My experience

In Year 7, during the first week of class, we were all getting settled and making friends. In cooking class, I told the teacher I was deaf and might need her to repeat herself, speak louder, and seat me close to the front. Only a few friends knew about my hearing loss, which was how I wanted it, as I felt ashamed. The teacher said it was fine and she'd accommodate me. She started the lesson, then looked at me and asked, “Mackenzie, do you want to come closer so you can hear me?” I politely declined, said I could hear her, and felt embarrassed. She nodded and continued. When it was time for introductions, I said, “Hi, I'm Mackenzie, and I like to play soccer.” The teacher turned to me and asked, "Is there anything else you'd like to add?" I said, “No”. She responded, “I can think of something: that you're deaf, maybe? Class, make sure you help Mackenzie since she has trouble hearing us.” Some kids laughed, and I was too embarrassed to address what happened.

​

I felt like I never wanted to go back to that class or show my face. I worried the class would treat me differently because I had a disability. It was a tough experience, but it made me realize there's nothing to be ashamed of and that I shouldn't let it affect me.

 

This experience taught me that well-intentioned attempts to help the students can feel very humiliating, especially if they go on to ignore the students' wishes and privacy. 

Even well-intentioned educators can easily overlook the importance of the educational performance of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. When I reflect on my experiences as a student,nt I remember the enormous fatigue associated with needing to listen harder, concentrate more, and process information at a rate faster than I was able to due to my hearing. This meant I missed instructions at times, and ultimately, ly this impacted my academic performance.