Brian Malzkuhn

Born to a deaf and teaching family in Michigan, Brian graduated from California School for the Deaf, Berkeley in 1968.  He earned his BA in Sociology from Gallaudet University in 1972 and a MA in Special Education at Cal State University, Northridge.  His first career was teaching mathematics at California Schools for the Deaf, Riverside and Berkeley/Fremont for 15 years.  After a two years stint in business, he obtained a second Masters degree in Teaching ASL from McDaniel in 1994 while teaching at Ohlone College in Fremont: ASL Linguistics, Deaf Culture and all levels of ASL at Ohlone College.  In addition, he also developed and taught new courses:  ASL Storytelling, ASL Literature, ASL Classifiers and Deaf History.  Lured out of retirement from teaching, he joined Gallaudet as a part of a pioneering effort in teaching ASL to L1 deaf college students fall of 2007.  He stayed there for 3 years.  Now back to Fremont to be with his wife of 37 years and Giddy, a 5 year old Boston Terrier, he also enjoys his sub teaching at California School for the Deaf up to 5 days a month.

What was Dr. Henry Klopping’s Secret as CSD Fremont?

Brian will bring to the surface Dr. Klopping’s secret as he transformed CSD Berkeley/Fremont into a stellar deaf education program over the course of 36 years under his leadership.  During the presentation, the results of his number one belief in the one thing that put CSD Fremont on the map will be discussed.  This is something the other deaf schools, now in terms of lower enrollment, needs more than ever. With the challenge of changing times, such as cochlear implants and states trying to cut deficits in budgets, we need to look at CSD Fremont whose student enrollment has been steady, staying over 400 students.  One key method has made all the difference.