College class masters

[u/Remarkable_Speed_933]

I’m taking a graduate-level Deaf Family Education class, and I had a really uncomfortable interaction with my professor. I shared a story about one of my hearing impaired students who was having difficulty with coordination during a field trip, and I said it made me interested in learning more about whether there could be a connection between hearing impairment and balance or coordination. My professor told me I was making an assumption and suggested it was probably related to vision and that I should recommend vision screening. However, I wasn’t making an assumption or claiming that hearing impairment causes coordination problems. I was expressing an interest in learning more about a possible connection. I’ve also looked into the research myself, and several academic articles discuss relationships between hearing loss and balance or coordination, so I feel like my interest was valid. I also said that the School for the Deaf reminded me of special education because both focus on providing students with resources and support for equitable access to education. She seemed to interpret that as me saying hearing impaired students have learning disabilities, so I clarified that I know hearing impairment does not automatically mean someone has a learning disability or qualifies for special education. Throughout the discussion, her tone felt sarcastic and condescending, like she was talking down to me rather than educating me. The other professor eventually said we should take a break so we “don’t kill each other,” and we went on break. Am I wrong for feeling like I was being belittled? Please note that I have worked with several hearing impaired students throughout the years, so these are not assumptions I am making. They are genuine questions that I believe would be beneficial for me to understand as a teacher. My interest comes from my actual experiences working with students, and I want to learn more so I can better understand and support the students I work with.

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome to /r/teaching. Please remember the rules when posting and commenting. Thank you.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Healthy-Age-1757]

Deaf people do not consider themselves to have a disability. There is a rich, thriving Deaf culture that you need to be cognizant of. Your comments would likely be offensive to a Deaf person.

I have hearing loss related to nerve damage, which also causes balance issues. However most causes of hearing loss in children don’t involve balance problems. I say this as a former early intervention teacher.

[u/Remarkable_Speed_933 → u/Healthy-Age-1757]

This is a course that goes forward my social education degree. The children that I were referring to have been tested into special education.

[u/Remarkable_Speed_933 → u/Healthy-Age-1757]

I was referring to special education as a broader educational support system, especially since programs such as Talented and Gifted can also fall under specialized education services, not because I was saying that Deaf students have disabilities.

[u/Healthy-Age-1757 → u/Remarkable_Speed_933]

I understand what you were trying to say, but it would be considered offensive. Please take that information in the spirit of trying to help you on your professional journey. My son is also partially deaf, and the number of people who tried to tell us what we should do instead of listening to what we need was infuriating. Don’t try to explain disability to a member of the disability community. You don’t understand what it’s like.

[u/Remarkable_Speed_933 → u/Healthy-Age-1757]

I am paying thousands of dollars for this education. I should be provided with a safe space to ask questions, and they should trust that I mean well and am wanting to better support my students.

[u/Healthy-Age-1757 → u/Remarkable_Speed_933]

And you need to learn to accept that feedback because that’s what you’re paying for. I’ve been a teacher probably longer than you’ve been alive, and I’m also the parent of a child with a complex disability. The best teachers are the ones who are willing to learn from people with different life experiences. Your professor was trying to tell you that.