Making Connections
By Lynn Johnson-Miles, Nebraska H&V
2020 taught us just how important human connection can be in our lives. We’ve been isolated, not able to communicate like we want to with our family and friends. Masks keep us safe but hide smiles. We all know this can impact our well-being. Our kids are feeling it, too.
There are professional articles and research studies telling us we need to make sure our students with hearing differences have opportunities to connect with others who have shared experiences. I’m not here to repeat those numbers to you. I’m here to describe the sparkle in the eyes of my students when they meet another student who “gets it”. Not a word needs to be expressed about hearing, hearing aids, audiograms, FM systems, reading tests, speech therapy, or communication modality. It’s an opportunity to just “be”. I’d like to share an example with you.
Today, after a year of COVID restrictions, I was able to witness one of those sparkly moments. On a high school tour with my 8th graders, I got to see a student’s eyes light up when he saw the senior football and wrestling star (on a full-ride college scholarship next year) walk up to give us our tour. The student turned to me wide-eyed and said, “I didn’t know HE was deaf too?!” Just during the brief introduction that followed, I could see my 8th grader’s shoulders straighten and lift a little. That quick moment helped him remember that deaf and hard of hearing young people are doing things they love. That 8th grader’s eyes lit up again when another student joined us, who is another excellent athlete. As we walked through the weight room, one of my sophomore students saw us and ran over to introduce himself. As we continued through the halls, a former student who uses sign language receptively and is now a full-time employee for the district joined us. The group walked together, chatting, and laughing.
That 8th grade student is aware that there are other people in the world who wear hearing aids, kids his age, and people of all ages. These moments were different though. Connections formed that no hearing person will ever understand. Connections I may never truly understand but will forever know what it looks like.
On the ride back to the middle school, the soon-to-be-freshman beamed when he reflected, “Wow. It’s going to be great to have upperclassmen I will recognize if I need help next year. They will know me and I will know them! Wow. That’s really cool.” The moments I witnessed today are the reason why teachers for the deaf and hard of hearing do what we do. ~
Editor’s note: Lynn Jonson-Miles, M.Ed. is a teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing at Westside Community Schools in Nebraska and a Nebraska Chapter Board member.
H&V Communicator – Fall 2021