Parental Inclusion
Goal #2: Learning to work with the parents and involve them in the process for fully supporting their child. Providing social, emotional support and educational information to both the parents and their children who are Deaf and hard of hearing.
Artifact 1: Family Interview
In the second year of this program, I was able to blend my theory with some practice in the field. I was fortunate to work with a child and his family for a whole year through monthly assignments and meetings. At the beginning, I met with the mother to ask her some questions about her son who has a bilateral mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss. The interview lasted hours on two separate occasions. The mother told me how it all first started, the emotions they continue to go through, and the importance of his social life. She was a wealth of information that no amount of language samples or short weekly meetings could have given. Parents have the best knowledge of the factors, which have impacted their family and child since the beginning. Many parents are highly involved with their child and they have made the journey of being D/HH together. They know their child on intimate levels that no else can understand except a parent. Often, the best resource for understanding a child is the parents as they are truly the experts.
Artifact 2: Case Study
This was my first opportunity to work with a real family and talk to the parents about their child who had a hearing loss. Miah was an 11 month old baby girl born with a bilateral mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. We had viewed a video of the Miah and her mother interacting in a natural setting at their home. After, the interview took place over the phone but the mother was open to answering all the questions and discussing her emotions going through this whole process. By talking to the parents, I find that you learn so much more than just viewing a child's audiogram, looking at older IEPs, or talking to their teachers. The parent's have been there the entire time and can tell you valuable information about their child. I realize that we as Hearing Resource Teachers are not just there to support the child but are there to support the family as well. There are many resources out there that are available for the families, and as experts, we can tell them how to access them.
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Artifact 3: IEP Meetings
While working with the families throughout my practicum, I have met many of them at their child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings. Here we were able to discuss the child's strengths and weaknesses, whether they have met their goals and objectives, and where we would like to go from there. The parents are usually vocal about the needs of their child and are a valuable member of the IEP process. In EPSE 520, I had created a School Wide Plan with a group. Part of this assignment was to create an IEP for our student, Kevin. We had to look at his needs and decide what goals were appropriate for him and make objectives that were measurable. Another major concern were the adaptations he needed to be successful at school and at his work placement. Click below to see his IEP.
I also had the opportunity to meet with parents in other ways. One of the students I worked with went for a mapping for his cochlear implant at the Children's Hospital with his mother, HRT and myself where we were able to support them both. Another mother wanted her son to go to the BC School for the Deaf so we would teach her some meaningful ASL in morning meetings.
I also had the opportunity to meet with parents in other ways. One of the students I worked with went for a mapping for his cochlear implant at the Children's Hospital with his mother, HRT and myself where we were able to support them both. Another mother wanted her son to go to the BC School for the Deaf so we would teach her some meaningful ASL in morning meetings.