Dare to Dream

 

Dare to Dream: I have always wonder what that means. My dad gave me a bracelet with my name on it and in the back it stated “Dare to Dream Love Dad”. I was 18 at that time so I never thought what it meant. I am Deaf and had lots of challenges to face and still does. I left for college and 7 years later graduated with a Master Degree in Deaf Education.

I get told by many people, former teachers, hearing peers, co-workers that I will never get any higher than I am at or get paid equally like hearing people do. The fact that they say that to me made me feel defeated.

I wonder to myself all the time… “Am I good enough?” “Will I be a good teacher?” “Will I get respected equally?” “Are they trying to tell me that I shouldn’t do this?”

Thoughts has been running through my mind in millions different directions. Why did they say that to me? Are they scared that I could be success and prove them wrong?

I did a lot of soul searching throughout the years, had jobs in different places. 

Coming to find out, yes life has its challenging, and closed mind people in this world. But… I had the courage to teach them and allow them to learn from me and my experience that hey its not that bad as they thought it would be. 

Deaf and Hard of hearing people gets stereotype names all the time, “Deaf and dumb, Deaf and mute, Oh they are deaf so they can’t do anything. Oh they need my help.”  Man those things makes me mad.

We have to change their way of thinking and teach them. We have to show them the “how to”. 

Throughout my years of teaching in mainstream setting, I have discovered that there are lack of materials and resources in ASL to teach our children to read and write. It was frustrating that there was none out there.

A Deaf Education News are born. Classroom resources in ASL are being created by me for our teachers all over the country to use to work with their students. The ability to be able to teach without being frustrated that there is no classroom resources out there. 

AHH! Thats what my dad meant- Dare to Dream! I dared myself to dream and achieve my goals!