One
of the reasons I started this blog was to be an advocate. I had to learn for
myself how to advocate for myself or be assertive early in life. Because of
this, I’ve made sure I had what I needed and over the years, I’ve been somewhat
an advocate or mediator for others.
One
of the things I had to advocate for myself about was my hearing impediment. I
have a moderate to severe hearing impairment and I’ve had it since birth and
yes, I wear hearing aids. So, being hearing impaired on top of having a
disability was very difficult. I think I annoyed the other classmates when I
raise my hand to tell the teacher to repeat what they said or speak a little
louder and sitting in front of the class. My choices at seating were somewhat
limited, depending on how the classroom was set up. The trick is to learn which
area you think you would hear best at. This is tricky and it’s a trial and
error process, but having done this for years, I’ve learned exactly where to
sit right when I walk into the classroom for the first time. If you are unsure
of where to sit, try to visit the classroom beforehand or try to get to the
classroom early so you can figure out where you need to be. Also, you should
always talk to the teacher. Communicating with the teacher can be a big help,
especially if you don’t want to feel like you’re being a jerk if someone
sitting in the one seat that would be best for you. I’ve been there, done that,
it helps, trust me.
There
are two things I absolutely hated about school, taking notes and having to
change my hearing aid battery right in the middle of class. Fortunately, I was
able to eliminate taking notes. In middle and high school, I had a friend who
took notes so well it looked more like what a detailed lesson plan was. And she
always let me borrow or copy them. Thank you, my friend! During college, I didn’t
have that type of friend, but at least the college was willing to hand out
written notes for those that needed it, so I requested that accommodation, so I
would at least have notes.
The
other thing I hated, I don’t think that can be helped at all and personally, I
dread having to do it when I finally get a job. In class, my hearing aid
battery would go dead and I’d have to change it. I didn’t want to go to the bathroom
to change it because I didn’t want to drop it. The thing cost a fortune! I didn’t
want to risk breaking it! The only option I could see was to do it right there
in my seat where others can see. It was either that or not being able to hear
the rest of the lecture. So, I did it right there. Yeah, there were a couple of
times one of my classmates who saw me doing it asked what I was doing, but
after seeing me do it a few times, they just didn’t ask anymore. I’ve even had
a few teachers who were nice enough to stop the lecture for the few minutes
when they saw me changing my hearing aid battery, and it really does take just
a few minutes to do it. They would watch me and look at me when they think I
was done for confirmation that they can continue. No, they didn’t think I was disrupting
the class, I didn’t even expect them to, but sometimes, teachers can surprise you
with how understanding they are.
For
those that don’t know what a hearing aid looks like, here’s a model I found at
mayoclinic.com:
These
are the different models. I’ve had two of these shown in the model, B and C.
Personally, I like B the best. Taking care of a hearing aid can be a pain but
it’s worth it.
There
are other ways I’ve had to advocate for myself, but I think I’ll continue this
in part two, coming soon!
Until
next time, God Bless.
- MissNiChloe
No comments :
Post a Comment