I have been collaborating with Silent Echo Of Harmony Inc. and others trying to come up with ways I can get my deaf and hard of students together. One of the biggest problems I come across when working with these students is that they are often the only deaf or hard of hearing student in their class or even the entire school. Some of them have expressed desire to meet other kids like themselves. One of them wondered why there are no kids like him on television and movies. One thought that he was the only deaf boy in the entire state!
So, it is quite obvious that there needs to be more interaction between each other and more exposure to various types of deaf and hard of hearing people, especially the successful and well known ones such as Ashley Fiolek, Sean Forbes, and Antoine Hunter.
I know that because I am new and only a little teacher within the public school system, it will be difficult to plan things such as field trips and gatherings during school hours. Right now I am starting small by helping some of my students put on presentations in their classrooms about themselves and other hard of hearing and deaf people. Eventually, I would like to see them put on presentations for the entire school, if they wish to.
With the rules and regulations, little time, and testing, it will be difficult to plan at first, but it can be done and I will work my hardest to see that it happens. Now that I am more comfortable with my position and have a better understanding of how this school district works, I am more than ready to start.
Silent Echo of Harmony Inc. has inspired me to be more proactive in this. Please visit their site and read about their mission. I truly hope this organization can achieve its goals of bringing more awareness about deaf and hard of hearing issues.
I hope I can make more of these types of changes next school year, if not this year.
(e
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So, it is quite obvious that there needs to be more interaction between each other and more exposure to various types of deaf and hard of hearing people, especially the successful and well known ones such as Ashley Fiolek, Sean Forbes, and Antoine Hunter.
I know that because I am new and only a little teacher within the public school system, it will be difficult to plan things such as field trips and gatherings during school hours. Right now I am starting small by helping some of my students put on presentations in their classrooms about themselves and other hard of hearing and deaf people. Eventually, I would like to see them put on presentations for the entire school, if they wish to.
With the rules and regulations, little time, and testing, it will be difficult to plan at first, but it can be done and I will work my hardest to see that it happens. Now that I am more comfortable with my position and have a better understanding of how this school district works, I am more than ready to start.
Silent Echo of Harmony Inc. has inspired me to be more proactive in this. Please visit their site and read about their mission. I truly hope this organization can achieve its goals of bringing more awareness about deaf and hard of hearing issues.
I hope I can make more of these types of changes next school year, if not this year.
(e
Related Post:
I am a new follower of this blog. I have to say that I am encouraged to see that there are teachers and educators out there trying to get deaf and HOH kids together today.
ReplyDeleteI was born extremely HOH in the 60s and raised as a hearing person - fully verbal and read lips. I was mainstreamed long before mainstream was in vogue and the ADA became law. I was alone and lonely. I was practically the only deaf kid (became profoundly deaf by sixth grade) in the entire public school system.
I'm just trying to say that it's a good thing you're trying to do with these kids. Hearing people, which includes parents and siblings, just don't understand what we go through.
Thanks, Lee Ann.
ReplyDeleteThe Rochester School for the Deaf has been hosting a program that brings together area mainstreamed and HOH students for socialization and tutoring in areas of academic weakness. It's small, I understand, but the spirit is to overcome loneliness and isolation. There is info at http://rsdeaf.org/, scroll down to the link on the right "RASA". There might be ideas here to inspire starting a similar program in your area.
ReplyDeleteGreat! Thanks, Dianrez.
ReplyDeleteYou know, that's a perfect example of a program we would love to have here in Atlanta -- (e? SERIOUSLY -- I love the idea of an after school program. It would take a lot of work, patience, and support -- but it CAN be done!
ReplyDelete