Hearing from the Deaf: A Panel on El Deafo

Hearing from the Deaf: A Panel on CeCe Bell's, El Deafo

           On Monday, September 26^th, 2016 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in McCarthy Arts Center, the education department presented its 4^th annual common read to explore deafness in Cece Bell’s, El Deafo. The panelists included Bill Hudson, Blair Rasmus, Margaret Sicotte, Jonathan Silverman, and Rayona Silverman. Bill Hudson was born with severe hearing loss and has served on many boards, advisory councils and committees related to the recognition and growth of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Blair Rasmus is a genetically deaf, fourth-generation in her large deaf family, and is a native user of American Sign Language. Margaret Sicotte is an audiologist that works in a cochlear implant program. Finally, Jonathan Silverman is the father of Rayona who was born with hearing loss and now has two cochlear implants. The event catered to every audience member because there were three translators available for any deaf members viewing the panel. 

            One of the major points of the panel was how deafness contributes to the panelists’ identities. Rayona stated that being deaf is a part of who she is, and it only makes her stronger. Moreover, it makes her see people in a new light. Blair compared being born into a deaf family tot being born into a family with a different language. She never views deafness as a disability.  Jonathan stated that having a daughter with deafness made him appreciate hearing much more—something that a lot of people take for granted. Teachers need to be aware of, and recognize, the differences amongst their students because each student has unique qualities that make up his or her identity. This tagged this blog post to PC 7.2 because I need to have knowledge about the learners in my classroom, in terms of their needs, in order for them to fully learn in my class. I also tagged this blog post to PC 10.1 because my placement has shown me how I can collaborate with my learners and their parents in order to meet their specific needs in the classroom.

            Each panelist also noted how important it was to read El Deafo by CeCe Bell because the protagonist and her experiences are very relatable. Rayona appreciated that CeCe has a positive outlook on being deaf. When she was younger, Rayona hated being deaf because it made her different. A moment that stood out to her was when she was in eighth grade. She was walking down the hall when a third grader stopped her and asked her what those “things” were on her ears. The third grader then followed up the question with a rude remark about how they made her look weird. Rayona observed that after reading El Deafo, comments like the one she received in eighth grade did not bother her as much anymore. Rayona was able to relate to CeCe’s experiences and Cece made her realize that she was not alone. Incorporating books with diverse characters into a classroom is key in making all students feel accepted. Bill mentioned that it was a wonderful book all around because the books he typically reads with deaf characters focus on self-pity. In contrast, this book focused on embracing a difference. Margaret accurately summed up everyone’s opinions about the book when she stated that although the devices to assist deaf people have changed, the overlying message of the book is still relevant today.  

            Finally, the question and answer portion of the event underlined the classroom implications for deaf students. Blair mentioned that teachers should find out a deaf student’s preferred method of communication. It is vital that they find out what his or her needs are. Rayona added to this by stating that this should be conveyed in a one-on-one conversation and a teacher should not make a big deal out of the fact that they are deaf. Overall, the intent of education is to get to know your students and to recognize their differences. Rayona concluded the panel by stating how important it is to be kind to one another and to embrace other’s differences--you never know how much your words can impact on others. As a future educator, I want to build a community in my classroom in which everyone's differences are recognized. To do so, I will often have open discussions about what makes us unique and incorporate books like El Deafo into my curriculum. 
        Holding open discussions in the classroom is essential to making each student feel comfortable and engaged with the rest of the class. In my placement at Vermont Commons School, there is a deaf student with cochlear implants. At the beginning of each class, I have observed that the teacher fosters an open conversation about each student's personal life, rather than diving right into the textbook. This deaf student seemed completely comfortable with sharing personal information with others. I plan to do a similar thing to my placement teacher in my future classroom because if my students feel comfortable in my classroom, they are more likely to thrive in their learning journeys.