I enjoy walking to work. I pack my school shoes in my schoolbag, tuck my lunch in on top of them, put on my walking shoes and jacket (if needed) and walk out the door. I can do this routine almost in my sleep, without even looking.
Ah, readers. You’ve come through for me in the past. I’m working on a post describing what it’s like to be a hearing impaired person teaching in a virtual school. Here’s my draft. Let me know what you think. Since I hit copy and paste, I’ve already made three changes. Five. Now I’ve lost count.
I entered the teaching field armed with a music degree, two teaching licenses, and two powerful hearing aids. The degree and teaching licenses got me hired; the hearing aids helped me thrive. My condition is a progressive loss, one that has worsened with time and will continue to change as I grow older. This loss is due to nerve damage, and hearing aids are the correct and only treatment. As my hearing loss worsened, I looked for an alternative to a traditional classroom setting, and Wisconsin Connections Academy attracted my attention. I was fascinated by the variety of families enrolled, the unique program, and the commitment to learning, and the enthusiasm for technology in education.
My hearing loss is only one part of who I am as a teacher. Sometimes I need small modifications, or reasonable accommodations as the law calls them. This was easy for WCA; all of the headsets are hearing aid compatible. My students and my coworkers take my hearing loss in stride.
At one time I taught students with hearing impairments – not as a specialist, but as their regular classroom teacher. The presence of a role model, a professional with the same disability they had, motivated these children more than any lesson I could teach. I hope that my current students see my disability, when they think of it at all, as an example that they, too, can succeed, no matter what challenges lie ahead.
Well, readers? I feel like it’s still rather stiff, rather bland. Help me out, please?
One election down, another coming up in one month. In one month, Wisconsinites will decide who will challenge current Governor Scott Walker in a recall election. At least one young voter is ready.
Dear Pharmacy that shall not be Named;
>Disclaimer: Adjustment Daisy style does not replace or even supplement real medical advice. This adjustment addresses the woozy feeling in the morning, sometimes called the Hangover Effect.
>Two bad nights in a row. That’s unusual. Most of the time one bad night will leave me tired enough to sleep the second. Not this time.
>
Readers, you saw the mess before I unpacked all the boxes of teachers’ manuals and other important resources. You could have followed up with the eventual “after” shot. Still later, Flat Stanley made a visit to my cubicle.
