by Carrie Jackiewicz, Special Services Coordinator
It’s back to school time and that means new teachers, staff, and coaches. As a parent, that means finding a way to share information with those new staff members about your child’s hearing loss, hearing devices, and learning style. Your child’s Hearing Itinerant or Special Education Coordinator may share some information with the school staff, but you can also advocate for your child. You know your child best and you can share your insights in a way that works best for you. There are several different ways you could help school staff get to know your child.
One way could be an email to your child’s new teachers and therapists to break the ice and open the lines of communication. You could share a picture of your child, updated information on hearing devices and any other important information. This email could include tips about communicating with your child, including getting down to his or her level, speaking clearly, and using the remote microphone. You could share a list of helpful strategies, such as using visuals, asking comprehension questions, and having the student sit as close to the front of the room as possible. Whatever you share will help the staff know more about your child and help them know how to work with your child.
Another way to share information would be by creating a “one-pager.” A one-pager is an introduction page that shares specific information about your child in a quick and easy to read format. On this page, you can list your child’s strengths and challenges, current skills your child is working on, your child’s favorite toys or incentives, and more about your family. I found a great example of a one-pager on the My Mighty Voice blog. This one-pager could be emailed to staff at the start of the school year and it could also be shared at parent-teacher conferences and IEP meetings.
A third way to share your child’s information would be with a resource called “To My Teacher,” available for purchase from My Battle Call. Valli Gideons is a mom to two deaf teenagers and she created a downloadable resource that shares information about interacting with and teaching children with hearing loss. She also created a resource called “To My Coach,” which would be beneficial at the start of new sports seasons. If you do not want to purchase a resource, you could create your own to share strategies and tips that you know will benefit your child.
I hope these ideas are helpful and I know that you can find a way that works best for you to advocate for your child. Have a great year!
Listen to an episode of our podcast All Ears At Child’s Voice featuring Valli Gideons and My Battle Call.
