sandwich, a college disability coordinator, asked, “Monette, you’re a court reporter, right?” I nodded.
“Monette, you’ve provided CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) a long time, right?”
I nodded, still chewing my food.
The third question was the stun-err-roo when a woman seated at our crowded table asked, “Monette, (long pause) all court reporters ‘start’ in CART, right?”
I blinked hard and looked to my friends. They gave me a blank look; I sensed this topic had already been discussed prior to this gathering.
I did not nod. I sipped my tea, tipped my head. Thinking. Thinking.
The professional then said, “All court reporters start in CART now, right? That’s where they get their training, so they can then go into court and get other good work, right? It’s a simple question.”
Oh, Lord! My simple lunch was now halted as each person awaited my reply.
I worked to not appear stunned – now wearing my court reporter face that we know well.
I replied with a question – asking if each person is familiar with CART.
I was thinking how to answer a simple question that did not appear to be simple to the individuals waiting for my words.
And I felt they knew it was not a simple question, too, due to the manner it was asked, and the complete silence at the table.
“We want to know if this is where all court reporters now begin their work? It’s the place to start now, right?”
Again, I looked to my friends.
Not one person offered any words to assist me. Nope. I was clearly on my own.
Slowly, I shared, “Our realtime skills now afford court reporters, CART providers, and captioners multiple opportunities. Many professionals work in multiple venues. We are trained with specific skills, earn certifications, attend conventions …” No one was eating now.
Then they began to share, “We have found that the CART individuals now providing CART for many colleges and universities are clearly learning how to.”
I did not ask the name of companies or individuals providing CART captioning.
This gathering was not a continuing education seminar. Nor did I want to miss the opportunity to share the wonderful services we do provide, 24/7.
I also did not ask the “visiting professionals” the questions I might have asked my friends.
I wanted to ask if they or their schools had gone with the lowest bid and was the work provided by individuals who have completed court reporting school.
I watched my friends who had invited me to this gathering. (They schedule CART captioning for their students.)
I know that a few, perhaps, had been paying experienced CART providers and now are permitting students to provide CART to earn school credits.
Since that discussion was not tossed onto the table, I decided to avoid that scenario entirely – unless it was brought up.
In another forum or within a scheduled meeting, those questions – might have been appropriate.
This was still the light, breezy lunch in a quiet location (their words) “to get away from work and work topics” – yet, this was gifted to me.
Part of me wanted to say, “Okay. Bring it on. Let’s go there. Amplification? Microphones? Where? On professor? Near the student? Near the person hired to capture words for realtime display? Acoustics? Classroom or auditorium? Prep given to CART captioner? CART provided over net? Using what? Have you ever asked the CART captioner if they need anything to provide their services? Does the consumer wear a hearing aid? Cochlear implant? Is rough ASCII provided at end of class -or multiple days later – as may be requested by someone not experienced…? Is CART captioner able to communicate directly with consumer? Is the verbatim text for one student or many? Laptop or overhead projection?”
Oh, I had questions. Multiple.
I decided not to defend our work or to ask the above multiple questions. I was not their lunching CART consultant that day. (If you disagree, I wish you had been at that table.)
I know that many “coordinators” working in student services departments answer to others – yet, others are often not part of student services. Having worked in a (very) large college and private schools, I know there are often many “chiefs” – not just one.
I succinctly shared that we provide onsite and remote services. Communication with the student, scheduling department, instructor, student, and CART captioner is essential. Then I smiled, picked up my sandwich, and continued eating.
Were we done?
No. (Darn.)
Several individuals began to discuss their “multiple problems” and “CART beginners” they are working with now as they were still “convinced that this is where all court reporters now begin their work.”
I listened. Continued sipping my tea.
When I was again asked for my thoughts, I did not sigh. I did not roll my eyes.
I asked each person to write down the NCRA, National Court Reporters Association, web address and also to contact their state court reporting associations.
In unison, they replied, “We’ve never considered doing that.”
I asked that they “remember that we – court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners – are trained with outstanding skills and discipline that might knock your socks off if you knew what we lived through each minute, each day to prepare us to share our professional work.”
Then I was asked if I knew where they could get cheaper notebooks “for our transcribers, students, who write on carbons for other students.”
My reply? “Nope. Can’t help there.” Then I put more food in my mouth.
When the waiter brought the ticket, several lunches [sic] gave me their cards.
As we departed, I calmly walked to my friends and quickly pinched each person.
I said, “Gee, thanks. A simple heads up or any assistance to avoid me holding a court reporting – CART captioning seminar might have been nice.”
They howled and said, “Monette, this was what they needed to hear – what we all needed to hear. Maybe you could write an article about this, so court reporters know that we, disability and student services coordinators, find there to be such a large difference in skills among the CART writers. That’s all.”
Yes, I pinched each again, maybe harder than the first pinch.
Ah, when we are enjoying a casual meal, a relaxing moment, our work may still become an opportunity for education and advocacy.
One of my positive takeaways, which I did not share with the individuals, was that I was impressed they knew the word “CART.”
They did not say “captioning” as in days of old.
Though I would have liked to have heard a positive comment, they were aware that the colleges were providing this “service” because we have to, per law… “And there’s that,” I avoided saying.
Alone, I focused on the advocacy of all our years of work and thanked the Lord that the lunch was over. Oh, yes, I did.
—- Monette, named the Court Reporting Whisperer by students, may be reached: Monette.purplebooks@CRRbooks.com
Purple Books – Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com * Advance skills, pass NCRA and State exams the 1st time
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal, CART Captioner, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Since 1990: Multiple Title Author of Books & Purple Books Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART Captioning Profession
An American RealTime/Captioning Services, LLC: www.ARTCS.com Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RDR, or a State exam? More than once? Purple Books “Done in One” has a 98% successful pass rate on exams with sets as evidenced by thousands of students and professionals who pass their RPR, CSR, and RDR exams on the first test. Testimonials: www.CRRbooks.com.
Reach Your Goals: http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29 Where do you want to go? Specific custom-designed guidance will efficiently assist you!
About Monette Benoit: As a 30+ year court reporter, CART captioner, author of NCRA and State test-prep material, instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and 225-homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands challenges many adults face in our industry.
In 1993, she began to CART caption to a large screen for a Deaf mass, San Antonio, Texas. Wonderful opportunities then presented from Big D, Little D, Oral Deaf, HOH consumers -each with special moments.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART captioners, students, instructors. She has helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is an informative, motivational, and funny blog for busy professionals and students who seek to create their success and who seek to enjoy this special path.
01 May 2020
Author: monette | Category: 98% Success Rate With Complete Set; Done In One, CART provider, Coaching, consultant, HCV, Motivation, RPR Test Prep, Written Exam
The Lesson Behind “You’re Processing; You’re Not Stuck”, Coach’s Corner, Monette
~~ Originally published in my column “Beyond The Comfort Zone” within NCRA’s Journal of Court Reporting, JCR
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved
Years ago, I wrote “You’re Processing; You’re Not Stuck.”
I detailed how one sentence I shared shifted a court reporting student’s focus when she phoned my Purple Books – Court Reporters Reference Books office to order a product to assist her to advance in her 170-word per minute court reporting class.
The student soon graduated and began working as a certified court reporter.
Realtime Coach then included “You’re Processing; You’re Not Stuck” from my JCR “Beyond The Comfort Zone” column as one of their dictations.
Over the years, I have been contacted by students, reporters, CART captioners, and instructors to expand on this topic with my tutoring and empowerment coaching.
Frequently, I see students and veteran court reporters, CART captioners writing “You’re not stuck!! You’re processing!” on forums and on Facebook.
Often, I see students and reporters referencing my article, name, and the Realtime Coach dictation.
Emails continue to ask that I explain the “processing” concept.
The sentence “you’re processing; you’re not stuck” originated began when I was teaching in the late 1980s.
My students asked why they were not progressing in speed classes while putting in the hours, while enrolled in academic classes, while working full time, and while arriving after a long day for a (full) four-hour evening.
I saw their frustration as their expectations were not met.
Students often “flew” through one speed to then “sit” in another speed.
This varied student to student.
Students often compared themselves to other students who were “flying” through a speedbuilding class. Students also compared themselves to others who “remain” in a speed class, semester after semester.
The court reporting students were challenged by speedbuilding classes; by typing Q & A, Jury Charge, and Literary speed tests; by academics; and by academic tests. Students often are required to take Legal Terminology, Courtroom Procedures, and Medical Terminology where each course might have a hundred new words each week.
(In addition to my steno speed classes with 4 hours steno drills/writing each day, and required 4 additional hours of steno homework each night – and – academics, we had one class we never liked. When I was a full-time student in CR school, a nurse arrived – in uniform, and handed out her test. Each day we were tested on 100 words she had given to the class, the prior day. She did not take roll, did not speak to us. She walked the class while we filled in blank lines. She waited for us to finish. Then – then (!), she handed us another 100 words and left. We – we did not like her. Really. Every day, ‘two’ very long semesters, 100 medical words each day. No talking involved.)
My parents, both degreed instructors, always asked about my students’ progress.
My father particularly enjoyed helping me as he had listened to my challenges when I was a court reporting student (think my “struggles”).
Now he was listening as a guidance counselor, social worker, and father.
“My students work so hard. Sometimes I think they’re working too hard. They become frustrated. I think their frustration may be part venting to progress,” I shared one weekend.
Mr. Emmett, as my father was known to the court reporting industry, with an education and teaching background in languages, science, medical arenas, history, and English, replied, “The mind is like a sponge. The human mind has to take time to absorb information. Tell your students that their mind is like a sponge. When you put a sponge into a glass filled with water, the sponge first absorbs the water. This is a process.”
“They came into the court reporting program with an empty slate, learned new skills, and learned thousands of new words with ‘steno language’. Now their brain, like that sponge in the glass with water, has to take time for the new information to be absorbed.”
“If time is not taken for the absorption – or the process is interrupted – there is an overflow of water or a problem.”
“I saw this when you were a student. You phoned upset and frustrated from your dorm room. I listened, encouraged you to go back to work, and told you that it would come to you,” he (Dad – Mr. Emmett) continued.
As Dad – Mr. Emmett spoke, I had flashbacks of moments that were like walking on hot coals, barefoot, then convinced that “it was not coming to me.”
He continued, “Your students are learning a new language and new skills. When they fully process the information they will progress. And it happens when a person least expects it. Yet the work has to be put in. Has to – with court reporting skills.”
My mother is a degreed elementary special education teacher. I listened to my parents, in a spirited conversation, discuss young children who learn languages.
There is a window of learning, and 4-year olds are able to easily learn multiple languages with little effort. The “window” closes, as my parents explained, a few years later.
“Their sponge is filling their glass,” my dad continued. “Yes, they continue to learn, but probably never at the same pace, and with such ease. Kindergarten is the most challenging year to teach. Children are open slates. They absorb with great ease,” my father explained.
Mom, with a degree (two states) in elementary special education and music, agreed, “The most qualified instructors are kindergarten teachers because the children learn so quickly.” (Her greatest years teaching, per Mom, were when she was a first grade instructor.)
He then detailed the “open window” for children learning to speak while developing accents.
He offered me scientific and historical data that revealed how people develop accents around the world – and also how children who were found to have been raised under harmful conditions may never have been taught to speak. “Windows close, and this is the same for all cultures,” Dad reinforced.
In short, Mr. Emmett’s scientific point: learning continues, but never at the same pace as the “empty slate” that now has information – similar to that dry sponge being placed into an empty glass. The brain now has information. The sponge has absorbed water.
The conversation came back to my court reporting students.
Mom and Dad discussed how people learn steno theory, progress through specific areas, and then perhaps park. “That is when they are processing information. They have to process to move forward,” my dad said.
Mom nodded and said, “Amen.” Thus, my seed was planted.
With my new understanding of sponges and windows, the next time I saw my students expressing their frustration (after I had worked a very long day in the teaching and court reporting saddle myself) I said, “Your mind is like a brain. Your mind has to process information like a sponge in a glass of water. You’re not stuck. You are processing information. Once you fully process the information, you will progress.”
I was proud of myself until the class howled with laughter, “Your mind is like a brain? A brain? Oh, man, we’re going to put that on your tombstone. That was great!”
Okay, maybe not my finest moment behind the teacher’s desk, yet my “window” was working to assist each student that evening. And each student instantly “processed” the sponge in the glass of water and the window concept.
I now share how “you’re not stuck, you’re processing” was gifted to me, and how I then gifted it my students and to thousands of court reporters, instructors, and to students thereafter.
I also share with all my students that Yoga (which I do every day) has a concept comparing stretching to a kitchen cabinet. When a door is stuck, one does not have the greatest result pulling against the door.
The best effort to release a stuck kitchen door is to gently lean into the stuck door. This releases the pressure.
Stretch, gently release, then lean into the stretch for greater results. (We used to post students – as guards – outside my classrooms, so I could teach them specific Yoga techniques.)
That night and whenever I have had the teaching, tutoring, and public speaking opportunity after “your mind is like a brain,” I have witnessed shifts in progress and in focus.
Students saw the correlation to a child effortlessly learning multiple languages and to Yoga and to that stuck kitchen cabinet door.
They were able to see the comparison to learning steno theory, to advancing in speedbuilding, and to achieving goals in school and on the job.
They embraced the lesson: “You are not stuck; you are processing.”
Perhaps the mind “is” like a brain with windows and opportunities as we then graduate; we seek perfection in our writing translation rates; and we continue to advance our skills – always seeking accuracy, always progressing, always processing.
You’re processing; you’re not stuck.
I wish each of you and your loved ones a “processing” Happy New Year.
— Monette, named the Court Reporting Whisperer by students, may be reached: Monette.purplebooks@CRRbooks.com
Purple Books – Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com * Advance skills, pass NCRA and State exams the 1st time
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal, CART Captioner, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Since 1990: Multiple Title Author of Books & Purple Books Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART Captioning Profession
An American RealTime/Captioning Services, LLC: www.ARTCS.com Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RDR, or a State exam? More than once? Purple Books “Done in One” has a 98% successful pass rate on exams with sets as evidenced by thousands of students and professionals who pass their RPR, CSR, and RDR exams on the first test. Testimonials: www.CRRbooks.com.
Reach Your Goals: http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29 Where do you want to go? Specific custom-designed guidance will efficiently assist you!
About Monette Benoit: As a 30+ year court reporter, CART captioner, author of NCRA and State test-prep material, instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and 225-homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands challenges many adults face in our industry.
In 1993, she began to CART caption to a large screen for a Deaf mass, San Antonio, Texas. Wonderful opportunities then presented from Big D, Little D, Oral Deaf, HOH consumers -each with special moments.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART captioners, students, instructors. She has helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is an informative, motivational, and funny blog for busy professionals and students who seek to create their success and who seek to enjoy this special path.
09 Apr 2020
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, Big D, Career Advancement, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coaching, college CART, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HOH, home-study, Interpreter, Kevin's Sister, Laney Fox, late deafened, Life Coach, Motivation, Oral Deaf, Real-Time, realtime dictionary, Remote Interpreting, RID Sign Interpreter, SHHH, Sign Interpreters, technology, Tutoring, WKT prep | Tags: Court Reporter Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Mark Cuss Said To The Nymphs: CART Captioning Latin Classes
~~ Originally published in my column “Beyond The Comfort Zone” within NCRA’s Journal of Court Reporting, JCR
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
The phone rang Friday at 2:30. “Would you realtime, CART, a class? We need you Monday morning. It started two months ago. Oh, it’s Latin.”
As an experienced court reporter, instructor, tutor, I’m not lucky enough to get math or physics. The university request was for two semesters. I’d get a textbook Monday. I gulped, accepting the opportunity in 1999.
On Monday morning the student arrived, looked at me and my equipment near her seat, and stopped. I wrote on my computer, “My name is Monette. I’ve been asked to help you. Today will be the worst day I write. I don’t have a textbook yet. We’ll work as a team. I promise I’ll get better.”
The teacher began class. I began Latin.
I kid you not, my first day, the start of my first class: Callisto and the nymphs were having a metamorphosis over the birth of Arcas, Juno and the constellations and Mark Cuss (sic) said to the nymphs …
I’ve receive so many requests for information on how to write, how to CART, Latin. I tease: one prefix, root word, suffix at a time, and lots of fingerspelling. And somehow it translates – well, almost.
That day as each student read, translating sentences, learning declensions and tenses, I stroked sounds. When each student spoke Latin, I wrote, “Student Speaking Latin.”
Later I heard a gasp, and my consumer pointed to my realtime screen. I’d written: “Speaking Spanish.” (I had just finished CARTing to two large screens in one large room, five days for a large international Latino convention.)
I shook my head and wrote, “No, I just drifted. It’s still Latin.”
Immediately, in realtime, mortified, I erased those words from the screen.
But she and I got the giggles. Having begun our team building, we were now in the trenches together.
Writing this article, I asked the consumer’s permission to share how I (try to) realtime Latin.
Laney Fox, toes tapping and filled with energy, insisted on sharing. Laney is deaf, raised oral deaf, and is now learning sign language.
We communicate with realtime, lipreading, sign language and gestures. Somehow it works. At the end of class I give her a rough ASCII disk (verbatim translation) of the entire class. Sometimes I’m reluctant to share it, but we’ve built a strong team communicating with each other and working with the university, instructor.
To provide CART (communication access realtime translation – voice-to-text) in this Latin class, I sit next to Laney with my computer on her desk. We share her text. I point to a selection if a student’s reading. If someone says a word I don’t know, I make a signed hand gesture (usually ASL), and Laney pushes the book to me (we’re sharing a desk for right-handed people; both of us are left-handed). I search for the word, fingerspell it and keep writing.
If the student’s reading from the book, I write, “Reading Latin” and point in the book as the student reads each word. (She likes to follow the class; this is her preference.)
If the student asks a question, I realtime each word to appear on the computer screen. When the professor gives explanations or references, I realtime each word.
Laney makes notes in the text and a notebook and reads my computer screen. As I learn more Latin (actually, sounds), I’m stitching words together. When she’s called upon, Laney translates Latin to English. She answers and asks questions. I stroke Latin phrases.
Sometimes Laney asks, “How do you pronounce that?”
The professor answers in Latin.
I phonetically stroke the word with spaces between sounds. She watches my phonetic translation and reads the word. (I always hold my breath.)
Initially I’d entered sounds in my dictionary when I was preparing to realtime. (I have CARTed to a large screen for St. Francis Di Paola, a Catholic Deaf mass, and various religious, interesting events since 1993.)
Preparing for religious events, I placed sounds with my asterick key, globaling strokes, so when I hit specific keys, they appear as phonetic, English sounds. I now can fingerspell a word faster than stroking it, but when it’s Latin, I have to rely on phonetics.
Sounds help me to help Laney in a Latin university setting at Trinity University.
Laney Fox shares, “Many people think it’s rude to correct a deaf person’s speech. It may be rude for strangers to do that, but after forming a relationship, I think it’s perfectly nice for someone to try to help out a deaf person’s speech.I know many vocabulary words. I simply don’t know how to pronounce them; English is one odd language. The words pronounced do not look the way they are written.”
One weekend I traveled to speak to a state court reporting convention.On my way back, Sunday afternoon, the airplane was canceled. I traveled all night to arrive in San Antonio with only minutes to get to class straight from the airport. I had on yesterday’s clothes.
I wrote, “This is not gonna be pretty; I’ve not slept in two days.”
Laney said, “You don’t have to be good today. It’s OK.”
My heart sang. This is why I do this. I worked so hard to “be good” for Laney.
After class, she said, “You were much better than I thought you were going to be. You were ‘good’ today.”
I sighed and placed my forehead down on the tiny desk on top of my warm computer.
Laney says, “I was so surprised to see Monette come in, telling me she was traveling all night. I would have stayed home and let her go through a class, clueless. After that, I learned her dedication to my involvement in Latin.”
If you want to provide this service, make sure you have a phonetic dictionary you can stroke. Become a confident fingerspeller. Build a rapport with the consumer and teacher. We’ve had challenges. But we’ve worked with gestures, signals and me asking, “Does this make sense?”
Listen for vents that open and close. External sounds interfere when students answer around your seat. Make sure you can hear everyone – front, back and to the side.
Don’t be afraid to tell the class when you have problems. If you can’t hear, others probably can’t hear.
Insist on faculty parking (since we haul heavy equipment, wear and tear dragging our equipment that is bumping over pavement may affect your computer, steno machine). You must have a text and all handouts.
I write all external sounds – sneezing, coughing, birds, stomachs grumbling. I am her ears. If I hear it, I write it.
Keep a sense of humor. Two months into the course, I phoned my dad. Emmett was raised in Jesuit schools, was an altar boy and graduated from Fordham University. He loves Latin.
When I told him about this assignment, he said, “You are in way over your head.”
I laughed and said, “Nope. Gonna do this one, do it well. I’m going to work hard, but I’m going to do this.”
So when I phoned to ask, “What is Ovid, Ovidian?” He howled.
Emmett said, “That’s the author of the huge orange text you’re carrying around. Haven’t you even looked at the cover?”
I laughed, “Nope, been everywhere else, but not the cover.”
After each class I look to Laney. She’s so forgiving and understanding. You must explain how and why words do not translate; why “funnies” pop up. She smirks and giggles when “stuff” appears.
Laney, “I love when we translate Latin stories in class. It’s fun to watch Monette. She frantically waves her arms when she can’t hear. I just love the energy to get me into class discussion.”
If I’d been told I’d be CARTing, realtiming, Latin and giving a rough ASCII verbatim disk to someone in a university classroom, I’d have never believed it. Not in a million years.
But now Marcus, those nymphs, the etymology of Latin with dative, conjugative, ablative, pluperfect, passive prosody applying to dactylic hexameter with basic rules of syntax trans – well, almost.
And it was just my luck to get a Latin honors students with whom I could expand my skills and learn so much about her world.
Today someone asked me how I was doing. I said, “I feel like a character on the I Love Lucy shows.”
The lady replied, “Without the soundtrack?”
Yeah – without the “sound-track”. But I’m looking forward to the final exam. After all, this is Latin.
And Laney Fox was first runner-up in the Deaf Texas Beauty Pageant. Yes, I am honored to be embraced within the deaf and HOH world. She and I are excited to share our passion for this technology with each of you.
Next we write Laney’s experiences and thoughts about receiving CART. Laney, “I want to share to help others. I really do.” Laney insists on sharing – as do I.
Monette, named the Court Reporting Whisperer by students, may be reached: Monette.purplebooks@CRRbooks.com
Purple Books – Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com * Advance skills, pass NCRA and State exams the 1st time
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal, CART Captioner, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Since 1990: Multiple Title Author of Books & Purple Books Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART Captioning Profession
An American RealTime/Captioning Services, LLC: www.ARTCS.com Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RDR, or a State exam? More than once? Purple Books “Done in One” has a 98% successful pass rate on exams with sets as evidenced by thousands of students and professionals who pass their RPR, CSR, and RDR exams on the first test. Testimonials: www.CRRbooks.com.
Reach Your Goals: http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29 Where do you want to go? Specific custom-designed guidance will efficiently assist you!
About Monette Benoit: As a 30+ year court reporter, CART captioner, author of NCRA and State test-prep material, instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and 225-homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands challenges many adults face in our industry.
In 1993, she began to CART caption to a large screen for a Deaf mass, San Antonio, Texas. Wonderful opportunities then presented from Big D, Little D, Oral Deaf, HOH consumers -each with special moments.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART captioners, students, instructors. She has helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is an informative, motivational, and funny blog for busy professionals and students who seek to create their success and who seek to enjoy this special path.
02 Apr 2020
Author: monette | Category: ADA, ASL, Big D, Captioner, Career Advancement, CART FAQ, CART provider, CART/captioning, Certify NCRA RPR Test Prep, Coach, Coaching, consultant, court reporter certification, Court Reporter Tutor, Court reporting students, court reporting test prep, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HOH, home-study, HV with HCV, Interpreter, late deafened, Life Coach, Management, Motivation, NCRA, Oral Deaf, pass tests, RDR CSR CCR, Real-Time, religious events, Remote Interpreting, RID Sign Interpreter, SHHH, Sign Interpreters, The Panama Story, time managment, Tutoring, WKT prep, Written Exam | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
She Never Speaks; She Spoke To You; Why Can’t She Just Learn English? She’s ‘only’ Deaf
~~ Originally published in my column “Beyond The Comfort Zone” within NCRA’s Journal of Court Reporting, JCR
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
One morning in June, I got an early start. The store was near empty. I had me a 2007 Christmas gift certificate. My mission: new dish towels. I went to the kitchen area. This was easier than I thought.
Avoiding clearance racks, I saw the perfect T-shirt on a shelf. I debated — must I? Ahead of schedule I stepped to my left just to look. I spotted a woman who had her head down and was folding a mountain of clothes scattered over a metal table. And I’m talking marine-inspection folding.
The woman looked up; I smiled politely. She nodded and continued folding. I paused long and deliberately before I decided to see if she was the person I thought she might be.
With one motion I made a gesture that often -only Deaf recognize. (It works very well, folks, Big D.) She tilted her head and smiled. Then her eyes sparkled. She did a small dance, head down, hands high in the air, before launching herself over that table to me.
I have not seen Stephie in ten years. Stephie is deaf, lives within the Big D-Deaf world.
I shook out my hands, signing, “Need put down purse. Signing rusty.” Placing my purse, towels on the table, planting my feet on the floor, standing tall, shoulders back, I began to (silently) talk with Stephie.
When I paused to sign or fingerspell, she signed with me, waiting while I struggled or correcting me (so very nice) as needed. This woman, who does not speak, began to laugh. Signing, she began to voice (words) and have sudden outbursts of sounds (words).
As I turned, I spotted employees watching. Customers approached, smiled at me (but not us), and then turned away. I asked Stephie if she might get in trouble for speaking to me. She laughed, “Nope.”
I asked if anyone in the store spoke or signed to her. “No,” she replied.
I asked how she communicates with her co-workers. Only her manager does – and only as needed. Then he ‘writes’ details on a small pad. I asked how she communicates with customers.
Stephie said that she tries to help, but “customers turn away, not responding.”
I winced. But Stephie beamed, stroking my face and hand, “I found you!”
In my rush that morning, I did not put on my wedding ring. She knows my husband from the years he was my “roadie” (his term) every Sunday when I CARTed to St. Frances Di Paola’s large screen for the Deaf mass. Stephie reached for my ringless hand, holding my ringless finger.
She shrugged and with hands in the air, she voiced loudly, “Sorry. It happens.”
I doubled over with laughter. Stephie then voiced, “Oops.”
This Deaf community is tight. When a hearing person is embraced into the Deaf world, it is an honor. In 1993, an elder within the Deaf community, gifted me with a sign name and named me “Our Token Hearing Girl” sharing my CART skills, learning from their culture. Oh, we have funny moments and memories.
Our conversation lasted 20 minutes. Now I was late. We exchanged information.
I signed, “Late. Must go.” She understood. Good-bye lasted 10 minutes with hugs, she touching my arm, my hand.
One employee who watched Stephie and I pointed to her register. I’m still holding only dish towels. Easy, right?
Anna looks like Priscilla Presley, early 1960s. She takes my towels and said, “She spoke to you.”
I blinked and looked at her hair and eye makeup.
Anna, “She spoke to you.”
I smiled, “We’re old friends.”
Anna paused, then leaned on her register, “She spoke to you. I heard her. She said words ‘to’ you.”
I smiled, “Stephie’s deaf. She communicates with sign language. How much do I owe?”
Anna, “She never speaks; she spoke to you. I don’t understand her. I’d like to …”
I almost put my forehead on that register counter. I’m thinking, “Please, God, don’t let this be a mini-deaf sensitivity seminar. I need to head to my office. I have court reporters and court reporting students confirmed for tutoring this morning and afternoon. Peter Rabbit here must run.”
Anna whispered, “You spoke to her. She understood you. She ‘heard’ you. How does that happen?”
I exhaled slowly without sighing. I looked to the people behind me and asked, “Anyone in a hurry?”
Each person (a first) shook their head.
Customers replied, “I have all the time in the world.”
“I’ve always wanted to learn about sign language — those deaf mutes.”
When I looked up — as I knew would be — Stephie watched, head down. She understood. I made eye contact with Stephie and smiled.
I slowly began my mini-seminar. “Stephie is an intelligent woman to work in a place where no one speaks her language – or will try.”
Anna asked, “But why do her words come up in wrong places?”
Me, “Well, Anna, her language ASL, American Sign Language, is a conceptual language created by hearing people long ago in France.”
Anna, “Why can’t she read lips? She stays to herself. She seems nice.”
I asked, “Has anyone here ever sat with her in the break room?” Anna shook her head. “Stephie wants to communicate,” I said.
Anna earnestly, “But sometimes her words don’t sound like English, yet you understood what she was saying. I watched. You two had a real conversation. Some words are louder than they should be. Can’t she just learn English?”
I winced. Calmly, I took a deep breath, shared tips about Big D, Deaf, sign language. “Stephie does know English. Her first language is ASL.”
Placing my towels in a store bag, I asked for the total. Customers leaned forward to listen when Anna whispered, “I wish I was brave enough to do what you did with her.”
Slowly counting to myself, I softly replied, “Start with one word. When you see her on break, coming into work or leaving, start with one word.”
I showed Anna several signs (and a few funny slang signs) to encourage and motivate her. I added, “And it’s fun.”
Anna finally totaled those dang towels and said, “Thank you for helping deaf people and for taking time to help us – who wish we could understand them.”
Me, “But you can.”
Anna, “No, no, I wish I could, but I can’t. Thank you for helping me and for helping us to understand.”
With one quick, shy motion, Anna raced around the counter and hugged me. Then she sprinted back to her register. Customers then thanked me “for helping those people.” I avoided sighing.
I closed the seminar, “Deaf have a wonderful culture with a beautiful language. We must learn from each other.”
I slowly looked down the aisle; I knew she was watching. Stephie nodded. She understood. I signed good-bye to Anna. Overhand I signed (the personal) “I love you” to Stephie. I took my towels and departed with my head down. I wondered what I could have or should have said to her coworkers to have had a more positive result.
Then a large UPS truck flew past me. Stopping on a dime, the driver leaned out the doorless truck and waved overhand. I blinked. Last year, he was stung by a bee at his previous delivery. He’s allergic to bees. After I signed for my delivery I treated his neck ‘timing’ to see if his bee reaction would need hospitalization.
While watching this UPS shorts-wearing dude with dark eyeglasses, energetically waving overhand to me, I thought about Anna and how wonderful it was to have found Stephie. I thanked God for life’s grand memory-moments.
Then like the little Peter Rabbit, this bunny went back to her world – thankful for Stephie’s friendship and her laughter that morning.
I phoned the sign interpreter Stephie requested, sharing Stephie’s message.
My friend howled with laughter, “Dish towels with a 2007 Christmas certificate? Oh, Monette, you need to shop for better things. What ya doing tomorrow? Let’s meet there, see Stephie. Let’s go have us some real fun over there.”
Perhaps we did; perhaps we did. Stephie and I wish Happy Holidays to each of you and your families.
—-Monette, named the Court Reporting Whisperer by students, may be reached: Monette.purplebooks@CRRbooks.com
Purple Books – Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com * Advance skills, pass NCRA and State exams the 1st time
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal, CART Captioner, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Since 1990: Multiple Title Author of Books & Purple Books Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART Captioning Profession
An American RealTime/Captioning Services, LLC: www.ARTCS.com Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RDR, or a State exam? More than once? Purple Books “Done in One” has a 98% successful pass rate on exams with sets as evidenced by thousands of students and professionals who pass their RPR, CSR, and RDR exams on the first test. Testimonials: www.CRRbooks.com.
Reach Your Goals: http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29 Where do you want to go? Specific custom-designed guidance will efficiently assist you!
About Monette Benoit: As a 30+ year court reporter, CART captioner, author of NCRA and State test-prep material, instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and 225-homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands challenges many adults face in our industry.
In 1993, she began to CART caption to a large screen for a Deaf mass, San Antonio, Texas. Wonderful opportunities then presented from Big D, Little D, Oral Deaf, HOH consumers -each with special moments.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART captioners, students, instructors. She has helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is an informative, motivational, and funny blog for busy professionals and students who seek to create their success and who seek to enjoy this special path.
18 Mar 2020
Author: monette | Category: 95 % pass rate written exam, CART provider, Coaching, consultant, HLAA, Life Coach, NCRA RPR Test Prep WKT skills RMR RDR CSR CCR, RPR Test Prep, Tutor, Uncategorized, www.CRRbooks.com
Our Words Are Our O.R., Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Part III:
In response to my words and to my father’s words about my “listening”, Ms. D.O.N. then said, “I still don’t like the look on her face,” and left the room.
I thought about Frazier Crane’s, “I’m listening, Seattle…” and watched her backside exit the doorway as each person counted down, in unison.
Together, the professionals raised all equipment and my father.
They called to me, and I followed their brisk steps.
In realtime, my eyebrows are permanently raised; my breath controlled as I seek to avoid upsetting my father (as I continue to do with Mom’s dire health issues).
Later, in ER, as I hunted for water and pudding (any food), Dad weakly asked, “What are you thinking about?”
I shrugged, “Maybe an article.”
He giggled, “I thought so. You have my permission. I need to rest now.” His head immediately slumped to his chest.
When I returned with crackers and peanut butter on two plastic spoons, Dad said, “This is not your playground.” Then he smiled.
I put a cracker and some peanut butter into my mouth and chewing I said, “Sure it is. I can’t make lemonade here, now can I? I’m doing the best I can right now. And I still can listen while chewing this stale food. This ‘is’ awful.” Again, he smiled.
The ER doctor entered the room, read the lab results, and confirmed “we are in dangerous territory right now.”
Within 48 hours, we were back in O.R. for the second attempt to surgically place the feeding tube.
(Dad was too weak for the first attempt. The anesthesiologist pulled him from the O.R. table after he had been cleared by all the other doctors.)
After hours of waiting, I stood in another small area.
A blanket was draped over my shoulders. I was proofing work from a multi-event CART, Communication Access Realtime Translation, job.
Standing, I was rubbing my back on the wall to warm my body as I held work in my hands, head down, proofing.
Another surgeon came in the room and began to speak as he opened the door.
I said, “Here, let me put this down.”
Yet again, I saw that look and yet again heard a sigh.
He exhaled, sat down, and (I swear) said, “Okay, I’ll wait for you then.”
I pursed my lips, did not engage, and asked, “How is my father?”
The surgeon sat there and (I swear) asked if I was ready to listen to him.
I thought, “Oh, for the love of God. Just one calm moment. Just one helpful person, please.”
Instead, I smiled at the dude, kept the blanket around my shoulders, sat in a chair, and listened to his words and (dire) medical terms.
I maintained the court reporter posture that we all know – expressionless.
Yes, I realtimed his conversation in my head, with punctuation, to avoid having a response other than as a court reporter.
I focused the way I used to when a full jury was listening to a witness or the judge.
We do not have reactions in court or during litigation.
My focus was to display the expressionless posture and features from the moment he began to rattle on — oh, at approximately 260 words per minute.
(Yes, we do that, too.
We think about the speed of the words, known as ‘words per minute’, to us, as in a speed test.)
When he finished, I walked to my car, placed my forehead on my blistering hot steering wheel – inside my hot car that felt oh so good.
I kept my sweater on under the surgical blanket as I warmed my body in my car. I also focused on focusing.
I focused on the bigger picture at that moment.
The bigger picture was not me crying, banging the steering wheel, or venting my frustrations and grief for what I have been witnessing. I focused on focus.
The focus was simple as I sat remembering to breathe in, then breathe out. Then repeat.
Why am I writing this?
Nurses and staff have again (it happened with Mom in ICU multiple times, too) made additional comments, which I have not included here.
I am deliberately focused on staying in the moment.
I have not kicked any walls or thrown anything. I have not whined.
I have not sniffled.
I have listened.
I am not willing to discuss what others (perhaps the word is “outsiders”) think about our court reporting work and our working with my work while a parent -or two- is in ER, ICU, O.R., or within any hospital setting.
Now when individuals meet me, as the RN today, she approached saying, “Yes, I’ve heard about you…”
Now a generation of family members under me narrow their eyes, pursing their lips as they look to me and to the person who voiced those words. Listening, they frown more now.
When you read this essay, it may be 103 degrees. Time will tell where I think my family is headed.
I believe that I will still be listening and proofing my articles.
I will still proof my CART work and ensuring (technical events) my clients receive customized results for their unique requests.
I will continue to proof work as I update the “NCRA RPR, CSR, CBC, CCP Written Knowledge Test” textbook, workbook, and companion study guide.
This is my passion. This is my work.
This is why we are keepers of the records, yes?
My opinion is we become disciplined with our listening skills – as it should be.
I hope no one travels my path for the past four years.
I wish you all great health and wonderful adventures.
I know we will continue to be ‘the’ listeners in each group.
This is what I have learned. Words are our O.R.
Part I of III is posted May 2, 2014, Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted May 14, 2014, Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted May 29, 2014, Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Career Coach,
Multiple-Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting and CART Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
“Get ‘eR Done in Just One” – as evidenced by the many students and professionals who study Court Reporter Reference Books to pass their RPR, CSR, and RDR exams on the first test. Testimonials are online — from students, instructors, program directors, CART Captioners, novice and senior court reporters, www.CRRbooks.com.
** Pedagogically sound, covering a wealth of material with facts, tips, and comprehensive information, the Purple Books from CRRbooks.com are time-tested and proven in the classroom with educators and with independent study.
The “Complete NCRA RPR, RDR, and CSR Test Prep Textbook, 6th Edition” has greatly expanded testing tips, testing focus, NCRA COPE Ethics, grammar sections, plus — legal, Latin, court, English, grammar, vocabulary, medical, technology and computer chapters. www.CRRbooks.com
The Workbook contains **2,002 practice test questions; the Companion Study Guide cross-references every word in the workbook’s 2,002 multiple-choice text practice questions.
The “Full Test Prep Set” and “Trio Test Prep” – each listed on www.CRRbooks.com
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and career coaching? Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Tutoring and career coaching topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and career coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, create new possibilities, advance their career, author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exams and for their career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART Captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Career Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? ** What have you ‘really’ wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
* No two are alike. Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART Captioner, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART Captioners, students, and instructors.
She has also helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day. Reach up. Bring it. * Bring it today!
29 May 2014
Author: monette | Category: 95 % pass rate written exam, CART provider, Coaching, Court Reporter Tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, Goal Setting, HCV, home-study, Kevin's Sister, Monette Benoit, NCRA RPR Test Prep, NCRA test prep, time managment, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, www.CRRbooks.com
Thumb Wrestling and Smoken; Ask The Coach, Part III of III
By Monette Benoit
All Rights Reserved.
Part I began: Did you know there is a Thumb Wrestling Federation, TWF, and the United Kingdom has World Thumb Wrestling Championships? This is serious business for a sport originally called “thumb-a-war.”
How does this relate to court reporters, CART – Communication Access Realtime Translation – providers, broadcast captioners, and students? …
Years ago, I wrote “CART FAQ, Falling On Deaf Ears” a series of articles posted on my blog, Monette’s Musings, and online by NCRA.
I have CARTed college-level Latin for an oral deaf honors student. I did not know Latin. I stroked sounds, which tranned, translated, as Latin.
I spent many years CARTing church services to a large screen for a Catholic mass devoted to people who are Deaf. A sign interpreter was always present, and we worked side by side.
Additionally, I have CARTed funeral services, baptisms, retirement parties, large conventions, technical meetings, medical events, Quinceanera celebrations, the McGruff Dog, puppets, a mime (yes, a deaf mime), plays, musicals, clairvoyants, Girl Scout groups, Knights of Columbus, and multiple intimate settings.
Part II began: My thumb wrestling referral above was for the moments when I work with students and professionals who tell me
“I was not able to find my thumbs today.”
Yes, we have a few days like that. If you are outside our profession and are reading this, I want you to know that those
moments are rare. Truly.
While tutoring and coaching students and veteran reporters who are seeking to meet new goals and to create a higher skill set I listen to people share their private moments when fingers just do not go where they “should go.” In short, it happens.
My initial thumb wrestling comment was shared within a tutor/coach setting with an experienced judicial reporter preparing for
advanced NCRA certification. It was said in jest; we both laughed.
Soon, someone called my office for “certifying test prep material.”
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs, www.CRRbooks.com, has a 95 % success pass for candidates testing the first time with our test prep material.
Quickly, I learned that this request for “test prep” had nothing to do with court reporting or with any legal field.
When I stated that I was not able to help him, he began to tell me about his work, his stresses, his frustrations, his needs.
Not wanting to be rude, and needing to create a boundary after I stated multiple times, “I do not have access to the material
you are seeking,” I was brought to his reality when he exhaled, “I just feel like I’m all thumbs. I need to smoke that test. I mean, when I start something I approach it with smoken attitude.”
I sat in my chair staring at the ceiling, hands folded in my lap, waiting for the moment to politely end the call as he picked up speed and energy.
When he referred to “thumbs” and “smoken,” I shared about thumb wresting.
The man said, “I love that! And while I have you, I have always wanted to know how that funny, little back machine works. Did you know it has no letters on the black keys?”
I did not sigh, groan, or exhale.
“Really? I’ll have to research that,” I said softly.
He did not sigh, groan, or exhale.
“You know this. You just want to get off the phone, right?” he said.
“That’s accurate,” I replied.
Then we had us a long silence.
He broke our silence: “Well, since I’m all thumbs, and you do not have anything to help me, I’m going to look into the thumb
wrestling, so when I’m prepared for my test, I’ll smoke my test. And I’ll probably phone you again for tutoring and coaching.
You’ve already helped me, and God knows that I will need more help! I need a life coach now.”
Thumb wrestling, our steno machine, our exacting work, clients and consumers, test prep material, people outside our
profession, all thumbs, advancing credentials, setting new goals, advancing skills, private tutoring, life coaching, and smoken.
In short, there we have it. The end.
Part I of III is posted March 17, 2014, Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted April 11, 2014, Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted April 29, 2014, Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Life Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam? Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment life coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment life coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment life coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book,
and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering
in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Life Coaching http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private life coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced
professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek
to create their success each day.
29 Apr 2014
Author: monette | Category: 95 % pass rate written exam, Career Advancement, CART provider, Coaching, consultant, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court reporting students, court reporting test prep, Court Reporting Whisperer, CSR RPR, Goal Setting, HCV, HV with HCV, Life Coach, Students, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Fears, Toughest Part Is Words, Spot On, and Our Normal, Part II of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Part I began: One student, in the 225 wpm (words per minute) exit room in a court reporting program, “is scared to death of passing the state certification test and national certification. Then people will see that I can’t write accurately! I changed almost everything in my theory to brief forms, one strokes, to pass my tests. I was told to do this to advance in my speed classes. Everyone is doing this! I read through all my errors on each test! I passed each speed by being lucky, remembering what was said in the 5-minute test, and by hearing a test that I had heard before …. And I learned a good realtime theory! … Help me.”
A nationally certified court reporter now providing CART, Communication Access Realtime Translation …
Part II of III:
Softly, I replied, “Perhaps you do not want to swan dive into the mind games.”
As the holidays approach I want to softly suggest that you can create new opportunities with small steps to energize your focus.
We each can evolve to a better “spot” when we choose opportunities or when we are given ultimatums, yes?
Perhaps there has never been a better time to expand your skills.
Spot on, yes?
Or perhaps you believe there has to be a “secret sauce” to reaching your goal, your desired result.
Where do you want to be in three months? Three weeks? Tomorrow at 3:00?
Yet you know that once you reach your goal your tenacity will instantly focus on the creation of the next hurdle (we often use that word) and then on to the next challenge.
We are not individuals who “rest on laurels…” (See my July 2010 article “Resting on Laurels” posted on www.monettebenoit.com and published in my column “Beyond The Comfort Zone” within the Journal of Court Reporting, JCR.)
Our “normal” is setting goals and expanding our world with new skills. This is our normal. We do this every day. Sometimes we do this realtiming word by word. Fact.
Why am I writing about this now? I want you to know that you are not alone. Fact.
Attorneys are requesting more and expecting more. Consumers and audiences want more, too.
The awareness for unprecedented access by the public to an instant record from court reporters, broadcast captioners, and CART providers has astoundingly changed our profession.
We are taught realtime theories, working with wonderful CAT, computer assisted translation, software on powerful computers with computerized steno writers that have transformed our schools, our training, and our work. Fact.
Perhaps the key to expanding and to growing our skill-set as a student, as a court reporter, instructor, CART provider, and captioner is to know that our journey is dedicated to a gateway wherein we preserve the instant spoken word. How you interact with the gateway, with your expectations, may be a matter of simply refocusing your focus.
Part I of III is posted November 14, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted December 5, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted December 20, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Career Coach,
Multiple-Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting and CART Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
“Get ‘eR Done in Just One” – as evidenced by the many students and professionals who study Court Reporter Reference Books to pass their RPR, CSR, and RDR exams on the first test. Testimonials are online — from students, instructors, program directors, CART Captioners, novice and senior court reporters, www.CRRbooks.com.
** Pedagogically sound, covering a wealth of material with facts, tips, and comprehensive information, the Purple Books from CRRbooks.com are time-tested and proven in the classroom with educators and with independent study.
The “Complete NCRA RPR, RDR, and CSR Test Prep Textbook, 6th Edition” has greatly expanded testing tips, testing focus, NCRA COPE Ethics, grammar sections, plus — legal, Latin, court, English, grammar, vocabulary, medical, technology and computer chapters. www.CRRbooks.com
The Workbook contains **2,002 practice test questions; the Companion Study Guide cross-references every word in the workbook’s 2,002 multiple-choice text practice questions.
The “Full Test Prep Set” and “Trio Test Prep” – each listed on www.CRRbooks.com
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and career coaching? Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Tutoring and career coaching topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and career coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, create new possibilities, advance their career, author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exams and for their career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART Captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Career Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? ** What have you ‘really’ wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
* No two are alike. Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART Captioner, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART Captioners, students, and instructors.
She has also helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day. Reach up. Bring it. * Bring it today!
05 Dec 2013
Author: monette | Category: Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, CART provider, Coaching, consultant, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court reporting students, Court Reporting Whisperer, HCV, Life Coach, Monette's Musings, Students, The Panama Story, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, Uncategorized, Written Knowledge Test
Fears, Toughest Part Is Words, Spot On, and Our Normal, Part I of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Part I of III:
One student, in the 225 wpm (words per minute) exit room in a court reporting program, “is scared to death of passing the state certification test and national certification. Then people will see that I can’t write accurately! I changed almost everything in my theory to brief forms, one strokes, to pass my tests. I was told to do this to advance in my speed classes. Everyone is doing this!
“I read through all my errors on each test! I passed each speed by being lucky, remembering what was said in the 5-minute test, and by hearing a test that I had heard before …. And I learned a good realtime theory! Now I am scared that an employer will see all the mistakes that I am making. I cannot realtime! Not at all as I read through the errors. My dictionary is so messed up with the entries I added and changed. This was just to pass tests! I had to do this to be able to stay in the school and not have my student loans called in. Now what do I do? Who will hire someone who cannot realtime? Help me.”
Another student in the 180 wpm class “recently enrolled in the 100 wpm class to learn how to really write and how to pass tests. I had to go to the owner of the school to do this. The school was not happy. Other students became upset, too, as they are having big problems, too. And my family is not happy! Yet I know what I have to do to be able to read my notes. My theory is a compilation of theories in a notebook given to me by the school, and I have no dictionary!” the student shared. “Where do I start to finish?”
A nationally certified court reporter now providing CART, Communication Access Realtime Translation, “may soon be replaced by a summary service, like Typewell, not a verbatim record. What do I do now? I worked evenings and weekends to assist everyone for years and years. What do I do now?”
Another certified court reporter requested tutoring as she is teaching herself a new theory, teaching herself how to CART, and how to caption while reporting during the day and while teaching in the evening. “I have to do this or I will be replaced …”
One court reporter, now in court, was recently called into the manager’s office while reporting a jury trial and told “you must become certified asap or you will lose your job.” The reporter then asked me, “I’ll have to join NCRA, National Court Reporters Association, to get my certs now, right? Can you help me asap?”
I listen to each with respect. Each person has unique challenges.
Each person has, in my professional opinion, unique opportunities to excel in the direction which will serve their immediate goals and their long-term goals.
Each person serves our profession – as working professionals, as instructors guiding our wonderful profession, and as students seeking to graduate.
Many students privately share with me, “I need to earn the big bucks to pay off my massive student loans. Some students owe over $ 30,000. I know people who owe well over $ 40,000 and stay in school just so their loans won’t be called in. Then we pay thousands more per semester, and we are not passing tests!”
One of my favorite sentences was voiced by a professional sharing “professional” frustrations, after receiving NCRA results. The judicial court reporter said, “The toughest part is the words. It’s that simple, Monette.”
This is the same court reporter who while working to pass the national RPR, Register Professional Reporter, then the CCP, Certified CART Provider, and then CRR, Certified Realtime Reporter, asked me each time as we worked together, “What should I work on? Should I just read Webster’s dictionary?”
The reporter wrote recently, “Thanks for my Buck-Up Speech each time. I needed that. I know I passed each test. Yet it really wasn’t as bad as I tried to make it out each time after working with you. Now what should I work toward? What is next on my list, Monette?”
I know this court reporter likes a busy plate. Do you?
One student wrote, “I am writing cleaner. I feel a pass coming soon. I shouldn’t be focusing on what other everyone else is doing, right? When someone passes a test in my class sometimes I get mad at them. They are not working as hard as I am – I think. Then I am upset with myself for thinking that. Like you say, it’s all about me, right? Focus on me.” That week this student passed her two certifying exit speed tests.
Working with another student, the student said, “Wow, Monette, you sure took the saddle off that elephant, and I now have to choose a better path, right?”
Part I of III is posted November 14, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted December 5, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted December 20, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Career Coach,
Multiple-Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting and CART Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
- Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
“Done in Just One” – as evidenced by the many students and professionals who study Court Reporter Reference Books to pass their RPR, CSR, and RDR exams on the first test. Testimonials are online — from students, instructors, program directors, CART Captioners, novice and senior court reporters, www.CRRbooks.com.
** Pedagogically sound, covering a wealth of material with facts, tips, and comprehensive information, the Purple Books from CRRbooks.com are time-tested and proven in the classroom with educators and with independent study.
The “Complete NCRA RPR, RDR, and CSR Test Prep Textbook, 7th Edition” has greatly expanded testing tips, testing focus, NCRA COPE Ethics, grammar sections, plus — legal, Latin, court, English, grammar, vocabulary, medical, technology and computer chapters. www.CRRbooks.com
The Workbook contains **2,002 practice test questions; the Companion Study Guide cross-references every word in the workbook’s 2,002 multiple-choice text practice questions.
The “Complete Prep Set” and “Trio Test Prep” – each listed on www.CRRbooks.com
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and career coaching? Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Tutoring and career coaching topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and career coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, create new possibilities, advance their career, author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exams and for their career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART Captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Career Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? ** What have you ‘really’ wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
- No two are alike. Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART Captioner, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART Captioners, students, and instructors.
She has also helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day. Reach up. Bring it. * Bring it today!
14 Nov 2013
Author: monette | Category: Captain Kevin Donnelly, CART provider, Coaching, Court Reporting Whisperer, CRRbooks.com, Goal Setting, HV with HCV, Life Coach, Test Prep, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, Uncategorized, Written Knowledge Test | Tags: CNN, Criminal Court, Dr. Vincent Di Maio, Expert Witness, Forensics, M.E., Medical Examiner, Texas, Zimmerman Trial
Dr. Vincent Di Maio, Expert Witness, Part I of III
By Monette Benoit,
All Rights Reserved.
Part I of III
Dr. Vincent Di Maio recently testified as a forensic pathologist for the defense in the State of Florida vs. George Zimmerman. He is consistently described “as a legend.”
Watching Dr. Di Maio on CNN’s live coverage, he detailed his background, and his work as Chief Medical Examiner, M.E., for Bexar County, Texas.
For the court reporter, he said, “It is spelled B-e-x-a-r and pronounced ‘bear’ ” …
Dr. Di Maio is recognized in San Antonio for his forensic work as our M.E., his testimony in court, teaching at UTSA, and for his many professional and personal contributions.
Our paths crossed early 1980s when he was considered “new” in Bexar County.
One morning I learned Dr. Di Maio was called as an expert witness and M.E. to testify in a criminal trial I was reporting.
Professionals approached me, “He knows his work; you’ll have to interrupt. He’s fast.”
I looked to the 12-person jury seated on this murder trial; Dr. Di Maio entered. He had a file under his right arm; he wasted no steps entering the witness box.
He looked to me, inches away, and said, “I’m fast,” as he sat. I displayed no reaction, per my work. Dr. Di Maio was duly sworn.
During my first two years as a court reporter I reported 30-plus doctors almost every morning. (Many doctors were eager to get back to their office. Many did not want to testify, sharing their work. They voiced their dissatisfaction about having to wait for their scheduled time and therefore, were incredibly fast.) Resulting from that work, reporters shared brief forms with me for CVs, schools, and medical terms, phrases, and acronyms rattled off at rocket speeds. Tapes were “illegal.” You “got it” or you “interjected.”
My first year I still remember the 3-plus hours I researched anti-butazolidin alka, a drug not yet on the market – before the Internet. Just another good day at the office, yes?
When Dr. Di Maio began his qualifications, I had multiple one-strokers for medical terms and words that he shared. He watched my hands on my steno machine. He was keenly aware of the court reporter.
He did share “fast” words about his schooling, his background, prior work – long before attorneys approached his work to qualify him as expert witness and medical examiner.
Dr. Di Maio spoke, I stroked. He continued to watch my hands.
During a bench conference, he asked if I was okay.
Due to his reputation as a fast speaker, which he acknowledged, and his attention to exacting detail I gave him a hand gesture that I was okay. (Perhaps the gesture could be interpreted as “faster.” I remember his laughter.)
He finished his qualifications and M.E. details. He was accepted as an expert by the attorneys and court. Testimony began.
Part I of III is posted October 5, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted October 15, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted October 30, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
05 Oct 2013
Author: monette | Category: CART provider, Coaching, court reporter test prep, Court Reporting Whisperer, Goal Setting, HV with HCV, Kevin Drue Donnelly, Life Coach, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, Uncategorized | Tags: "The Road Not Taken", ADA, Hard of Hearing, Medicare, MRSA
The Final Frontier: Nolo Contendere, Guilty, Part I
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
September 5, 2013
Part I of III
Court reporters are a disciplined breed. This is reinforced as I move through my professional and personal world.
“The final frontier” is a metaphor. I was encouraged to write this as I trolled this topic past professionals, court reporters, broadcast captioners, CART providers, instructors, and students that I am tutoring and coaching. Guilty.
Court reporters listen with laser focus. I have listened to individuals, doctors, speak – a lot.
When specialists have finished long sentences, often I am asked “Have any questions?”
Often, I shake my head.
When I am asked why I don’t have any questions I have replied, “The good news is that the patient does not have the diagnosis that you thought was causing the problem. The bad news is that you don’t know what’s causing the problem.”
Not often, the specialist asks, “How’d you do that?”
Rarely, will I share, “Degree in listening.”
Often, I reply, “I listened.”
“The final frontier” I am referencing here is the late chapter in my mother’s life. Professionals repeatedly prep me for “the inevitable” as Mom has repeatedly gone to death’s door.
Recently, white coats, “She’ll die if she doesn’t have surgery; she may die from surgery.”
Mom, in her Texas southern drawl, “I know I’m going to die; I’m not ready yet. God is my roommate. He’s here all the time. My husband is with Him.”
I work to keep my court reporter posture as individuals gasp. (I gasp later in my car, sans witnesses.)
The final frontier … Dad’s health failed while he was taking care of Mom. Dad died while Mom was ill. I stepped forward and listened (on Dad’s path) as Dad worked to live. A brother now has dire health issues.
As Mom’s guardian and following her path, I am continually asked to sign documents that require a witness. Yet 99.9 percent of the time, when I am asked to sign, and when I ask for a copy, I hear, “It’s for our file.”
I do not sigh; I do not bang my head on their counter.
Slowly, silently, I count two Mississippi-s.
Softly I say, “Attorneys prepped this. You require a signature and a witness. I request a copy.”
Then I wait while a committee is formed to decide if I should get a copy. Guilty.
The final frontier consists of “avoiding stepping on toes.” (A common phrase.) I teased Dad (a man who had major medical background) while he was in hospitals, “Let’s do it; let’s get us real answers.”
Dad would tilt his head, smile, “No, my M.O. is to avoid stepping on their toes.”
I watched seven physicians round – many who did not read his chart prior to entering the room – and far too many times, his physicians were not consulting each other unless they happened to see each other in Dad’s hospital room at the foot of his bed.
The words “Guilty, not guilty, nolo contendere? Just answer the question,” have imprinted my thinking.
The day my mother had her latest major surgery, I witnessed quickened pace of the O.R., then frantic staff in ICU, intensive care. I was told, “It would be best if you come tomorrow …”
Since I had selected the surgical team I had to trust them do their job. Yet I knew we were in serious waters.
After my mother’s complete deterioration from ICU hospital acquired MRSA and pseudomas lung bacteria, surgery was the least of our worries. Mom was abruptly discharged. (That was code for: “Medicare won’t pay.”) No facility wanted Mom’s required isolation.
Repeatedly, I was told, “We’d need to pull a Medicare bed. That reduces our income.” I replied, “You’re kidding me, right?” Nope.
Later, the lead surgeon opened a room. Hospital social workers spoke off the record. “You need to contact the county ombudsman. It’s against the law to tell you …” I listened and focused on another gurney entering Mom’s room for transport.
Hindsight is a wonderful gift. Realtime is a shock, day after day.
When the ambulance arrived, Mom, on oxygen and hooked up to multiple machines, was crying. I needed to sign documents, “Hurry,” they said.
Head down, I read the first paragraph. The first reaction I hear over and over and over? Deep sighs. Then I heard, “Just sign it. It’s important.”
I read until I saw “Patient Arrested.” I pointed to the line. Ambulance EMTs who were gowned for isolation with gloves and masks, and nurses in the room, abruptly inhaled.
Me: “Arrested? Define, please.” An EMT: “We’re in a hurry.”
Part I of III is posted September 5, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted September 16, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted September 27, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
05 Sep 2013
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, Big D, Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, Career Advancement, CART provider, CART/captioning, Court Reporter Tutor, court reporting test prep, Court Reporting Whisperer, CRRbooks.com, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HOH, late deafened, Life Coach, Monette's Musings, NCRA WKT, Real-Time, SHHH, technology, Tutor & Empowerment Coach | Tags: AGB Association, Glaucoma, Hard of Hearing Adults and Children, Hearing Loss, HLA, HOH, Titanium Tympanoplasty
Titanium Technology and Glaucoma Effects, Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
August 11, 2013
Part I and II began: The nurse, RN, was speaking to me about my mother’s recent ICU, intensive care unit, discharge when overhead speakers broadcast a doctor’s page. He cupped one hand over the back of each ear. I watched, sans comment.
I am witnessing many medical professionals with hearing loss…
He said softly, “Don’t tell anyone. I have hearing loss.”
I nodded, “I see that you have coping skills to assist you.”
“You noticed?” he replied. Me, “Yes, sir. Due to my work.”
Mom tells everyone, every shift, “My daughter is a court reporter, a teacher, and she’s an author …”
I was prepared to not pursue this topic. However, I find 99 percent of people who have hearing loss do want to detail their world with me. I listen, humbled, learning from each.
He said, “Most people don’t notice. My wife’s worse! She’s the one I worry about. I’ll tell you tomorrow, okay?” I nodded.
We returned to our task – “required gowning with gloves and mask in the hall before entering.”
He asked how I was familiar with hearing loss. I shared “court reporter, CART provider, captioner, consultant.”
This nurse said, “My wife and children have serious issues. I just have hearing loss. But I know what I want before I lose my hearing.”
“My wife has glaucoma. When she was a teen she took glaucoma medicine to decrease her eye pressure. The medicine also decreases inner ear pressure and damages nerves. Her hearing loss now is from medicine long ago. What’s worse than that?”
“Each generation then has hearing loss from the parent’s medicine.”
My eyes were as big as saucers as I listened to this man talk about the glaucoma medicine and generational effects.
He summed it up, “Tomorrow I’ll tell you what I want. I probably won’t get it. Yet I have to have hopes. Right?”
The next day, this nurse sprang from his chair as I entered to visit Mom isolated with MRSA, pseudomonosis, and additional ICU sterile lung bacteria.
“I’ve been waiting for you. I told my wife about you and court reporters. We know all about your work. We thank you and your profession for helping us. Once I tell you what I really want, could you tell me how to help my 12-year old?” I nodded.
I whipped out my iPad, asked permission to write notes.
He said, “Sure! Let’s go look at the latest and greatest. It’s not well known, but it could be once the price comes down. And with glaucoma patients and their children’s children – and their children – they’re all going to need your help.”
Part III of III
Since English is each son’s first language I shared about the Alexander Graham Bell Association. I shared AGB techniques. Children work with balloons voicing sounds. Balloons bounce and have specific reactions to vocal sounds and exhalations of breath. Older children (and adults) often work with lit candles. If the flame is extinguished, the exhalation was not appropriate for that sound.
“Fascinating!,” he said.
Now he took notes saying, “My wife insisted I ask you. Insisted!”
I detailed the Hearing Loss Association, HLA, and other groups. I shared that each association has chapters; chapters are wonderful resources for children and adults.
We shared information each time I visited Mom. The nurse expressed his gratitude for being able to share his dreams, his hopes with me, and said each time, “I have to help my wife and children before I help myself. It’s the right thing to do. I know my time is limited here on the floor.”
Looking left and right, he said, “I have problems with phones when there are overhead announcements. External noises are hard to work around. Yet I know if I get that titanium device before I have another hearing drop, I’ll be able to hear. I do not have the absolute fear of going blind and also losing my hearing. That is the fear, you know.”
I softly replied, “Yes, I know the deep fear for many deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals is to lose vision.”
This nurse truly enjoyed helping me learn about glaucoma patients who will then pass their decreased hearing down to their children – and then to their children.
He exacted a promise that I share. (Mom also told him I would write an article …)
He shook my hand, “Great! Now if I can get that electronic stethoscope – that’s what I call it – I can help others. I’ll do my darndest to help my family, myself, and to help others. Good deal, right?”
“And you promise to write about this? (I nodded.) Maybe I’ll get my titanium surgery when others know how important this is. And my wife and children need help, too. You promise?”
“Yes, dear,” I softly replied.
Then he quoted, verbatim, a lengthy Monty Python skit (with accents). The nurse bowed, “We’ve walked barbed wire fences together you and me.”
He sprinted down the hall.
Again, I was tired, cold, and hungry. I was charmed by this man’s energy, his hopes, and his goals. Mom’s overhead light went off (in isolation – not many rush to her room). And I headed back in to help Mom.
Suddenly, the gentleman called my name.
He put his hand over his heart and paused.
Watching him, slowly, I placed my hand over my heart.
Slowly, we nodded once in unison together, and exacted a moment together, bonding my promise to him.
And now I fulfill my promise sharing with each of you – together. We are together.
Part I is posted July 11, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II is posted July 28, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com
Part III is posted August 11, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
11 Aug 2013
Author: monette | Category: 95 % pass rate written exam, ADA, ASL, Big D, Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, Captioner, Career Advancement, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coach, court reporter test prep, Court reporting tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HLAA, HOH, Interpreter, late deafened, Life Coach, Monette Benoit, Motivation, Prep Court Reporting Tests, Real-Time, SHHH, technology, Test Prep, time managment, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, Written Knowledge Test, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: AGB Association, Glaucoma, Hard of Hearing Adults and Children, Hearing Loss, HLA, HOH, Titanium Tympanoplasty
Titanium Technology and Glaucoma Effects
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
July 11, 2013
Part I of III
The nurse, RN, was speaking to me about my mother’s recent ICU discharge when overhead speakers broadcast a doctor’s page. He cupped one hand over the back of each ear. I watched, sans comment.
I am witnessing many medical professionals with hearing loss.
Yet these moments are far more frequent than years ago – especially during the past two years deep in the medical trenches as I viewed my father’s care prior to his death.
Perhaps it is my antenna as I view Mom’s challenges to “avoid death’s door” (a termed given to Mom) wherein I see many people now working with hearing loss.
He said softly, “Don’t tell anyone. I have hearing loss.”
I nodded, “I see that you have coping skills to assist you.”
“You noticed?” he replied.
Me, “Yes, sir. Due to my work.”
Mom tells everyone, every shift, “My daughter is a court reporter, a teacher, and she’s an author …”
I simply bow my head. On many occasions I have been so happy Mom is alive that I avoid the “daughter sigh.”
I was prepared to not pursue this topic. However, I find 99 percent of people who have hearing loss do want to detail their world with me. I listen, humbled, learning from each.
He said, “Most people don’t notice. My wife’s worse! She’s the one I worry about. I’ll tell you tomorrow, okay?” I nodded.
We returned to our task – “required gowning with gloves and mask in the hall before entering.”
The next day the nurse met me. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
He asked how I was familiar with hearing loss. I shared “court reporter, CART provider, captioner, consultant.”
This nurse said, “My wife and children have serious issues. I just have hearing loss. But I know what I want before I lose my hearing.”
“My wife has glaucoma. When she was a teen she took glaucoma medicine to decrease her eye pressure. The medicine also decreases inner ear pressure and damages nerves. Her hearing loss now is from medicine long ago. What’s worse than that?”
“Each generation then has hearing loss from the parent’s medicine.”
“Our children have decreased hearing and so will their children. One son is 12. He has huge decreased hearing. I worry about our children.”
He paused before continuing.
“Since their hearing loss is more severe, their treatments come first. I’ve studied genetics about this. The fear of losing eyesight and hearing is devastating to my wife and to our children. That’s why we’re not going to have any more children. And my work …” his voice trailed off.
He beamed, “But I know exactly what I want. It’s state-of-the-art.”
Part I is posted July 11, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com
Part II is posted July 28, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com
Part III is posted August 11, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
11 Jul 2013
Author: monette | Category: ADA, ASL, Big D, captioning, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coaching, college CART, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, court reporting tests, Court Reporting Whisperer, CRRbooks.com, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HLAA, HOH, HV with HCV, Interpreter, late deafened, Life Coach, Monette Benoit, NCRA Court Reporters, Oral Deaf, pass tests, Prep Court Reporting, Real-Time, realtime dictionary, Remote Interpreting, RID Sign Interpreter, SHHH, Sign Interpreters, Students, technology, Test Prep, Tutor, Uncategorized, Veterans Helping Veterans, WKT prep, Written Knowledge Test | Tags: Cochlear Implant, Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Ouch. That Hurt My Ears! Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
June 2013
Part I began: Another errand. Another task to be completed.
My mother has been hospitalized for a while now. We have serious issues – to include ICU and MRSA isolation (multiple hospital bacteria, each gifted to Mom – again).
Yesterday Mom’s twin brother died.
When he was a Marine (enlisting ‘underage’ without telling his mother) Mom’s twin brother served on the front lines in Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Gudalcanal, and numerous other battles.
When her twin brother was shot, Mom woke, crying at 4:30 a.m. …
… Each time the double doors opened the cashier gasped.
She lowered her head, placing one hand over each ear as she winced. Stunned, I watched.
Then the woman said, “It is so windy outside! Every time the doors open it hurts my ears. Ouch!” …
Part II began:
Faith, “Mom resisted for so long… Mom didn’t think it would work. This is the funny part. Just as the lady turned on the sound machine to test her hearing the air conditioning unit went off. That pressure hurt Mom’s ears. She said, ‘Ouch! That hurts!’ Then Mom was angry at the noise. My step-dad and I laughed. Then Mom was angry with us for laughing. So we laughed harder until she ‘finally’ understood that she was angry at our laughing and ‘that’ was sound. Her first sound in 30 years. Then she laughed.”
I smiled. Faith continued, “Now my son has a hearing loss, too. He has the gene, I guess. He just finished a tour in Afghanistan. He missed the hearing test! And he wanted to serve so bad! So he wrote his quartermaster a letter telling him how much it would mean to serve. And his letter worked! They took him! He served, though failing the hearing test was not shared with others … He’s just come home. That’s why I agreed to get the implant. I may have grandchildren soon. I want to hear everything! Everything!”
Part III:
I asked, “Your mother has nine siblings with hearing loss? You and your son have a hearing loss?”
She laughed, “Yes! And it’s been perfectly normal for us. Mom didn’t want to hear all of us when we were kids – she used to tease us. It’s all been perfectly normal. Now she can hear perfect! Soon I will, too. And I have tinnitus and that hurts, too. Ouch, the doors just opened again.”
The woman behind me wore dark eyeglasses, a large hat.
She shoved a bag onto the counter, and chin down said, “This doesn’t work. Here!”
Watching the rude woman I paused before taking two steps away from the counter. Faith was beaming with a huge smile. She winked at me, took the bag and asked the woman, “How may I help you?” The frowning woman never looked Faith in the eye. She snarked and barked at Faith.
Yet Faith smiled at me for the longest time. When the doors next opened, Faith winced. She did not cover her ears.
Dramatically, she pointed to one ear, slowly mouthing “cochlear implant.” Then she laughed.
I held my bag of sympathy cards for my mother’s twin brother’s family, headed to the door and tried to exit opening one door just a little (to avoid pressure on Faith’s ears).
The wind gusts grabbed the door from my hand and flew wide open.
Frozen, I looked back at Faith. Her beaming smile remained and Faith said, loudly, “Thank you. Thank you for telling me about the successes! Two weeks! Can’t wait!”
Oh, this lady touched my heart.
Her hope and enthusiasm will serve her well as she welcomes ‘sound’ back into her world.
Had it not been for the need for sympathy cards for my mom (which Mom cannot select due to her hospitalization), traveling a new road on an abnormally windy day – I would have missed this opportunity to meet Faith. And I am grateful she shared.
Faith and her son – each choosing to receive cochlear implants – will have opportunities and choices that many people with hearing loss previously were not afforded.
And the Deaf community’s reaction?
Oh, that’s a whole nuther kettle of fish.
Cochlear implants are not for everyone; this I know from CARTing and captioning many seminars where individuals shared from podiums (and privately to me).
Yet, for Faith, per Faith, this is going to change everything for Faith.
And isn’t that grand? She has choices.
“And three generations with implants,” Faith repeatedly emphasized.
As I stood, bag in hand with the sympathy cards, Faith shared that when her first mother heard the air conditioning noise voicing her first ‘sound’ sentence, “Ouch, that hurts” – her mother’s second sentence was “Isn’t Jesus great?”
Faith shared “Isn’t Jesus great?” is now their family motto when it comes to loss of hearing and to increasing their hearing.
One of my personally challenging days turned into a sweet, memorable day gifted by an enthusiastic woman “waiting to hear again.” And “isn’t that great?” I now ask you?
Part I of III is posted June 3, 2013 on the blog Monette’s Musings
Part II of III is posted June 14, 2013 on the blog Monette’s Musings
Part III of III is posted June 25, 2013 on the blog Monette’s Musings
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
27 Jun 2013
Author: monette | Category: ADA, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coaching, consultant, court reporting test prep, Court reporting tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, CRRbooks.com, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HLAA, HOH, late deafened, Life Coach, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, Motivation, NCRA, NCRA test prep, Oral Deaf, Remote Interpreting, RID Sign Interpreter, technology, The Panama Story, time managment, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, Uncategorized, WKT prep, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: Cochlear Implant, Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Ouch. That Hurt My Ears! Part I of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
June 2013
Another errand. Another task to be completed.
My mother has been hospitalized for a while now.
We have serious issues – to include ICU and MRSA isolation (multiple hospital bacteria, each gifted to Mom – again).
Yesterday Mom’s twin brother died.
When he was a Marine (enlisting ‘underage’ without telling his mother) Mom’s twin brother served on the front lines in Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Gudalcanal, and numerous other battles.
When her twin brother was shot, Mom woke, crying at 4:30 a.m.
Mom told her mother, “He’s been shot!” pointing to specific areas on her body.
Mom’s mother (court stenographer and a piano prodigy) told my mom that it was a bad dream, hugged her, and gently told Mom, then a teen, to go back to sleep.
The next morning, Corpus Christi’s Western Union delivered the news.
Yes, Mom’s twin brother was shot and injured exactly where Mom had described to her mother at 4:30 a.m. with her twin brother stationed in an undisclosed location with the Marines in the Pacific.
With her twin’s death yesterday, and my concerns about my mom and her failing health, I left her hospital room to purchase sympathy cards.
Today we have a wind advisory day with 40-50 mile per hour winds. I raced in, selected several cards, sprinted to one of many cashiers.
I placed the sympathy cards on the counter.
Each time the double doors opened the cashier gasped.
She lowered her head, placing one hand over each ear as she winced. Stunned, I watched.
Then the woman said, “It is so windy outside! Every time the doors open it hurts my ears. Ouch!”
Softly I said, “Maybe chewing gum might help – like pressure in a plane?” (I did not know what to say – was running late. I needed to head off.)
The woman smiled, “No, it’s the pressure inside my hearing aid in each ear. But in two weeks I get my cochlear implant! Then I won’t have this problem. And that will be wonderful. Then my ears won’t hurt from any pressure.”
I smiled.
She did not know that I have worked within the Deaf and HOH, hard of hearing, communities since 1993 providing CART, Communication Access Real Time, and captioning to large and small screens for many, many public and private events.
She did not know that I am very familiar with cochlear implant technology, individuals, and children.
Faith said, “I have needed a cochlear implant for so long. I have not wanted one. My mother got one. She loves hers! She raised us children without being able to hear most of our life. But now she can hear.”
I remained silent.
Faith said, “Most people don’t know what they are. But it will help me with the pressure, and I won’t have to worry about winds and this excruciating pain!”
Softly I said, “I am familiar with cochlear implants.”
She beamed.
“You are? Well, my mother is one of 13 children. Nine have cochlear implants. Now my generation is losing our hearing. When Mom got her implant it was so funny!”
I turned to see if anyone was standing behind me in the busy store. Nope. I was “all ears” as I turned back to listen to this cheerful lady.
Part I of III is posted June 3, 2013 on the blog Monette’s Musings
Part II of III is posted June 14, 2013 on the blog Monette’s Musings
Part III of III is posted June 25, 2013 on the blog Monette’s Musings
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
03 Jun 2013
Author: monette | Category: "WKT", 95 % pass rate written exam, Adolphus Floyd, Advocate, ASL, Captain Kevin Donnelly, Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, Captioner, captioning, captioning dictionary, captioning prep, Career Advancement, CART FAQ, CART provider, CART/captioning, Certify NCRA RPR Test Prep, Certify NCRA RPR Test Prep WKT skills RMR RDR CSR CCR, Certify NCRA RPR WKT skills RMR RDR, Coach, Coaching, college CART, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court Reporting Accuracy, Court reporting students, court reporting test prep, court reporting tests, Court Reporting Whisperer, CRRbooks.com, CSR RPR, Dolphin Ward Floyd, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, Hep C, hepatitis C, Hepatitis Researcher, HOH, home-study, HV with HCV, Interpreter, Kevin Donnelly, Kevin Drue Donnelly, Kevin's Sister, Life Coach, Management, Monette Benoit, Monette's Mindful Management, Monette's Musings, Monnie Floyd, Motivation, NCRA, NCRA Court Reporters, NCRA prep, NCRA RPR Test Prep, NCRA RPR Test Prep WKT skills RMR RDR CSR CCR, NCRA test prep, NCRA Test Prep WKT, NCRA WKT, Oral Deaf, pass tests, pass WKT, Prep Court Reporting, Prep Court Reporting Tests, RDR CSR CCR, Real-Time, Real-Time Rules, realtime dictionary, RMR RDR CSR CCR, RPR Test Prep, RPR Test WKT, Sign Interpreters, technology, Test Prep, The Panama Story, time managment, Try Harder; Each Time You Try Harder, Tutor, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, Tutoring, Veterans, Veterans Helping Veterans, vets and families, webcasting, WKT prep, Written Exam, Written Knowledge Test, written test, www.CRRbooks.com, “Did I help You?” Chief Reporter | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Exactly Why Am I Doing This Now? Part I of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
May 1, 2013
The requested tutor and empowerment coaching appointment began with a simple question.
My question to the court reporter was simply, “How are you?”
There was a loud sigh. The answer began, “I am so tired of …” I watched the clock. How long? Over five minutes. I did not peep one word as I listened. After a noticeable silence, the court reporter asked me what I was thinking.
Soflty, I said, “Wow, that was almost a five-minute literary test. Now please tell me what you really think.” She howled with laughter.
Ah, court reporters and court reporting students.
When someone asks us what we think, and the question is posed by someone (my opinion here) related to our field, we can really let the words fly, yes? Yes.
This individual and I have worked together in the past. She emailed with a question requesting numerous sessions.
Again, I found it interesting that the tenacity and goals that were set by this person while enrolled in court reporting school (her words) “who would never make it out of school fast enough” were now similar to today’s scheduled session.
“I’m not going to spend another dime to improve my skills when I have paid so much to get where I am.” (I remained silent.)
“I know people can do what I am trying to do now. If they can do it, why can’t I? I want – No, I need to earn more money. I didn’t go to court reporting school to be at the bottom of a seniority list with working court reporters after this period of time, did I?” (I remained silent.)
The sentence I truly enjoyed (professionally and personally here), “I’ll just get there and take it from there when I do get there, okay?”
I listened to this gainfully employed court reporter.
“The support on my software is about to expire. I have to pay for that, too. And the support on my new writer is about to expire. More money there! All that adds up to a lot of money and it is due very, very soon!”
The reporter summed it up, “I just am wondering exactly why I am doing this now …”
And there we had it. The dancing zebra in the room was bowing and exiting.
Now that the energy had been expelled in a healthy manner – and we were clear that we would focus together – we began an open dialog for the goals.
Part II of III is posted May 15, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted May 24, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
01 May 2013
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coach, Coaching, consultant, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, court reporting test prep, court reporting tests, Court Reporting Whisperer, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, HCV, hepatitis C, HLAA, HOH, home-study, HV with HCV, Interpreter, Management, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, NCRA, Oral Deaf, Remote Interpreting, RID Sign Interpreter, SHHH, Sign Interpreters, technology, Test Prep, The Panama Story, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, Uncategorized, Written Knowledge Test, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
How’d That Happen? And Real-Time Captioners, Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
April 2013
Part I began: As we listen, as we scan and troll, now and then a moment may stop us in our tracks. Each track depends on where we are at that moment. Each track when viewed over one’s shoulder, as hindsight, may appear to be very different.
And this is why I am still tilting my head asking “How’d that happen?”
Recently a mail list shared by court reporters, captioners, CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) providers, instructors, and students, someone posted a link “Appendix A, Hourly Pay for Real-Time Captioners.” Levels were identified with hourly rates. Each level states, “a minimum captioning speed of … and recommendation by the Director.” Appendix A ends: …
Part II began: Yet I know in 1993 when I began to CART in San Antonio, Texas, the sign interpreters negotiated (they used that word) for me “since you arrive with all your equipment and work solo.”
Back then there was no word for CART.
Part III: We became a team, all working together. Why? To provide the best service we could together is my humble reply. And we have had a lot of fun in “our” trench together, and the interpreters continue to be my friends and my advocates.
They tease me that that the only equipment they purchase is the one-color outfit. (Interpreters usually wear one color, so individuals needing their skills watch hand motions and facial expressions without distractions of colors and designs.)
And they teased me, “You? George Carlin has a routine about packing, then packing with less to then pack with less. Have you heard Carlin’s routine?” Their teasing was not mean spirited. Oh, I listened.
I listened to their teasing, their wisdom, their teaching how I should structure my rates. They taught me when there was no one to ask.
Remote interpreting has changed their world, even as it has changed for CART providers.
Now we are where are. We knew then that the MTV generation would change the world. We knew then that cochlear implants would change their world. We knew then that our technology “captioning without video” (as many referenced CART after my work) would change the world.
Now we have the ability to look over our shoulders and to reflect from whence we have come, where we are now, and where we seek to direct our paths.
Yet I am still pondering, how is it that a college posted qualifications and rates for “Real-Time Captioners” that might stun many who completed court reporting school and purchased equipment to provide this CART service?
I also wonder too, if hourly rates will decrease the way broadcast captioning rates did years ago?
Once the requested lower fee was met, there was a free-fall as contracts were pulled. Rates fell astoundingly until a new low was met. (Rates have since fallen.)
Sign interpreters who learned about the decrease(s) – when our equipment costs to provide services was well documented as not for the faint of heart – were amazed. They murmured to me, “And with your expenses …”
Frequently, I softly asked my friends, “How much – you two now?”
I learn(ed) two interpreters often working 20 minutes each reflects higher than my amount.
Then I am softly reminded, “And our clock starts when we leave home – with mileage. Have you ever thought about sign interpreting? It pays better.”
September 2012, I wrote in my JCR (Journal of Court Reporting) column “Beyond The Comfort Zone,” and blog “Monette’s Musings,” the article “You All Start In CART Now, Right?” That was almost six months before reading about the college’s requirements. Will we ask ”Disabled Students Programs and Services” we are being justly compensated for the skill set and for the equipment we provide, alone, hour after hour?
Working to preserve the record – wordsmiths that we are – we rise to each request. Thus, looking ahead and not over my shoulder working yet another late evening, I have to ask, “How’d that happen?”
Part I of III is posted April 7, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted April 11, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted April 27, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
27 Apr 2013
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, CART FAQ, CART provider, Coaching, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court Reporting Accuracy, court reporting test prep, Court reporting tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, CSR RPR, Deaf, Dolphin Ward Floyd, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, hepatitis C, HOH, home-study, HV with HCV, Interpreter, Kevin Donnelly, late deafened, Life Coach, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, Monnie Floyd, NCRA, NCRA test prep, Oral Deaf, RDR CSR CCR, Remote Interpreting, Sign Interpreters, technology, Test Prep, The Panama Story, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Game-Changer … Will He Make It?, Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
March 2013
Part I began: During an errand to a home improvement center, I witnessed a “game-changing moment,” in my opinion. It unfolded before my ears – and my eyes. Then I was gifted with an opportunity.
I needed a tool. I walked with purpose. After seeing me repeatedly strolling the same aisle, an employee asked me what I was seeking.
He said, “That’s not here! It’s the only tool in our department that’s way, way over there!” I asked for the aisle number. He said, “Follow me.” He was accurate with “follow me.”
We briskly strolled from one end of the large store to the other. I followed; he walked three steps ahead of me.
That was when I noticed a frowning employee approaching in a sprint, lips pursed. I stepped back. Yet my radar was up; I thought I saw it. I watched the frowning employee’s intense focus.
The frowning employee never took his eyes off the young employee’s face who responded, speaking into the air away from the frowning man.
Part II began: The employee shrugged. Then that dude increased his walk until he was two steps in front of me.
I touched his right arm, startling him.
I asked if he knew the employee that he had assisted. “Nope. Started today. He’s just some new guy. Okay?”
I believe I smiled for the first time. To his back I said, “He is deaf. And he is way smarter than you.”
This news brought the employee to an abrupt stop. He stopped so suddenly that I almost walked smack into his back. Stunned, he made eye contact.
Part III: His eyes were soft. He stood only inches away from me when he softly asked, “What does he need?” He had stopped touching his store beeper. He removed the earpod within each ear. (That was when I knew I had his attention.)
I shared, “I have worked with and have been embraced by deaf adults and deaf children. He will need someone he can trust – especially if this is his first day, and there is no one to help him.”
The employee smiled. “I will keep an eye out for him today. That’s not my area. It’s way over there. I’m supposed to stay way over here.”
Then he said the words that meant much to me. This young man who had been so rude to me said, “Thank you. I never would have known. No one here knows. Thank you for taking your time to share with me.”
I asked what the probationary period is for new employees. (Court reporter focus here.) When he shared, “30 days,” I nodded and turned to walk away.
From behind he touched my right arm. When I turned back to him, he extended his right hand. I respectfully shook his hand. We closed the deal.
Recently, I was in the same store and saw an employee I have known for years. I strolled up, “I need to ask you something.” We both looked left and right – for supervisors.
I asked, “Just over a month ago I was in here, and it was the first day for a deaf employee. Do you know the man?” I did not wince; I waited while he thought.
Then he said, “Yes! I know the man. Do you need something from him? I can help you.” I paused – before I asked, “If I need something from him – I could have him help me? Yes?” (My code for “Does he still work here?”)
The man said, “Today’s his day off. What do you need?”
Softly I said, “I have what I need now. Thank you.”
What opportunity was I gifted with as I wrote at the beginning of my article here?
Ah, grasshoppers: quietly advocating to someone who could (then would) make a difference in a person’s new job. In so doing, that person then stepped ‘up’ the center to now become an advocate for others.
Moments unfold into experiences. Experiences then become game-changers.
My opinion is that I viewed a game-changing moment to quietly, respectfully advocate (in a home improvement center). That advocating assisted another person to assist a new employee to “make it on the job.”
You, too, have these moments. Of this I am sure. Indeed you do. Game-changing moments.
Part I of III is posted March 2, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted March 17, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted March 29, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
29 Mar 2013
Author: monette | Category: "WKT", Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, CART provider, Coaching, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, Dolphin Ward Floyd, HCV, hepatitis C, home-study, Kevin Drue Donnelly, Life Coach, Management, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, Motivation, NCRA test prep, Real-Time, The Panama Story, Tutor, Uncategorized, Written Exam | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
An Alpha State of Mind, Part II of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
January 14, 2013
Part I of III began: Did you know that while your brain is in the alpha state that your muscles, nervous system, and cells have a different pulse per second?
Scientists have discovered that brain waves within the alpha state function at a different level of consciousness, perhaps half the normal rate. Did you know that?
Many of us do know that the alpha state is a “level” people seek while praying and meditating. Children who are taught how to reach alpha levels during chemotherapy have different (good) results while receiving medical treatment. Biofeedback teaches this information, too.
Beta is defined as the “level” needed to function while we are awake. Beta incorporates our five senses. Beta levels may have brain pulses which fluctuate 15 to 20 pulses per second.
A good night’s sleep requires the alpha level. Again, pulses in the brain define alpha.
Part II of III: I blinked hard, froze, and looked to the other individuals in the room. I did not reply and remained in court reporter and CART provider mode.
The professional said very slowly and with authority, “She is able to enter the alpha state quicker than other people, and while she is awake – quickly. This is her work. This is what enables her to do the excellent quality of work she is providing. She is able to focus, to focus quickly. It is her training that provides entering the alpha stage so rapidly from beta. Her alpha has been perfected – perfected – to enable her to provide her work. Other people typically remain in the beta level while they work and as they go about their day. She is in the alpha state right now, entering it easily and leaving it easily. See?”
The conversation continued verbatim, “She’s doing her work from a different place of consciousness. You (spoken to me) move quickly from beta to alpha – with alpha brain waves, which you’d have to have to have a very, very finely tuned brain working, and to be in the alpha state, very alert, very aware, listening – taking it all in. When she’s doing this type of work it is similar to meditation, to going inward.”
Everyone laughed at my non-response. I simply tilted my head, remained silent.
Yet my memory-moment (my term) caused me to leave my “alpha state of mind” and to have the three-ring circus instantly enter my head while I was working. You know the three-ring circus, yes? We have the circus parading as we realtime our work, as we listen, as we think about the grocery list, and as we wonder when the next break, the next recess, the next commercial will begin, yes?
The alpha state is just a portion of the skills, my opinion, that enables me, and I believe enables court reporters, CART providers, captioners, and students in the saddle who also focus with deep, daily “taking it all in intent.”
As my three-ring circus continued, the job continued. Individuals then discussed my breathing, my focus. I thanked the Lord it was a moment when I was not sighing, was not rolling my shoulders, was not stretching or wiggling. My stomach was not growling for food, my shoulders were not hunched up with one shoulder raised more than the other.
Part I of III is posted January 3, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted January 14, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted January 28, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
14 Jan 2013
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, Captain Kevin Donnelly, Captioner, captioning prep, Career Advancement, CART FAQ, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coach, Coaching, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court reporting students, court reporting test prep, court reporting tests, Court Reporting Whisperer, CRRbooks.com, Deaf, Dolphin Ward Floyd, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, Hep C, HOH, home-study, HV with HCV, Interpreter, Kevin Drue Donnelly, late deafened, Life Coach, Management, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, Motivation, NCRA Court Reporters, NCRA prep, NCRA test prep, NCRA WKT, Oral Deaf, RDR CSR CCR, Real-Time, realtime dictionary, Remote Interpreting, RMR RDR CSR CCR, Sign Interpreters, Students, Test Prep, The Panama Story, time managment, Tutor, Tutoring, Veterans Helping Veterans, Written Knowledge Test, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Wheels Slowing Spinning? What’s Your Motivation?
Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
October 2012
Part I began: If you could do anything with your life what would it be?
What would you ‘really’ do with your time, your heart, your ears, and your hands?
Would you share your court reporting skills with individuals who are waiting to ‘hear’ from you?
Would you work in court? Would you focus on specialty freelance reporting? Would you really work with attorneys? (Yes, I asked that question.) Many of us have enjoyed the thrill of working with attorneys and many still do now.
Would you provide CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation)?
Would you learn sign language to have the ability to share your top-shelf skills to communicate with all your consumers? Would you learn about the Little D world, Big D, oral deaf, late-deafened, and hard-of-hearing children and adults?
Would you caption? Would you be able and willing to caption during the evenings, weekends, and holidays? It goes with the territory for many broadcast captioners. I know captioners who have shared with me that they spent years writing “down the hall” or “in the basement” or “upstairs” away from their family, yet were able to hear family laughter and loud voices. Would they do it all again? Many state they would.
And there will be individuals who will read this column, tilt their heads and think, “I am doing what I really want to do. I am.”
To that I say, “Bravo.”
Part II began: Yet if you could do anything with your skills, have you made a list to find out what “that anything” is? Have you listed what you would have to learn, what you would need to finish, to accomplish that list? I know people like the term “bucket list.” If those words for you, great.
If your heart is almost full after working, or you believe it would be “fuller if …” then perhaps now is the time for you to peek up from that desk. Now may be the time to move away from some of the daily drama that we “know” fills our busy world.
When we know a commute will require a longer drive-time on a particular road, we make different choices, yes? We find another road or perhaps we leave at another time, if that is possible. Often, we will do our darnest to avoid sitting in that darn traffic.
We avoid sitting with the wheels slowly spinning.
Are your wheels slowly spinning? What is your motivation?
Part III: What would motivate you to act on your motivation once you define specifics?
Is money again at the top of the list? When was the last time you left a job, onsite or remote, as a court reporter, captioner, CART provider, or student and felt that you had pitched your best? When did you last know you accomplished what you had planned and had worked toward?
Perhaps you want to raise your expectations for your world and to believe that you do have the coping skills to live the life you planned.
When I listen to individuals sharing their dreams, their hopes, their expectations, their fears, and yes, their successes, I am honored at what is shared straight-up, no excuses given. Court reporters tell it like it is. Really straight-up.
As we prep to roll into the holidays many of us will spend time helping others. We will schedule our time around other people’s schedules, personally and professionally, adding to the expectations of others with our hearts, our ears, our hands, and our time.
I want to suggest that you remember you are an investment that will multiple into grand, new paths when you are truly making the best choices for you.
What is your motivation to get up each day? For what are you grateful each evening and within your quiet moments?
My wish is that your goals, your dreams, will begin to whisper to you.
I wish that your whispers will become dreams, then goals.
Your goals will become committed statements.
Your statements will become reality.
You are what motivates me as I finish this article late in the evening on another extended deadline.
So many reporters and students have crossed my path as a result of my years of court reporting, publishing books and CDs, learning how to provide and then sharing CART, captioning, teaching, tutoring, coaching, public speaking, and sixteen years writing this JCR (Journal of Court Reporting) “Beyond The Comfort Zone” column.
Tonight I am working with eyeglasses that are broken (yes, we just move forward, don’t we?). I am helping my mother continue to deal with serious health issues as she grieves the death of her husband (my dad) of fifty-eight years. Then I read an email or receive a message wherein you share. The spark(s), and sparkle, in many of you is what motivates me, and I thank you.
Part I of III is posted October 4, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted October 18, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted October 30, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
30 Oct 2012
Author: monette | Category: Advocate, ASL, Big D, Captain Kevin Donnelly, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coach, consultant, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court reporting students, court reporting test prep, Court reporting tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, hepatitis C, HOH, home-study, HV with HCV, Interpreter, Kevin Drue Donnelly, late deafened, Life Coach, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, Monnie Floyd, Motivation, NCRA, NCRA Court Reporters, NCRA prep, pass tests, Prep Court Reporting Tests, Real-Time, Remote Interpreting, RMR RDR CSR CCR, RPR Test Prep, Sign Interpreters, technology, Test Prep, The Panama Story, Tutor, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, Tutoring, Uncategorized, WKT prep, Written Exam, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Weeding, Inner Landscapes, Nuclear Implants, Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Part I: The sun is shining; it is almost 80 degrees in Texas as I write this column in March.
Winter was mild here and after months and months with severe drought and watering restrictions, we have rain. We have much rain. …
Part II: Many court reporters and court reporting students share they are overwhelmed.
As I help each person, I hear conversations where individuals want to “cram” (my word) years of schooling and work into an extremely short period of time with “extreme changes” (their words).
Perhaps “inner landscaping” needs to be defined.
Where does one begin?
As this varies with each person’s goals and commitments I advise starting with a position we clearly define to advance forward into a steady adventure.
Steady strength building (my term), in my opinion, prevents burn out with goals that may be(come) challenging.
Again, this will change with each person.
Inner landscaping involves weeding out what is not working and planting seeds for growth that will now organize your skills and your desired skills. …
Part III: Individuals in our field desire to improve and to advance management techniques.
Where are you stuck?
Where do you think you are stuck?
What weeds do you want to eliminate to avoid frustration and wasting time (words often shared with me)?
So where does the “nuclear implants” from the title come into this month’s column?
Simply put, I thought you would enjoy this true event.
As I was “weeding” this article, my office received a phone call.
I was informed I needed to promptly return the call as “they need help for someone with a nuclear implant.”
Yes, I promptly returned the call.
Yes, the individual has a (long) job title specific to assisting consumers and individuals with specific requests.
The person making the request then stated, “The reason for phoning is to have you translate the language for nuclear implant people.”
Yes, I am sure the request was for a cochlear implant – not nuclear implant – and translation of a language is not necessary.
As a court reporter I listened and was then informed by this individual what “all we really need is your lowest price to translate the language for those nuclear implant people? That’s all we want to know.” Imagine that.
Weeding, inner landscapes, and nuclear transplants.
Our work and our world is changing.
I believe that you deserve to remove the weeds (this may include people, too) in your world.
You deserve to customize your inner landscape and to enjoy the process.
And I wish you persistence on your path.
As I finished this article, the mail was delivered.
The postal lady said, I kid you not, “Here you go. I spent the last several days weeding my yard and my mother’s yard. She’s too old, 96, to do it by herself. It sure is soothing to weed, isn’t it?”
I blinked hard and tipped my head.
She said, “At the end of my busy day I actually look forward to going out there and just ripping those weeds up out of the ground – roots and all!”
I bowed my head, smiling.
“Yes indeed,” was my only reply.
She wiped the sweat off her forehead with her elbow and upper arm.
She laughed, “I work hard all day outdoors, too, to then go out there and go get ‘em. That’s how I’m relaxing now. And I find it soothing. I get to think and plan my next day and my world. Whoever thought I’d actually look forward to that?”
I smiled and watched her depart. Yes indeed.
Weeding helps her to sort the details and to plan her world.
And you? What helps you?
Part I of III is posted June 1, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted June 21, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted June 29, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
29 Jun 2012
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, Captain Kevin Donnelly, Captioner, Career Advancement, CART FAQ, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coach, college CART, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court Reporting Accuracy, Court reporting students, court reporting test prep, Court reporting tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, hepatitis C, HOH, home-study, Interpreter, Kevin Drue Donnelly, late deafened, Life Coach, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, Motivation, NCRA Court Reporters, NCRA test prep, Oral Deaf, Real-Time, The Panama Story, time managment, Written Exam, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
How To Write Ineffectively, Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
“There’s A Lot Going On In The Circus”, March 2012, included one sentence that has resulted in (many, many) private emails from students, court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners.
I have been asked to elaborate. …
Part II: Is the problem not having the word translate correctly? That is fixable.
Is the problem being in over one’s head with a job that is too technical?
Knowing when to ask for backup and seeking help is essential here, too.
Have you ever written a test or a job where you thought the speaker(s) would never stop talking?
Have you endured and stayed in the chair while the words were “way” fast, too difficult?
Yet, when the event finished, the earth did not swallow you (I have prayed for this, CARTing to large screens).
Part III: Writing every day and not progressing? What is tranning correctly, and what is an error is, again, going to be very different for a student and reporter taking a 5-minute test and a court reporter, CART provider, or captioner, providing the verbatim, accurate record.
Do you know your software? Are you trailing when you make the error? Are you dropping multiple words? Do you know your theory? Can you fingerspell the word? (I cannot tell you how many individuals tell me they have never been able to do this and will never be able to accomplish fingerspelling.) Learn to fingerspell words, know what is in your dictionary, fingerspell the dang word and get on to the next word. Really.
Do you have test anxiety? Anxiety contributes to errors.
Where did you excel on a test or on the job? What enabled you to feel good, to sit taller, to know you were doing a great job? Focus on that, too.
Good writing – excellent writing is vital.
Analyze what is working for you and what needs improvement.
The “evidence” is right there in front of you. Truly.
Are you taking vitamins, exercising, sleeping more than five hours a night?
(I am making a point with five hours a night unless you are one of the special people like Betty White, 90 years old, who only needs four hours. Standard? Not for many of us, right?)
If you are writing ineffectively I want to ask what appears to drain you?
Are you enjoying your schooling and career adventure? (It is a path with great learning curves, my opinion.)
Are you satisfied at work?
Do you feel that you are working far too many hours? That may contribute, too.
Many reporters tell me that they are “now expected” to do more and now receive less income.
Many individuals, during coaching, tell me that they “resent” this.
If you feel overwhelmed, while working privately with you, I would ask if you have any area in your life where you feel true joy.
When students were truly overwhelmed, I encouraged students to come to the SAMM Center, San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries, a homeless shelter in San Antonio, and work the chow line with me. Really.
What charges you and inspires you? This is unique for each of us.
If you are focusing on how to avoid writing ineffectively, I would recommend that you enroll in a seminar, a webinar, request private tutoring/coaching.
Attend a convention to find the spirit and enthusiasm that brought you into this wonderful profession in the first place.
Conventions and online gatherings share enthusiasm and expertise from gifted professionals.
I always learn from each event “and” the person who asks the question that may appear simple to others. These events are wonderful for recharging you.
Will you ever write a perfect test, a perfect take, a perfect job, a perfect class and perfect show? Perhaps, my friend.
This is always our goal, yes?
Find the resistance, take charge, and confidently move forward while writing effectively.
Opportunities are waiting for you. Waiting for you.
Part I of III is posted May 2, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted May 15, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
25 May 2012
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, Captain Kevin Donnelly, captioning, Career Advancement, CART FAQ, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coach, Coaching, college CART, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court Reporting Accuracy, Court reporting students, court reporting test prep, Court reporting tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, hepatitis C, HOH, home-study, HV with HCV, Interpreter, Kevin Drue Donnelly, late deafened, Life Coach, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, Monnie Floyd, NCRA Court Reporters, NCRA prep, NCRA test prep, NCRA WKT, Oral Deaf, pass tests, Prep Court Reporting Tests, Real-Time, realtime dictionary, religious events, Remote Interpreting, RPR Test Prep, Students, technology, The Panama Story, time managment, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, Tutoring, Uncategorized, Veterans Helping Veterans, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
There’s A Lot Going On In The Circus, Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved
Part I: Privately working with students and experienced court reporters a theme appears with each person. A desire is born. A wanting is experienced. Boundaries are removed. Fences (insecurities) are lowered. …
Part II: Students and court reporters know how to work and how to write ineffectively.
In short, we know what does not work.
When the circus is loud and stomping around your home and/or work place, it can be colorful.
Yet when we permit the circus to remain at the forefront in our daily and weekly schedule we witness shifts in our empowering moments. …
Part III: Our circus may have colorful connections; yet we know that every word, and every new skill, every new goal, and every new item added on our to-do list will change the whole enchilada.
And this can be a good thing when we are the masters at the circus gate, and when we are the one who remembers to set aside time to reach our personal and professional enrichment.
When we have the tools to know how to successfully write each word, how to succinctly respond and react to each action which may have power over our journey, we are one step toward mastering our crossroads.
We can be the conductor in “that there” three-ring circus.
Oh so true, many of us have been inside the circus so long that the circus feels comfy and familiar.
Coaching, I frequently comment to students, reporters, and to court reporting instructors, “There’s a whole lot you got going on in that there circus.”
Each person responds with sincere, honest replies.
Every student, every reporter and every instructor, shares full and complete accountings to their circus. I’m talking sustained, detailed descriptions. Many, just listening to their own words, laugh saying, “Did I really just say that?”
When we step back and look around, many of us are amazed at what we are actually accomplishing while in the circus each and every day.
Thus I ask you to listen to your words containing “should, could, need, want” and to then listen to your circus.
I am not requesting a complicated flowchart with systematic details and annotated exhibits.
I am suggesting that you (me, too) may be permitting exterior people and exterior energy to divert you away from your true “expansions.”
Do you have a lot going on in your circus?
Ask yourself this question three times a day, and you will know the answer.
You will know where you are headed and where you want to be.
The circus then becomes a focused mindset enabling each of us to transform our world moment by moment.
“Monette’s Circus Survivor Manual” is a simple yet powerful tool when you are the chef to your whole enchilada – and you are not on autopilot.
Part I of III is posted March 2, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted March 20, 2012, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
29 Mar 2012
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, Captain Kevin Donnelly, Captioner, Career Advancement, CART provider, Coach, court reporter test prep, CRRbooks.com, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HOH, home-study, HV with HCV, Interpreter, late deafened, Life Coach, Management, Monette Benoit, NCRA Court Reporters, NCRA RPR Test Prep WKT skills RMR RDR CSR CCR, Oral Deaf, Real-Time, Remote Interpreting, RID Sign Interpreter, SHHH, technology, Uncategorized, Written Exam | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
“I Love You,” He Squealed, Part III of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Part I: He squealed, “I love you!” at the top of his lungs, multiple times, before he was physically removed, gently and lovingly.
How did that happen? The morning began quietly. …
For three months I had been looking for a robe for my hospitalized father and thought perhaps this national store might have one.
Men’s robes are hard to find – outside of Christmas, I am learning. Within the store that did not have men’s robe I saw huge signs. I selected three items, and with two coupons, I went to the intimates counter. (Lines are always shorter.) …
The youngster said, loudly, “Papa chair!” The couple near the child gasped. …
Part II: Then he blew a loud, large raspberry on my arm. That’s when the couple accompanying the child stepped in. They were mortified. Me? Not at all.
The man said, “I’m so sorry! We’re taking him out to be around people. His parents are getting a divorce – six long months! – both are deaf.
“They can’t find interpreters to help them in court. The case continues to be delayed. We’re helping our daughter. She’s deaf.”
Part III: Many professionals now wonder if the lack of words by the young child is due to marital conflicts (“awful things” they said) and “that divorce that is dragging on and on and on.”
“We are taking him with us now to help him to learn to speak.”
I listened, softly sharing what I felt was appropriate.
The grandmother commented that she was impressed I knew sign. She said, “I never learned.”
I did not blink; I did not judge.
She continued, “I never learned because sign interpreters in my daughter’s schools were always changing. Each did a different sign language. There are many.”
I replied, “Yes, 22, as I understand.”
She continued, “Each day my daughter’s signs changed, and I couldn’t keep up … working and raising my children.”
She looked away. She looked so sad.
The grandfather had stepped away, down the aisle. I signed to the youngster; he didn’t sign back.
His grandmother, “I’m so sorry for what he’s done to you. We are going to correct that.”
Again, I repeated that I was fine.
I touched her arm and looked to the young boy.
Then I signed the ASL “I love you” sign.
The child gasped, opened his mouth wide and squealed, “I LOVE YOU!! I love you! I love you!!”
His grandfather scooped him up in his arms while the child loudly repeated his words. He waved the sign overhead with his right hand.
Then I signed the private, family ASL “I love you” sign.
He promptly wiggled out of his grandfather’s arms, solemnly stood on the floor facing me, feet apart, and with sincere emotion, signed a sentence to me and ended the sentence with the formal “I love you” and a salute.
His grandmother now had a pen.
Would I write down the name of the sign interpreting company and details that would help her? “Yes, ma’am.”
I asked if they were members of CODA, Children of Deaf Adults with a national association, state and local chapters?
No, they had never heard of that group.
I maintained my court reporter posture, no facial emotion.
I wrote the name of groups, words, information, and phone numbers that I knew would benefit this family.
When I finished, the grandmother hugged me.
The child was still holding the formal “I love you” sign.
The grandfather was mouthing “thank you” over and over.
Again, he scooped up his grandson and began to walk away.
I could hear the child with his loud, louder and then still louder, “I love you!” as they left the department and entire area of the store.
When I slowly looked back to the register, customers and staff were frozen in posture.
The cashier said, “I knew a deaf person once.”
I did not roll my eyes or exhale.
I listened to the young voice shrieking “I love you!” which could be heard throughout the entire store as he was carried to the front doors.
And I wondered, “What do others think is happening right now?”
My path may never cross this young child or grandparents again.
When I least expect it my path is changed.
The messenger that day was a 4-year old who squealed with delight and grandparents who hugged me for helping their family.
Returning to my office, I placed calls to referrals, adding details, if the grandparents phoned. Each promised to do all they could to help.
I never learned the youngster’s name, yet I will always remember his bright spirit and his signed words.
I wish only the best for the young child who kissed my arm twice, then blew a raspberry. That day, in Intimates, he truly touched my heart, and I left without the robe for my father.
Telling Dad about the event later as a patient in Warm Springs Hospital, Dad smiled a sweet smile and giggled.
Robeless, Dad was ‘working’ to walk again.
He continued to repeat, his mantra, “I still have things I want to do. Busy. Busy. Busy. That’s me!”
And I walked, ever so slowly with Dad, nurses on his left and right, as he pushed himself with each step, holding machines, wires, IVs.
He did not want anyone’s help. “No! “I can do this by myself!” Each time, the nurses would raise their eyebrows and look to me. Each time, I would smile and say, “That’s ‘my’ dad …”
After a walk, we both rested.
Dad smiled a sweet smile as I described details that I am unable to share here.
That day, Dad, the teacher, social worker, guidance counselor, husband and father, agreed with me that the messenger was a 4-year old child learning to speak who clearly has buckets of love he wants to share. Buckets of pure love and grandparents who wish a better world for their family. Amen. May it be so for all of us.
Monette Benoit may be reached for tutoring and coaching: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Part I of III is posted October 5, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted October 17, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted October 28, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Motivation Management & Life Coach,
Tutor and Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR or a state court reporting exam?
Monette wants to help you and others to pass your test and to exceed career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivation skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Communication skills and daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and coaching?
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re falling behind or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students or veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with one or two key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check It Out: Reach Your Goals! Tutoring and Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit can help you achieve at much high levels. Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material and an instructor, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college.
She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, students and instructors.
She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home, remote, students.
Her one-on-one tutoring has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
28 Oct 2011
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, CART provider, Coach, consultant, Uncategorized | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
My Village Chief is HOH, Part II of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Part I: My village chief sprinted into a parent’s hospital room wearing shorts, sandals (no socks), and a NCAA basketball T-shirt, Saturday morning.
He was all business, dressed casually. When he spoke his first two sentences, I knew. I listened and focused on the voice I know well.
When he turned his head, I saw the aid. Then, I saw the second hearing aid.
Part II: He paused, “Can any court reporter do that?” pointing to flawless live captions.
I ducked my head, thinking … thinking. He leaned in to hear my answer.
“May I ask you something first?” I asked softly.
He nodded. Slowly, I asked, “Can any GP, general practicioner, any doctor, do what you just did?”
The doctor looked puzzled.
I asked, “Can any doctor go into an organ, one bleeding for months from cancer radiation not knowing what the doctor will find, eliminate multiple blood clots, clean the organ, and assist the patient – all in realtime – as you just did?”
He shot back in his chair, “No!”
I leaned into my village chief, “That’s my answer to you.”
I paused, “Court reporters are trained with meticulous skills. My answer, to you, is captioners who write live, with excellent translation, are trained differently than official and freelance reporters – similar to a GP and someone like you – each well trained, each working with different details – all in realtime.”
(I had not had food or fluids in hours, was seated in another hard chair and hoped my answer was respected for my profession.)
He threw his head back and laughed. He touched my left knee, softly saying, “Thank you.”
I paused, “For what, sir?”
My village chief, “For helping people like me – every day. Thank you for what you do and for what your profession does for people like me.”
I beamed for one clear moment.
I felt a surge of pride for my profession.
Our moment was quickly interrupted.
A doctor ran in, “The heart is in dangerous range.”
My village chief, “I wish someone had a power of attorney, so I could call a cardiologist on this case now!”
I blinked, “I do.”
My chief, “You do? And it’s complete?”
I nodded, “Yes, sir. It covers the patient – not the hospital worrying about an ingrown toenail and their legal rights.”
Then I realized I had spoken aloud.
A nurse ran into the room with a phone.
She said slowly, loudly, “HERE! When it rings, you answer, okay? The cardiologist will phone, okay!?”
My chief paused before he looked away. I saw it.
Everyone could hear that nurse.
When the phone rang in my village chief’s hand, the nurse loudly said, “It’s ringing!!”
He looked to the floor and said nothing before he placed that phone to his ear.
Soon, he departed without looking back, “We have to do this before this patient leaves recovery. We only have minutes.” I thanked his back as he exited. Yes, he heard me.
Part I of III is posted September 2, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted September 12, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted September 23, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
12 Sep 2011
Author: monette | Category: "WKT", ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, Captain Kevin Donnelly, CART provider, CART/captioning, Certify NCRA RPR Test Prep, Coach, consultant, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court reporting students, court reporting test prep, CRRbooks.com, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HOH, home-study, Interpreter, Kevin's Sister, late deafened, Life Coach, Management, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, Motivation, NCRA, Oral Deaf, Real-Time, technology, The Panama Story, Tutoring, Written Exam | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
My Village Chief is HOH, Part I of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Part I: My village chief sprinted into a parent’s hospital room wearing shorts, sandals (no socks), and a NCAA basketball T-shirt, Saturday morning.
He was all business, dressed casually. When he spoke his first two sentences, I knew. I listened and focused on the voice I know well.
When he turned his head, I saw the aid. Then, I saw the second hearing aid.
He scheduled surgery, shook our hands, left to return to (his words), “What else? NCAA playoffs. You can phone my home; here’s my number. Nothing by mouth after midnight, okay?”
My parent said, “I like him.”
The nurses, “The doctor can’t hear very well. Everyone knows he has problems on the phone.”
I had been quiet. “He has high coping skills. His hearing aids greatly assist him.”
A nurse with IVs and a bleeding cath line, “If you want to speak to him you have to speak loud.”
I said softly, “He is highly trained. Wearing two hearing aids, I have great faith in this man.”
Another nurse, “People have trouble understanding him.”
I did not roll my eyes. My parent asked (knowing I have worked with hard of hearing, HOH, and Deaf since 1993), “Do you think he can hear me, others, and operate with hearing aids?”
I smiled, “Very much so. He will do an excellent job.” The nurses remained silent.
The next morning at 7 a.m. we rolled into pre-op.
I said I would wait in the room for updates.
O.R. staff insisted that I wait in the designated surgical area.
I looked to the surgeon, “No. I’ll wait in the room for your updates.” He nodded; off they went.
Post-op the doctor sprinted into the room, “It’s much quieter in here. Thank you. Now let me tell you what happened.”
I asked if I could write medical terms he was sharing – technical terms – including “this is very bad – could kill … We have a cacophony of bad events …”
He nodded, “I know you’re a court reporter. Sure.”
I wrote new medical words. He gently corrected my spelling. I felt guided.
Then I said, “I need a village chief right now. It’s been so many months with two very ill parents. There’s so many doctors I can’t count. Many do not speak to each other as they ‘round’ giving different orders and meds. If you guide me, I’ll follow. Would you be my village chief?”
He beamed, nodded, and touched my left elbow.
Then he lowered his voice, “May I ask ‘you’ something?”
I nodded.
My village chief pointed to the TV (I had turned captions on), “I know you’re a court reporter, teacher and author; you do that.” (I had not spoken about my work.)
He paused, “Can any court reporter do that?” pointing to flawless live captions.
I ducked my head, thinking … thinking.
He leaned in to hear my answer.
“May I ask you something first?” I asked softly.
Part I of III is posted September 2, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted September 12, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted September 23, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
02 Sep 2011
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, ASL, Captain Kevin Drue Donnelly, Captioner, captioning prep, Career Advancement, CART FAQ, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coach, college CART, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court Reporting Accuracy, court reporting test prep, court reporting tests, Court Reporting Whisperer, CSR RPR, Deaf, Dolphin Ward Floyd, Goal Setting, HCV, hepatitis C, HOH, home-study, HV with HCV, Interpreter, Kevin Drue Donnelly, late deafened, Life Coach, Monette Benoit, Monette's Musings, Monnie Floyd, NCRA Court Reporters, NCRA prep, NCRA RPR Test Prep, NCRA WKT, Oral Deaf, pass tests, Real-Time, realtime dictionary, religious events, Remote Interpreting, RMR RDR CSR CCR, Test Prep, Uncategorized, WKT prep, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Conflicting Goals, Your Sandbox, And Circling,
Part II of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
March 2011
Part I began: Listening to a court reporter I ‘heard’ a pattern.
The court reporter and CART provider, now gainfully employed, is seeking to advance goals. Great.
The court reporter has a full-time job. Great.
The court reporter and CART provider has full-time family responsibilities and a good commute. Fact.
Where did the ‘circling’ occur while I fulfilled this customized request to tutor and coach?
The circling, in my opinion, occurred with ‘conflicting goals’ (my term) during our tutoring and coaching schedule.
One goal would place the reporter in a specific ‘spot’ on a designated date.
Part II: I was not disrespectful when I laughed.
From my chair and window to the world it was a great comment from a professional with a tenacious personality who would do much to reach the sought goals. This is one determined individual. My laughter was true based upon the “bad marriage and trapped” comment.
Then, the court reporter also laughed. Long, hardy, loud laughter.
Sometimes we do need to throw the mud on the floor, yes?
Then we can clean it up and move on with a clear head (and timeline).
Once we agreed on the true conflicting goals, the court reporter and I then refocused with a finer attention to detail.
We ended our tutoring and coaching session with the experienced court reporter now stating this was “not feeling trapped in that bad marriage awaiting benefits each day.”
This focus on conflicting goals was a benefit.
Are you concerned that your job will end suddenly? (Many now are.)
Are you sleeping less because of your concerns? (Many now are.)
List your goals and note the distance between each, if any.
If you want to run a CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) and broadcast captioning business and you are not near that target, you have work to do.
And that’s the good part.
We have multiple choices. We do. The court reporter and CART provider contacted me shortly after we mapped our new direction.
Part I of III is posted March 4, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted March 17, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted March 28, 2011, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, The Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life? Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
17 Mar 2011
Author: monette | Category: "WKT", ASL, Captain Kevin Donnelly, Captioner, CART provider, Certify NCRA RPR Test Prep, Court Reporter Tutor, HOH, Reiki, Shelley Arthur, webcasting
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
I want to highlight and celebrate the life of a dear friend, court reporter, CART provider, and broadcast captioner.
Shelley Darlene Arthur of Vancouver, Canada, was passionate about her work, our profession, and working with deaf, HOH (hard of hearing) and animals.
No one – and I mean no one – could cover your back like Shelley Arthur.
She was a court reporter, mentor, role model, advocate, generous, enthusiastic, spirited, funny, kind, and totally committed to moments involving humans and animals. And she was so loyal to her friends and beliefs, too.
In 2000, Shelley Arthur opened Visual Voice Captions.
Shelley was Level II ASL (American Sign Language), devoted to her work with deaf and HOH.
She was also a dedicated advocate for animal rights. My favorite picture is Shelley swimming with dolphins; she wrote, “And they understand ASL!” on the caption.
As a court reporter, remote and onsite CART provider, captioner, Webcaster, and consultant, Shelley worked in the Senate of Canada, the U.S. Senate, and the United Nations.
She provided court reporting and consulting services, wrote articles, conducted seminars, and served on the BCSRA, British Columbia Shorthand Reporters Association, advisory council.
Shelley traveled (writing me detailed e-mails) to Korea, Sri Lanka, India, the Amazon Rain Forest, and World AIDS conferences in Mexico City, Kenya, and South Africa, sharing her reporting and CART skills.
Shelley was dedicated to (a sampling) Cameryn’s Cause for Kids Society; Sign Language for Children; idratherbeflying.net (Shelley recently spent two months to organize next year’s deaf pilots Fly-In); Representative Organisation of Disabled People in Europe; and International Day of Persons With Disabilities UN Enable, among others.
Shelley Arthur “coined the term ‘UN Enable’ and created their logo with the red ‘e’ in 1998” when she built their first web site. “It was a play on the negative word ‘unable’ to hopefully create controversy and bring attention. It stuck. The term ‘UN Enable’ is now used as the name of the UN global Programme on Disability, and earned a high-level URL: www.un.org/disabilities.”
I want to share the Shelly Arthur I knew.
Part III
When someone contacted me with questions, now and then, I’d e-mail Shelley.
Shelley always replied. Just ask Michelle Coffey in Ireland. Michelle and Shelley (and many others) became friends as Shelley encouraged each with her wisdom and humor.
Shelley was a detail person. She always inquired about my world and knew the names of family members.
When I had animal (and human) questions, she was a go-to person always responding with info and funny comments.
December 5th, 2009, I felt a shift. Truly. I checked my appointment calendar.
I phoned my office. I felt that I was missing something important. I asked a few people to note this “missing something important” – so I could cover my tracks.
Then I rechecked my professional and personal schedule.
When I learned Shelley Arthur died December 5th, I gasped.
At the precise moment I learned about Shelley’s passing, my dog (whom Shelley knew) ran into the room playfully nudging my leg.
This animal had never playfully placed her nose into my thigh while I was near my computer. Never.
I put my head down to digest the news, and my dog continued to playfully nudge my leg – and has not nudged me since.
I reached out to Shelley’s mother, Maureen Connelly Arthur.
Maureen wrote that they dedicated a bench in Shelley’s honor within Spirit Park on Tsolum River.
You are invited to “pause in nature with Shelley.” Donations in Shelley Darlene Arthur’s memory may be made to www.pfne.org, the National Great Pyrenees Rescue.
Maureen, Shelley’s mother, wrote that she was sending me a “small” gift.
When I opened the package, I gasped.
Maureen had chosen a necklace I often observed on Shelley.
When I first saw the necklace on Shelley I softly shared, “I have the same necklace. Before my brother Kevin died, he designed the necklace from a drawing I drew showing ‘how it should look’. The necklace broke after Kevin’s death, August 5, 2000, and it’s now in an envelope. There it remains.”
I remember Shelley giving me a hug. We smiled; no words necessary. Then we went back to work.
Each time I saw the necklace I would smile. Shelley understood.
When I opened the gift from Maureen, and saw the necklace Shelley and I had often commented upon, I had a sudden chill.
There is no way Maureen could have known how special (and unusual) that necklace was to me.
I now have Shelley’s necklace, gifted from her mother Maureen Connelly Arthur, hanging in my office.
And I wrote Maureen thanking her for confirming the unique friendship, the spiritual contract, I had with Shelley.
I now know I did miss something important December 5th, 2009 – Shelley Arthur. I am grateful for all she shared and need to say, “I really miss you, Shelley!”
Shelley’s mother may be reached: Maureen1208@telus.net
Monette, Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61
Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?
Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …
Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29
Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.
20 May 2010
Author: monette | Category: "WKT", ASL, Captain Kevin Donnelly, Captioner, CART provider, Certify NCRA RPR Test Prep, Court Reporter Tutor, HOH, Reiki, Shelley Arthur, webcasting
“Shelley Arthur: Consummate Professional And Important Friend,” Part II of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
I want to highlight and celebrate the life of a dear friend, court reporter, CART provider, and broadcast captioner.
Shelley Darlene Arthur of Vancouver, Canada, was passionate about her work, our profession, and working with deaf, HOH (hard of hearing) and animals.
No one – and I mean no one – could cover your back like Shelley Arthur.
She was a court reporter, mentor, role model, advocate, generous, enthusiastic, spirited, funny, kind, and totally committed to moments involving humans and animals. And she was so loyal to her friends and beliefs, too.
If there was a new item, a discussion, a fact – positive or perhaps not so positive to our world and to the world of animals – Shelley would write, “Did you see this? You need to read this.” “What do you think about …?” “Check this out!”
She shared her knowledge and talents with people all over the world.
Shelley Arthur had been my friend almost 14 years. We worked and played together; my life is better because of Shelley.
In 1988, Shelley Arthur became a court reporter, opening a court reporting firm. I met Shelley around 1996 when she was very involved in the CART community.
Our CART paths continued to cross and a friendship developed.
She expanded her work to include fulfilling requests and streaming text for disability and educational institutions, businesses, judicial environments, religious services, sporting events, and international arbitrations.
In 2000, Shelley Arthur opened Visual Voice Captions.
Part II
I want to share the Shelly Arthur I knew. As our friendship grew, we learned I was speaking at a convention she was attending. We had never met in person; nor had I seen a picture.
Yet I could recognize her voice from webcasting, remote CART and projects Shelley and I worked on for my company, All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc., www.artcs.com
A group was arriving to greet me at the airport. Unknown to me, Shelley rented a car, arriving early. She was good to go in jeans, petite sneakers and information she wanted to share now! Together, we met the court reporting group and had a marvelous evening.
Shelley lived with Kayla, her Pyrenees boo bear, sharing her home with Ms. Tiggy, a cat. (Shelley wrote about “Sam, the goat, who lives outdoors, staring inside.”)
She was proud to be an Air Force brat and described long transcontinental flights as a child with her sister visiting parents.
Shelley signed e-mails, “Hugs From Shelley & The Critters,” and shared events as Kayla aged to 14 years.
When Kayla deafened, Shelley communicated via sign language.
When I e-mailed, Shelley in Vancouver, she quickly responded.
Often they were snowed in, and she wrote, “but I need to walk Kayla.”
From Texas I would write, “How do you walk a large white dog when you are snowed in?”
Shelley, “First I dug out of the house. Then we walked the riverbank; Kayla saw a bird, enjoyed playing on the drifts. We’re defrosting now. It’s beautiful!”
I flew Shelley into multiple cities to work during NCRA, National Court Reporters Association, conventions within my Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs, www.CRRbooks.com, exhibit booth.
She also helped me when I conducted multiple U.S.A. and Canadian seminars.
I always knew she had my back. Always.
The morning of our first show, Shelley appeared in the exact outfit (matching top, long skirt).
Checking tags on the outfit (yes, same), I saw Shelley’s watch on her right arm – the exact antique silver bracelet watch (with two stones) I was wearing on my left arm.
People questioned if I thought this was odd. I laughed, “Not at all. We’re good.”
Shelley had a great laugh. I have memories of her chatting and laughing with court reporters, teachers, vendors, and court reporting students – bringing someone to meet me – waiting for the moment to step in and say, “Monette, you need to …”
She had such a special gift helping others.
Shelley Arthur knew Reiki healing and after 15-hour days, we would sit quietly, feet up. One evening I gifted her with a hotel full-body massage.
Later Shelley stopped by to thank me. Oh, I had never seen such a smile.
“And the male masseuse was good looking, too,” she beamed.
We would stay post-events two days to wrap-up work and unwind.
As I prepared to fly home, Shelley prepped for two days of travel to return to her Vancouver island home.
She showed me itineraries, which included (my words) big plane, small plane, tiny plane, hotel, car ride, ferry ride, ride from ferry, pick up animals, then ride home. I marveled how she thrived.
Part III is posted May 20, 2010, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE
Coach, Tutor and Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Coaching
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
10 May 2010
Author: monette | Category: "WKT", ASL, Captain Kevin Donnelly, Captioner, CART provider, Certify NCRA RPR Test Prep, Court Reporter Tutor, HOH, Reiki, Shelley Arthur, webcasting
“Shelley Arthur: Consummate Professional And Important Friend,” Part I of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
I want to highlight and celebrate the life of a dear friend, court reporter, CART provider, and broadcast captioner.
Shelley Darlene Arthur of Vancouver, Canada, was passionate about her work, our profession, and working with deaf, HOH (hard of hearing) and animals.
No one – and I mean no one – could cover your back like Shelley Arthur.
She was a court reporter, mentor, role model, advocate, generous, enthusiastic, spirited, funny, kind, and totally committed to moments involving humans and animals. And she was so loyal to her friends and beliefs, too.
If there was a new item, a discussion, a fact – positive or perhaps not so positive to our world and to the world of animals – Shelley would write, “Did you see this? You need to read this.” “What do you think about …?” “Check this out!”
She shared her knowledge and talents with people all over the world.
Shelley Arthur had been my friend almost 14 years.
We worked and played together; my life is better because of Shelley.
In 1988, Shelley Arthur became a court reporter, opening a court reporting firm. I met Shelley around 1996 when she was very involved in the CART community.
Our CART paths continued to cross and a friendship developed. She expanded her work to include fulfilling requests and streaming text for disability and educational institutions, businesses, judicial environments, religious services, sporting events, and international arbitrations.
In 2000, Shelley Arthur opened Visual Voice Captions.
Shelley was Level II ASL (American Sign Language), devoted to her work with deaf and HOH.
She was also a dedicated advocate for animal rights. My favorite picture is Shelley swimming with dolphins; she wrote, “And they understand ASL!” on the caption.
As a court reporter, remote and onsite CART provider, captioner, Webcaster, and consultant, Shelley worked in the Senate of Canada, the U.S. Senate, and the United Nations.
She provided court reporting and consulting services, wrote articles, conducted seminars, and served on the BCSRA, British Columbia Shorthand Reporters Association, advisory council.
Shelley traveled (writing me detailed e-mails) to Korea, Sri Lanka, India, the Amazon Rain Forest, and World AIDS conferences in Mexico City, Kenya, and South Africa, sharing her reporting and CART skills.
Shelley was dedicated to (a sampling) Cameryn’s Cause for Kids Society; Sign Language for Children; idratherbeflying.net (Shelley recently spent two months to organize next year’s deaf pilots Fly-In); Representative Organisation of Disabled People in Europe; and International Day of Persons With Disabilities UN Enable, among others.
Shelley Arthur “coined the term ‘UN Enable’ and created their logo with the red ‘e’ in 1998” when she built their first web site. “It was a play on the negative word ‘unable’ to hopefully create controversy and bring attention. It stuck. The term ‘UN Enable’ is now used as the name of the UN global Programme on Disability, and earned a high-level URL: www.un.org/disabilities.”
Part II of III is posted May 10, 2010, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE
Coach, Tutor and Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Coaching
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Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
05 May 2010
Author: monette | Category: ASL, Big D, CART provider, CART/captioning, court reporting test prep, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, HOH, Karen Sadler, NCRA prep, Sign Interpreters
“Accuracy of Sign Interpreting & Real-Time to Deaf Students” – Karen Sadler, Ph.D., Part 2
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Originally published: NCRA JCR, Beyond The Comfort Zone, April 2010
Monette: Last month I shared “A Number of Firsts In Science Education With Karen Salder, Ph.D.”
Karen created ‘firsts’ graduating with a BS in Neuroscience and acceptance to the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh for graduate work.
Karen was born severely hard of hearing. She lost almost all hearing by 1991 and had a cochlear implant which failed. Then Karen “had to learn ASL, American Sign Language, to be able to get information in school.” Karen Sadler used ASL through her bachelor’s and master’s degree. When she started her Ph.D. work, Karen began to work with CART providers.
Now we share details within Karen’s May 2009 science education doctoral work: “Accuracy of Sign Interpreting and Real-Time Captioning of Science Videos for the Delivery of Instruction to Deaf Students.”
As a preface to Karen Sadler’s doctor of philosophy work I want to share that the term “Deaf” (big D) is a reference for individuals who typically use sign language as their first language. My opinion is this detail will assist court reporters and students to have a greater understanding within Karen’s research.
Karen Sadler: When I started, I worked on the interpreters first. Interpreters were easy to find. I had a horrible time for two years with different people I hired to ‘translate’ tapes with me. One girl sat on it for a year and did hardly anything, and a professional interpreter I know also didn’t do much of anything for a year. I ended up translating the majority of the interpreter tapes with assistance to ensure it was being done correctly.
CART personnel [CART captioning] were easier, except trying to find them. I located some via word of mouth, but had to talk to a couple of groups that do court reporting here. They were all very professional.
In a silent world, Deaf students must rely upon others to get their information in the classroom, especially in public school classrooms, where teachers will be unfamiliar with ASL, American Sign Language, and cannot spend significant time teaching one student with special needs.
It has become necessary to use third-party communicators to convey classroom information. Until recently, sign language interpreters were the usual choice for Deaf students.
With the advent of the computer and court reporting, more and more Deaf students in college, as well as Deaf professionals, are choosing to use court reporters in the classroom.
The drive is on to utilize court reporters in schools from K through 12. But just because third-party communicators are available in a classroom does not guarantee accuracy of delivery, especially in classrooms involving science and math.
With the continuing closure of schools for the Deaf in the United States, and placement of these Deaf students into public schools, it has become necessary to find means to ensure these students obtain the same amount and the same quality of information available to their hearing peers.
Steno-based services are becoming more common in secondary schools, but research is needed to determine how accurate the information is that these students are receiving, especially since Deaf students continue to have problems meeting national standards in science and math.
Since Deaf students must rely upon support services such as interpreters and steno-based systems, it was obvious that the first step was to find out exactly how much science information is actually conveyed to the Deaf students.
In my study, several NASA videotapes were used. Each interpreter and each captioner [CART captioning] were tested separately.
Karen Sadler’s dissertation abstract lists: “The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine the impact of third-party support service providers on the quality of science information available to deaf students in regular science classrooms.
Three different videotapes that were developed by NASA for high school science classrooms were selected for the study, allowing for different concepts and vocabulary to be examined.
The focus was on the accuracy of translation as measured by the number of key science words included in the transcripts (captions) or videos (interpreted) …”
Interpreters were videotaped, so that what they signed could be documented and translated.
CART personnel [CART captioning] delivered their transcript to me. They were not allowed to correct their mistakes as I wanted to see exactly what Deaf students would see in the classroom.
Many Deaf students lag in reading skills and would not read the voluminous notes given to them. So what they obtained in the classroom, on the screen from a steno-based system, would be the information they would retain.
Three people involved in science ‘scored’ the transcripts. The number of key science words correctly delivered by each individual and each group was counted.
There was a significant difference between what the interpreters were able to deliver versus what the captioners [CART captioning] delivered.
CART providers [CART captioning] had an accuracy of 98% compared to the interpreters’ accuracy rate of 73% and were found to be significantly more accurate in the delivery of science words as compared to sign language interpreters in this study.
The few mistakes made by CART providers [CART captioning] was probably due to the fact that most often a legal dictionary was the software program used, and certain science terms were not recognized by those dictionaries.
Background information provided by all the participants indicated that the amount of training received by court reporters, as well as the fact that the training is standardized across the nation, made a huge difference in the information that would be conveyed to Deaf students.
Interpreters for the Deaf do not receive the same quality of training, nor are they required to meet the same national standards. It varies from state to state and from certification program to program.
So according to this information from this study, does that mean schools should rush out and hire court reporters instead of sign language interpreters for Deaf students? Not necessarily.
Deaf students come at the English language later in life than hearing students.
Their vocabulary is often smaller, and the reading skills required to follow a steno-based system in the classroom may make these systems difficult for some students to follow.
It has yet to be determined if and how much real-time captioning improves learning in Deaf students.
One thing that will determine how much these systems can be used in secondary classrooms, is the speed with which the student will see the captioning on the screen.
Previous research has shown that the faster the rate of captioning, the less understanding there is of the material.
Information that is moved too quickly off the screen not only decreases comprehension, but frustrates Deaf students. If students can be given some type of control over this rate, it may allow for more complete understanding.
Equal access and opportunity in education for Deaf students will not be achievable until they are able to receive the same information as their hearing peers.
Since they depend upon information given to them through third-party communicators, it is vital that that information is correct.
This preliminary research demonstrates that steno-based systems could increase the amount of information that Deaf students receive in public classrooms, and that would probably lead to better achievement in science and math on standardized tests.
Dissertation, details and abstract direct link: http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-07212009-201144/
Karen Salder, Ph.D., may be reached: klseduethics@hotmail.com
~~ Named the Court Reporting Whisperer by students, Monette may be reached: Monette.purplebooks@CRRbooks.com
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Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal, CART Captioner, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
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About Monette Benoit: As a 30+ year court reporter, CART captioner, author of NCRA and State test-prep material, instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and 225-homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands challenges many adults face in our industry.
In 1993, she began to CART caption to a large screen for a Deaf mass, San Antonio, Texas. Wonderful opportunities then presented from Big D, Little D, Oral Deaf, HOH consumers -each with special moments.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART captioners, students, instructors. She has helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is an informative, motivational, and funny blog for busy professionals and students who seek to create their success and who seek to enjoy this special path.
07 Apr 2010
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, Captioner, captioning, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coaching, college CART, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Court Reporting Whisperer, Deaf: Deaf Smith, Dolphin Ward Floyd, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HOH, home-study, Interpreter, Laney Fox, late deafened, Life Coach, Management, Monette's Musings, Motivation, NCRA, NCRA Court Reporters, NCRA test prep, Oral Deaf, Real-Time, Remote Interpreting, RID Sign Interpreter, SHHH, The Alamo, The Panama Story, The Texas Spy, time managment, Tutor & Empowerment Coach, WKT prep | Tags: Court Reporter Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Deaf Smith, The Texas Spy, History, Alamo, Captioning, CART, and Laney Fox
By Monette Benoit
Copyright 2007 by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
I first learned about Deaf Smith in 1993 when I entered Deaf culture as a realtime court reporter, CARTing, captioning to large screens for the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.
I was stunned I did not know about this daring, bold hero of the Alamo. My Deaf friends simply shrugged, “It’s because you’re hearing.” As an educator, CART Captioner, and private tutor with strong roots within Texas, I immediately phoned my mother when I could to ask, “How did I miss that?”
Many people in Texas trace their family lines back to the Texas Revolution.
The Alamo (which means “cottonwood” in Spanish) was surrounded by General Santa Anna with 3,000 troops. Colonial Travis sent an appeal to help 188 patriots inside the fortress. Thirty-two men and boys from Gonzales, Texas, marched 90 miles, crossing Mexican Army lines to enter the besieged Alamo.
I am a descendant of a “Gonzales Fighter.”
Dolphin Ward Floyd left a nine-month pregnant wife and four-year old son – knowing he would not come back.
He was murdered within the Alamo on March 6, 1836, on his thirty-second birthday. Floyd County is named after his sacrifice; his widow received a land grant. My longhorn-ranching Gonzales, cousins Rufus and Raquet Floyd, shared facts, stories and lore that have passed from generations, as did my mother.
Yet I never knew about Deaf Smith until 1993.
As a court reporter, while providing CART (communication access realtime translation) at a Deaf banquet at the Lone Star Brewery, downtown San Antonio, with the sun setting, wind blowing, children playing cowboys and Indians (in full costume) around my one-legged large screen and my husband kneeling to hold that screen with two hands – there – I learned about a fearless Deaf soldier who crossed enemy lines to read lips changing history as we know it.
Erastus Smith was born in New York on April 19, 1787.
Born hearing, Smith became deaf as a child; later he was called Deaf Smith. In 1821, Deaf Smith moved near San Antonio. He married Mexican widow Guadalupe Ruiz Duran in 1822; they had four daughters.
Smith first joined Stephen F. Austin’s Texas Republican Army in Gonzales after a Mexican soldier denied Smith permission to visit his wife and family near the start of the Texas Revolution.
Smith used his deafness to gather intelligence as a courier and military spy. In October 1835, Smith was wounded in battle. General Sam Houston soon promoted Smith to captain.
The Texas army retreated with Santa Anna in pursuit after the 11-day Alamo battle. All the bodies at the Alamo were burned by Santa Anna’s 1,300 man-army. Three weeks later in Goliad, Santa Anna ordered the massacre of 300 prisoners from the Battle of Coleto Creek.
San Jacinto’s battle was forty-six days after the Alamo. (My dad took my mother to the San Jacinto battlefield on their first date. I still tease my mother, “And you went on a second date?”)
Deaf Smith, soldier, scout, guide, was instrumental in the defeat of Santa Anna and the Mexican Army when Deaf Smith informed General Houston about Vince’s Bridge – the path of retreat or support for both sides near San Jacinto. Smith was ordered to destroy Vince’s Bridge. The Mexican army, unable to retreat, was trapped after Vince’s Bridge burned. Houston led 800 volunteers against Santa Anna’s 1300-man Mexican Army.
Shouting “Remember The Alamo! Remember Goliad!” Texans killed 630 Mexican soldiers, captured Santa Anna and ended the war. Texas lost eight volunteers and was liberated from Mexico at San Jacinto, April 21, 1836. Texas won independence from Mexico to become an independent republic, October 22, 1836.
After the war, Deaf Smith remained active and led a company of Texas Rangers.
Mrs. Deaf Smith was profiled in my NCRA, National Court Reporters Association, JCR ‘Beyond The Comfort Zone’ column when Laney Fox-Smith wrote about her performance in the Ms. Deaf Texas pageant. Laney shares how she researched the role.
Laney Fox-Smith:
When I started thinking what to do for my talent for the 2001 Ms. Deaf Texas, I wasn’t sure what to do. I couldn’t sing or dance! I wanted something special that was originally from Texas. I researched Deaf Culture to see if there was anything related to Texas. Then I came across Erastus “Deaf” Smith, a Deaf hero from Texas. While researching history for Erastus ‘Deaf’ Smith, I learned that a county in Texas is named after Deaf Smith.
As I studied history, I learned about Deaf Smith’s family. He married a Mexican widow, and they had four children. That was when I decided to dress as his wife with traditional Mexican clothing. I went downtown to San Antonio’s El Mercado and bought a green Mexican skirt and white top. My hair was braided so I looked like a Mexican woman from the 1800s! I had an excellent tutor, Brain Barwise, who helped me prepare my presentation in ASL, American Sign Language.
During Miss Deaf Texas for my talent, I performed a factual story, a poem I wrote, on how Deaf Smith was brave to infiltrate within the Mexican camp to determine military strategies and to help Texas win the battle. Deaf Smith had a keen sense of what was happening, so he was able to learn where the Mexicans were going to move next.
I learned that Deaf Smith became deaf after birth due to childhood disease. I became deaf around 9 months old. My parents think that it was due to a 103 degree fever; my father put me into a tub of ice to get my fever down. I am profoundly deaf; I wonder if I would have any hearing if he had not put me into the tub.
I learned Smith initially did not want to get involved with the wars; he didn’t want to pick sides. Unfortunately, he was forced to pick a side after the Mexicans refused to let him enter San Antonio to visit his wife and daughters. Then Smith joined forces with General Sam Houston.
Researching historical records, Deaf Smith seems to be a fair and neutral person. When I spoke to people originally from Mexico about the Texan Revolution, they tell me Texas was stolen from them. I can understand from their perspective; it was originally Mexico. I learned Deaf Smith was an excellent scout. He knew shortcuts, which later helped him to defeat the Mexican forces. He died November 30, 1837; his Richmond monument says “Deaf Smith, The Texas Spy.”
I think that once someone loses a sense, his other senses become stronger. Even though I do not hear well, I am able to see better in my peripheral vision and be more observant of my surroundings. Erastus Smith mastered lip reading in both English and Spanish. This is quite a feat! I am still learning to master English with lip-reading skills!
Many people aren’t aware that English has a lot of phonemes, which represents sound. A Lamar University professor stated English itself is 80 percent phonemical, which is very difficult on deaf people. We rely on content to see the difference between moat and boat, which looks identical on the lips. Many English words appear similar on the lips. I have heard that an effective lip-reader understands only 40 percent of what is said. I believe that statistic because if I had to rely on lip reading alone (without my hearing aid), I would be more lost.
It is really important for me to use my hearing aid to hear the difference between moat and boat. So, I was very impressed when I learned Deaf Smith lip-read two languages!
My husband is currently a Spanish instructor. When I have seen him speak Spanish, I am lost. I understand only basic Spanish words (hola, como estas? and muy bien). I have watched the actors and actresses in Spanish soap operas; their lips are moving so fast! It seems like Spanish is a fast language!
Erastus “Deaf” Smith is truly a chameleon to learn dual languages and to become a hero for the Deaf!
Monette adds: And for the hearing, too.
About Monette:
Monette Benoit, B. B.A.,
Certified Court Reporter, Certified Reporting Instructor, Certified Program Evaluator, Paralegal, Columnist
Multiple-Title Author of Books & Test-Prep for the Court Reporting, CART/Captioning Industry
Purple Books – Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, Monette’s Musings
Court reporting veteran, author, instructor, publisher, public speaker, Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
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Named the ‘Court Reporting Whisperer’ by students, she may be reached: monette.purplebooks@crrbooks.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
26 Aug 2008
Author: monette | Category: ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coaching, college CART, consultant, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HOH, home-study, Interpreter, Laney Fox, late deafened, Life Coach, Management, Motivation, Oral Deaf, Real-Time, Remote Interpreting, RID Sign Interpreter, Tutoring, WKT prep, www.CRRbooks.com | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Laney’s Universe; Always An Adventure, CART, Captioning – 2003
By Monette Benoit
Copyright by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Each year, for three years, I’ve written about Laney Fox. I am a court reporter, CART provider, instructor, private tutor, coach, who has had the honor of working and laughing with Laney Fox.
We met “in the trenches” when Trinity University requested classroom CART services, communication access realtime translation (voice-to-text) services for Latin. (Many people also refer to serve this classroom CART as ‘captioning’ by captionists.)
Laney entered her class after I had arrived. I am a court reporter, instructor and tutor. I introduced myself on my laptop screen, using my steno machine.
No, I did not know Latin.
The only Spanish I knew (working in criminal court as a court reporter) was: “Guilty or Not Guilty? Have a seat over there.”
Prior to receiving CART, Laney attended all her classes as ‘oral deaf’, reading teachers’, students’ lips.
As a college student, she lived in the dorm for three years, sharing many experiences with me. Her roommates were not deaf.
Some events are comical, as she ‘is’ deaf. Others are typically normal. My favorites? I can’t share, but I’ve had lots of giggles, listening.
When we first met, though, deaf since childhood, Laney had enrolled in a sign language class to ‘better understand’ deaf culture.
She spoke during NCRA’s (National Court Reporters Association) San Antonio convention. Laney was my guest at the NCRF fundraiser when Laurel Eiler, NCRA president, arranged for a hypnotist to entertain guests. Reporters graciously moved away from the center, first row, so Molly Sheridan could interpret. (Laney could not read lips when ‘backs’ were turned to the audience; Laney’s ‘choice’ was an ASL interpreter.)
She’s volunteered to help children, elderly, deaf, HOH (Hard of Hearing), and Laney’s love for animals initially directed her towards pre-med vet studies.
Laney Fox competed in the Miss Deaf Texas Beauty Pageant and was first runner-up.
As I tease her, no dust collects on Laney’s sneakers.
We keep in touch via email, data beepers, friends, interpreters, special events.
We had not seen other in a while, and we met for lunch. When I arrived, Laney was outside, arms extended, gesturing. A mature man was to her left. Two men wearing faded cowboy hats, dusty blue jeans and mud-caked boots, stood near Laney. I parked, sprinted to Laney.
She pointed to the man: “He hit my car!”
I looked to the two men, tilting my head.
Laney said, “I want to know what they’re staring at!”
I roared with laughter; they departed.
The man who ‘hit’ her car was attempting to leave, without stopping. He repeated: “I didn’t do any damage.”
Laney, red-faced, clearly upset, clearly did not share his opinion. I ‘signed’ (ASL) to her, spoke to him.
He did not want to write his name, address.
Finally, I said to the man wearing a hearing aid in each ear: “She’s deaf. Let’s let her parents decide what needs to be done here.”
His reply, “Oh, I didn’t know ‘that’!” He complied with my request. Then he exited, in his car, via the ‘entrance’.
Laney and I rolled our eyes, entered the restaurant, arm-in-arm.
After a wonderful lunch, Laney stood first.
A man approached behind her saying, “excuse me”, several times. Then he exhaled loudly.
I remembered not to roll my eyes, smiled, softly said, “She’s deaf.”
He replied, “Oh, I’m sorry.”
I answered, “That’s okay. It’s not your fault.” Laney and I howled.
I told Laney I was going to put the ‘stupid zone’ comments in this article; she agreed.
At our cars, the waitress ran toward Laney: “Here’s your keys! You won’t get far without these!” She held Laney’s car keys high into the air.
I shook my head, teasingly slapped Laney. As usual, ‘moments’, any occasion, and lunching with Laney is never boring.
I am eagerly looking forward to your graduation party, Laney. I know it won’t be dull or uneventful.
Thank you for sharing with NCRA. Thank you for permitting me to ‘collect’ memories, moments, I can hold close to my heart. I am so proud of you.
And you still owe me money for all the parking meters when you did not bring ‘change’.
It’s truly been a privilege to have provided CART for you and also to have been befriended by you, Laney Fox, my adventurous friend.
Laney’s 2003 update:
“I recently saw Monette. We chatted, dined and laughed. It was wonderful to see her. We had not seen each other for months. But I felt honored that Monette asked me to type up something for her national NCRA JCR, Journal of Court Reporting, column, article. I just dyed/trimmed my hair tonight and I feel ‘new!’
“This past summer I had a volunteer internship at DeafWay (an international conference), which was such an enriching experience! I flew to Washington D.C. and stayed with friends for two weeks.
“I opted to volunteer 40-something hours, which meant that I had to get up at 6 A.M. to get on the subway, to arrive to the location at 7 A.M. I stayed up every night, meeting new people from all over the world! I learned how to communicate with other people who did not speak English. I gestured, motioned and pointed to try to get my points clearly.
“It is amazing on how two people from differing cultures are able to find something in common with each other by conversing for several minutes. I attended multiple panels. I learned such an array of diverse information. I also watched international plays, which gave me opportunities to see their own ‘world’ from their performances. I attended museums. This afforded me a greater knowledge of deaf history.
“However, one of my best experiences at DeafWay is when I volunteered all day to help people to ‘know their way around’. I realized that nearly 10,000 deaf people had come across the world to ‘bond’ with others, and I am proud that I was part of this unique experience.
“Now I am taking 15 hours at Trinity University (and night classes at SAC, San Antonio College, for sign language and I’m learning Spanish!).
“I have remote CART for most of my university classes. I have onsite CART for Greek. Wow, I must have given the CARTers a run for their money when they had to CART for Latin (for my first three years) and now Greek (for my senior year).
“It was a challenge for each of us, Monette and I, to work together as a team for Latin. When I enrolled in Greek, I was fortunate, since the CARTer for my class had already worked with a student in a Greek class. It always helps when the CARTer is familiar with the language!
“I am currently volunteering at the San Antonio Southwest Biomedical Center. I am with the Enrichment Program. We are constantly trying to find ways to improve the quality of the primates’ lives. I aid by observating, building enrichment items and analyzing the data. This volunteer position has been very educational because I am able to determine whether I want to work in this field.
“Last year, I worked in the San Antonio Zoo as an aid to the zookeepers. These volunteering internships are always helpful to me; each allows me to experience their jobs temporarily.
“After I graduate, I am planning to take the GRE and to volunteer part-time. I will probably take a couple classes at a community college. I am thinking about taking carpentry! I need to know how to build a birdhouse (or a bathouse?), so I may take the class. I’ll let you know if the birds accept my birdhouse. (smile)
“Now, after all these volunteering experiences, I am planning to apply to the Peace Corps and Americorps for two years. I have always loved volunteering. I would be thrilled if I could head down to Africa for two years, but we’ll see how everything goes. Wish me luck!”
Monette — PS: Two days after I submitted this article to my NCRA JCR editor, I ‘beeped’ Laney to remind her that “Survivor” would be televised one evening prior to its usual schedule. We have been watching Christy Smith, the oral deaf contestant.
Laney responded immediately: “Thanks for letting me know, Monette. I locked myself out of my car … but it is such a wonderful day. Are you taking a break now? Go for a walk. Hugs.”
This young lady often reminds me to stop my ‘busy-world’, to eat properly and to not work so hard. With the Iraq war starting today and the state of events around the world, I believe we all need a person like Laney Fox who can share such pure moments in realtime. And, yes, I did go that walk. Thanks for the reminder, Laney.
Monette may be contacted: Tutoring@CRRbooks.com
Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Career Coach,
Multiple-Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting and CART Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
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About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART Captioner, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART Captioners, students, and instructors.
She has also helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day. Reach up. Bring it. Bring it. * Bring it today!
22 Aug 2008
Author: monette | Category: 95 % pass rate written exam, ADA, Advocate, ASL, Big D, Captain Kevin Donnelly, CART provider, CART/captioning, Coaching, college CART, consultant, court reporter certification, court reporter test prep, Court Reporter Tutor, Deaf, Goal Setting, Hard of Hearing, HCV, HOH, home-study, Interpreter, Laney Fox, late deafened, Life Coach, Management, Monette Benoit, NCRA, Oral Deaf, Real-Time, SHHH, Sign Interpreters, time managment, Tutoring | Tags: Court Reporting Whisperer, Tutor & Empowerment Coach
Hear’s Laney: 2007 CART and Captioning Update
By Monette Benoit
Copyright by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
May 2000, my NCRA JCR, Journal of Court Reporting, column ran Mark Cuss Said to the Nymphs, “The phone rang Friday, 2:30. ‘Would you realtime a class? We need you Monday. It started two months ago. Oh, it’s Latin.’ Monday morning, the university student arrived, looked at me, my equipment near her seat, and stopped. I wrote, ‘My name is Monette. I’ve been asked to help you. Today will be the worst day. We’ll work as a team. I promise I’ll get better.’ I began Latin; Callisto and nymphs were having a metamorphosis over the birth of Arcas, Juno and constellations …”
June 2000, I detailed Laney’s Latin: Hearing Not Required about Laney’s experiences as an oral deaf college student, learning sign language, receiving CART. Born hearing, Laney became deaf at 13 months. She mainstreamed in fourth grade after nine years of oral education. I knew more sign language, deaf culture than she when we met. Oh, how I enjoyed watching Laney’s world expand; her responses receiving CART. I also introduced Laney to deaf in San Antonio, my friends, companions. They loved her!
March 2002, Laney’s Luminous Life profiled Laney becoming Miss Deaf Texas First Runner-Up. I was in Florida, a sign interpreter in San Antonio phoned, reading text messages from deaf onsite, all realtime updates, as Laney competed in Austin. We ooh-ed and ahhh-ed as a team while she competed. Laney portrayed the wife of Deaf Smith, who lived in San Antonio, assisted Sam Houston in his victory with in Battle of San Jacinto, immediately after Alamo battle.
June 2003, Laney: Always An Adventure featured Laney as she graduated, volunteering with DeafWay, the zoo, observing primates and goals become a veterinarian. Each article is listed www.CRRbooks.com per Laney.
‘Hear’ we are, 2007. One Monday morning, here in Texas, there was an email from Laney. I just knew this email would be entertaining.
“Hi, Monette! I often wonder how you are! I’m married to a wonderful man, Tim Smith. I have so much to tell you; we bought a house. I’m learning about remodeling. I learned how to take laminated floor off and how to add them.
I’m working as a teacher, completing my second year! I’m hoping to become a school counselor, but I must teach three years. I will teach another year, then head to Gallaudet University to get an Educational Counseling degree. That may be my second masters! That’s my plan.
I have a Masters in Deaf Education from Lamar University. My husband has a Masters in Modern Language. I’m actually using sign now since I’m a teacher at a school for the deaf.
I met Tim at Camp Summit. Tim oversaw all male unit leaders/counselors. He wanted to learn sign language; I was happy to be his tutor.
I found you, Monette, when I Googled myself. I was surprised to see my name on an ASL university site talking about Deaf Smith. The author discovered I performed a poem on Deaf Smith for my Ms. Deaf Texas talent. This was pretty ironic because I dressed up to be Mrs. Deaf Smith. Now my last name is Fox-Smith. Who would have thought I would have Smith in my name? Then, I came across your articles. I realized how much I missed talking to you!
Here is my update: We married May 26, 2006; we eloped. Monday we decided to marry that Friday. We called our families about date, time. My family drove Friday afternoon to see us married in a courthouse. We loved the stress-free environment!
Let me rewind and give you an update since Trinity University. I graduated May 2003. (Laney and I wrote an update after her graduation.)
A friend encouraged me to go to Camp Summit. I was hired as “unit leader.” I met Tim there. I fell in love, moving to Dallas with him. I looked for a job, worked as a substitute teacher.
I received a job offer from Texas School for the Deaf, TSD (Austin), to work as a teacher aide. I decided this would be a good experience for me, so we began a long-distance relationship.
I lived in Austin with a friend. There I worked with an amazing teacher in the Special Needs Department! I decided I wanted to become a teacher.
I was accepted by Lamar University. I attended Lamar for about one year and a half taking as many courses as I could. I got lucky, received a rare summer internship! I worked at the National Deaf Academy in Mount Dora, Florida! What an amazing experience working with special children for ten weeks.
Tim visited; he fell in love with that town. I received a possible job offer, but there wasn’t any university nearby. Tim wanted to continue teaching. Instead we went back to Austin; I graduated August 2005.
I went back to TSD to work as a teacher! It was a good year for me. I was with Tim, seeing old faces at TSD. I met teacher aids who told me they wanted to become teachers. I told them they could become certified teachers within a year and half! In fact, I encouraged one deaf teacher aide now attending Lamar. We always need more deaf teachers, so that was really cool! To share my story and experience with another and inspire them to go back to school was really rewarding.
Tim and I moved to be close to his work (college instructor). We bought a house.
Tim proposed Christmas Eve. I kinda knew right before he proposed because he got all formal. He was like “when I first met you …” I knew instantly. I couldn’t wait until he finished. I wanted him to finish what he was saying, so I felt I had to pretend I didn’t know what he was doing! I got all nervous! I was sorta in shock. “Wow, he proposed to me …” Of course, the answer was yes. He proposed while hiking at a park. We love the outdoors.
Now I work at a charter school. I teach 4th/5th math, 7th math, 8th math, 3rd/6th/7th Language Arts (LA), 10th LA, and 9th LA. It is really nice to work with deaf. I have hearing students, as well.
I am getting more and more involved with the deaf community. My main communication now is usually sign. I talk to Tim with my voice; Tim signs back, which is pretty funny!
People watching get confused who is deaf or hearing! Recently, a cashier thought I was hearing, Tim was deaf. She talked to me, so I would interpret to Tim. I turned to my husband asking him what she said. Tim interpreted for me. It was really funny to see her expression!
I also tutor, teaching sign. One student decided to quit work, return to college to become an interpreter! I told her about CART; she hasn’t seen CART in action yet. But I hope that she will be open-minded about interpreters and CART like you are! It is important to have everyone working together as a family!
Monette: Next we’ll share more with another article and add Erastus Smith, aka, Deaf Smith, huge hero in deaf culture – especially in Texas. We’re family, and Laney is off to the library tonight, Monday, after work, to ensure we have all details correct.
Monette may be contacted: Tutoring@CRRbooks.com
21 Aug 2008