People with disabilities in school!

I interviewed one of my favorite people his name is Henry for privacy reasons. This is the only picture I have.

Diagnosis: Hearing Impaired almost Deaf

What difficulties have occurred in the school setting?

He has had hearing aids since he was thirty four. That teacher’s didn’t believe that he couldn’t hear. He told me a story about when he was in kindergarten the teacher got mad at him because he didn’t answer the question which she asked him. For starters she didn’t even believe that he couldn’t hear. My grandma went in with him and talked to her and told her but she still didn’t really even care. So my grandma took him out of school for that year and put him in the next year with a different teacher that actually cared. This teacher took time to understand him.

How the school addressed the needs of the student?

Once they finally started understanding that he couldn’t hear they gave the teachers microphones that would go to his hearing aid so he could hear it better. They also talked slower so he could read lips he is a pro at that. They finally started to understand that some kids need help in some areas, they had him in speak therapy as well because he can’t say his R’s, they have worked with him. Now he is a successful business man. He still can’t hear very well but it can do anything that a hearing person can.

What could the school do to better meet the needs of students?

First off I think they should listen to the parents and the students and not be rude about it. I think they can provide a positive environment even though some students are different. Don’t single them out just let them join in with the others in class.

What advice would the student give to a new teacher?

Tell them that he needs to sit close to the front so he can hear and read their lips better. Also that he just wants to be treated like any other kid in the class and not like some project like some teachers make students there project. Just be straight up honest and tell her that he can’t hear very well.

I wish teachers would care more about their students to help them out and not be so rude like they were to this man.