I love writing about positive things and it's been a pretty positive day and evening all round. These are the times when limitations don't stand in my way and I achieve things. Probably not big things to the average person, things like arranging to see my granddaughters headmaster in person, usually I never visit the school, people who don't understand anything about dual sensory loss make assumptions to intelligence and become distant or patronising. Finally the school has agreed to provide some communication help which means I'll be almost like any other interested carer or family member. When I can make progress and finally get the message of rights across it always brightens the day. My persistent emailing also paid off when I helped someone get results with a housing issue, it's not quite the same as back in the days of employment and decision making but in some ways doing things on a voluntary basis is even more rewarding.
So glad the schools and colleges are back after the holidays, it means I've got constructive things to do visiting them and showing the world what disabled people have to offer. I've been to some great schools and colleges, some of Scotland's finest. There's a mistaken concept that private schools and young people from better off families are aloft and uncaring. The pupils never cease to amaze me with their interest and genuine concern often remaining behind after class to ask things. And it shows the young from all walks of life have hearts and sometimes just need to learn what life can be like for others. It gives a certain amount of hope for the future showing that with the right approach problematic pupils and wealthy ones respond positively.
For the remainder of this week and part of next I'll be working in a secondary school, I love nothing more than when teachers are proved wrong about pupils. Teachers will say some of the pupils might be disruptive and laugh at me, they ask me not to take offense and assure me they'll remove any problematic pupils. It's never happened because not once have I found a class with a disruptive disinterested pupil, quite the opposite. They listen and we laugh together, later on I'll tell them that they've learned a good lesson of laughing with people and not at them. it's great to see them digest that and understand.
When I'm asked back to a school after several visits they usually present me with something. I've got a collection of hand written letters from pupils, paintings and drawings, things made in the art classes. It shows the schools really take interest and if only one pupil out of every 20 remembers the visit from a deafblind woman and remembers all I've taught them then I've succeeded in my objective.
The strangest place I've been asked to give a talk in was an adults lip reading class. All but two of the participants were deaf and used sign language, I don't use that and my skill at it is highly questionable. My note taker had difficulty understanding what most of the participants were saying because of speech impediments. They had difficulty reading my lips and didn't know dual finger spelling, it was a disaster in terms of giving a talk but everyone saw the funny side and it was super to see people can laugh problems and not take it to seriously.
Primary children come up with classic questions and sometimes I have to hold breath to stop laughing. Strangely enough children all over seem to have the same sort of image when thinking of deafblind people, some of my favourite questions are:-
“Can deafblind people drive?”
'Technically no, but if they did they'd be better drivers than some of the people on the roads.'
“How do deafblind people eat dinner?”
“They use knifes and forks.”
“How do they open doors?”
“They use the handles.”
The next question came from a very mischievous looking boy;
“If a deafblind person had a guide dog and someone tried to rob them, would the guide dog bite the robber?”
I eyed the boy at close range and thought out my reply; “Well...I can't tell you that it's secret, the only way anyone would find out if the dog would bite and how hard it would bite would be to mug the deafblind person.” I think he discounted the idea of trying to rob a deafblind person with a guide dog!!
The talks themselves are very serious and hard hitting, getting the message across that one day sensory loss could happen to them or someone close and leaning new ways to communicate is the answer. Bringing home the danger to sight and hearing in the modern world of loud music and close proximity to TV screens and monitors is another important point.
Above all when I visit schools I like to leave them with something positive to think on. I always tell them to stop and think.
If someone who can't hear them and can't really see them can stand in front of them and speak even if they have no idea iof anyone is listening or watching, then they themselves can do anything, never say this is to hard or I can't. For disabled people the world over it's the same story - It's not lack of desire or lack of self effort that prevent us achieving it's society...
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