Reaching

Bridgetta Bourne- the Summit: Firl , MS, is assistant director of Training, Products, and Deaf Adults as Essential Dissemination at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center on Partners in Education the Gallaudet University campus in Washington, D.C. Prior to coming to By Bridgetta Bourne-Firl the Clerc Center, she worked in outreach for 27 years, including at It can be tough, but it is important to convince decision-making Gallaudet University, serving the nation professionals who are hearing to consult with and involve deaf adults through the National in deaf education and the transition of deaf and hard of hearing Academy, and at an students from school into higher education, postsecondary outreach/resource center training, or the workplace—always. serving families and school professionals in Northern California. She has worked at schools in Tibetan-born Sherpa Nawang Gombu California, Maryland, and and American Jim Whittaker reached Washington, D.C. the top of Mount Everest on May 1, Bourne-Firl welcomes questions and comments 1963. As they approached the peak, about this article at each considered the honor of being Bridgetta.Bourne- the first to reach the summit. [email protected]. Whittaker motioned for Gombu to move ahead, but Gombu declined with a smile saying, “You first.” The two climbers decided to step to the summit at the same time (Douglas, 2011).

I would like to think that Whittaker, not native to the rugged landscape that surrounds Right: Gombu and the tallest mountain in the world, encouraged Gombu, who was native to the area, to go Whittaker, photo first because it was the right thing to do. Then it was the native Tibetan who chose to courtesy of www.cnn.com partner with the American, who did not know the terrain or how to navigate within it, in (Strickland, 2013). sharing the honor of reaching the summit. How do we reach the summit in terms of supporting the best transition possible for each

Photos courtesy of Bridgetta Bourne-Firl and Zhou Fang

72 ODYSSEY 2016 Left to right: Bourne-Firl and her husband with their newborn; the author's family (clockwise from left): Jared, Gideon, Bridgetta, Leslie, Sabrina, and Elijah; Bourne-Firl and her son share a happy moment. A N I H S O H

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O T O H P young deaf or hard of hearing individual in the administrator, Klopping embraced collaborative United States? Should professionals who are hearing governance that included deaf individuals, deaf work alone to succeed with deaf and hard of hearing parents, and deaf professionals, and he students? No matter how good the intention, if we communicated effectively with all of them. His want deaf and hard of hearing students to transition ongoing relationships with deaf individuals ensured from high school to college, university, or the quality education for the deaf and hard of hearing workplace with maximum ease, involving adults individuals who had the good fortune to be who are deaf or hard of hearing is critical. educated while he was an administrator in their Ideally, the partnership between deaf and hearing school. professionals begins at the birth of each deaf child Klopping, who is not deaf, is an example of a and continues as the child moves through schooling hearing individual who genuinely recognized his and transitions into adulthood. The evidence for the shared humanity and equality with deaf importance of this involvement comes from many individuals, understood that they offered effective sources, including hearing parents and educational approaches, acknowledged the implicit professionals. “I don’t know how to teach my child discrimination that deaf individuals have endured how to be a deaf adult in this world,” one hearing historically, and worked actively to confront and parent explained to me. “So the professionals who counteract this. Deaf people considered him an ally, are deaf themselves teach my child how to navigate using this term to mean individuals who as a deaf person.” collaborate equally with deaf individuals in the Dr. Hank Klopping, a former superintendent of a name of a larger cause. When skilled and school for the deaf who retired after 38 years as one knowledgeable deaf individuals are unavailable, of the most respected administrators in the country, skilled and knowledgeable hearing allies can be exemplifies this attitude. Deaf professionals often useful. know best for deaf students because their perspectives are naturally enhanced by their own Birth: The Partnering Begins experiences and by the collective knowledge of In hospitals, newborns are tested for hearing status. what other deaf individuals have experienced. As an The result is that often the first deaf person parents

2016 ODYSSEY 73 through grade 12 educational settings, first in California, then Maryland, and now in the District of Columbia. For 20 years, I have worked with deaf and hard of hearing students in educational settings and observed as other people worked with them. In a professional capacity, I had an opportunity to serve as an IEP coordinator, and some of the IEP meetings I witnessed worried me. Clearly the other professionals with so much power over the lives of young children had no idea what it was like being deaf, what it was like wearing hearing aids, what it was like to struggle understanding teachers. Sometimes I was the only deaf professional in attendance, and I would meet is the baby in their arms. At this requiring representation from two offer my opinion from my own point, well-meaning professionals often parents of children “with permanent experience and knowledge. I was always present the parents with the information hearing status that affects speech- hoping that the team would pay about their baby’s hearing status in language skills.” Critical to respecting attention, that my words could support language and tone that are negative. For the Deaf community is the use of the this student’s IEP planning, and I would example, when I was told my child words “hearing status” instead of shake my head in silence when decisions failed a hearing test, it was clear that the “hearing loss,” phrasing that was the were made with too much focus on context was negative. My baby was not contribution of deaf professionals and things that I thought would not yet 48 hours old and the first evaluation individuals. This is an excellent example necessarily contribute to the student’s I received was “failed.” No wonder of partnership, fostering a positive start academic growth. I often wished the distress and anxiety, even alarm, result. for parents with newly identified deaf or hearing professionals would ask me, If a deaf person or a hearing professional hard of hearing babies. “What do you think? You are a deaf who partners equally and successfully person yourself and have seen so much. with deaf people could be in the hospital Educational and Please advise.” This did not always corridor at that moment, parents could Professional Experience: happen. be assured of the positive experiences An Autobiography I became a parent. I would have four that await their child, and the I was in school when the Individuals children—two who were hearing and professional could begin to assist parent with Disabilities Education Act passed two who were deaf. When I had my and baby with bonding and language in 1975. I experienced Individualized second deaf baby, a little girl, the development. Education Program (IEP) meetings with professionals, administrators for our In Maryland, an attempt has been my parents, who were adamant in school district, asked me what I wanted made to address this issue through the advocating goals that were challenging in her Individualized Family Service state’s Early Hearing Detection and in reading, writing, and math. They Plan. Due to my strong emotions—I Intervention Advisory Council. This wanted me to progress just like my wanted so badly to invest the right way council comprises 12 individuals, hearing counterparts—and they knew I in planning for my daughter—I including representatives from the could. When the teachers were unsure, struggled to come up with a written Maryland School for the Deaf, the my parents, who were deaf like me, statement. I consulted a professional Maryland Association of the Deaf, the insisted they have higher expectations with expertise in early childhood Alexander Graham Bell Association for and that those expectations be written education for deaf children, and this the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the into my IEP. When I was in high school, individual gave me confidence as well as Joint Committee on Infant Hearing. Dr. I participated in my youngest sister’s knowledge. When I met with the Beth Benedict, herself a deaf parent and IEP meeting as an observer, watching district administrators for the second an intervention expert, was among the the interactions and explanations of time, I knew what to write: My child representatives. The council ensures teachers and my parents. should be kindergarten ready by the further meaningful input through In 1996, I began working in infant time she is 5 years old; further, she

74 ODYSSEY 2016 should have a high level of language college, law school, or trade school and living in neighborhoods, working with modeling in both American Sign whether they are living independently or colleagues in the workplace, attending Language and English. As a result, my in group homes. houses of worship. They know what it is daughter had professionals—deaf, hard At the California School for the Deaf to explain and advocate for themselves. of hearing, and hearing—who were in Fremont, job coaching, by They sleep, breathe, eat, and think as supportive of her progress academically knowledgeable deaf or hearing allies deaf or hard of hearing people. Tapping and socially and, thankfully, my working closely with deaf adult into this lifetime of experience, daughter was indeed ready when she individuals, is provided for students for knowledge, and expertise can ensure the started her wonderful kindergarten two years after leaving high school. next generation of deaf children achieves program. Coaches work with families in their academically and receives greater During my early years as a parent, homes, with employers at job sites, and opportunities. Barbara Matusky, a hearing mother of with individuals in local communities to The majority culture is sound-based; two deaf children, told me, “When it find the resources to support young knowledge depends heavily on what is comes to our children, we are emotional graduates. heard. Deaf people rely more on what beings. Period.” That’s parenthood. Dr. Ben Bahan, a deaf scholar, calls the they see so they can see how deaf Whether we are deaf or hearing—or inclusion of deaf professionals in every students can navigate successfully and they are deaf or hearing—we love our aspect of the decision-making process as contribute in positive ways that are children so much and are anxious to it affects deaf students Deaf Gain . Bahan often invisible to hearing people. I, ensure they prosper. All parents are (2015) suggests that we do not focus on along with many deaf professionals thankful to those who contribute to the the difference in deaf and hard of across the country, offer experience and academic growth of their children. hearing students in a way that indicates insights that can contribute to the next deafness is a deficiency. He asks: What do generation of deaf children. There’s so Pepnet 2, Transition, and people gain from being deaf? He finds that much to gain when we—parents and Adulthood … and Deaf Gain deaf professionals can nurture the professionals, hearing and deaf—attain Last year, I had the privilege of serving positive attributes of being deaf. Deaf the summit together. as one of the meeting facilitators at the professionals, as they work with deaf pepnet 2 Summit that was held in infants, children, and young deaf Washington, D.C. Pepnet 2, adults, can illuminate the References formerly PEPNet, a valued and treasured project funded by the aspects of being deaf Bahan, B. (2015, September 25- U.S. Department of and show how 27). Deaf gain [video presenta- Education, has these are tion], Stanford University. brought together embodied in Douglas, E. (2011, May 24). professionals, everyday life. Nawang Gombu obituary. The parents, and deaf There is a dire Guardian . Retrieved from people from need for greater http://www.theguardian.com/world/ around the partnerships 2011/may/24/nawang-gombu- country in a series between decision obituary of meetings known makers who are as Summits to focus hearing and Strickland, A. (2013, May 26). on statewide planning professionals who are Everest men: On top of the world in to improve the transition deaf on state and national 1963 . Retrieved March 2016 of young deaf and hard of levels. Deaf children, in from http://www.cnn.com hearing students into adulthood. The various stages of education, from early pepnet 2 teams have required the intervention to high school transition inclusion of parents and individuals and graduation, can only profit from this from the Deaf community. This is an partnership. Suggested Reading important step. Through their personal Deaf adults are a rich source of knowledge and experience, these deaf knowledge. They grew up being deaf or Wording for the Senate Bill 103 adults can contribute to the lives of deaf hard of hearing, sat in classrooms, as it passed into approved by the young adults so they become learned how to read, write, and count; governor in 2014, http://mgaleg. contributing citizens, whether they go each confronted his or her own IEP. maryland.gov/2014RS/Chapters_non/ directly into the workplace or enter Every day they experience being deaf, CH_30_sb0103e.pdf

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