HI--I had access to both worlds growing up. Learned to sign at 3 at a day deaf school, oral at home. My mom noticed that I'd talk better when I was not in a signing environment, especially every summer at the riding (horses) camp. So she started to work on getting me mainstreamed in our local public schools. There was a fight between Mom and the "experts" at the school for a year or so on getting me out. They said I was not ready. Not mature. Mom scoffed and told them, you must have a different kid in mind! I didn't even want to use my HA, I'd turn it off whenever I went to school. What's the use of it if I had to sign? No one would talk at school. Must sign. I started to get promoted up and up until my last class with 13 yr olds and one 14 year old. I was only ten! Before that happened I started getting into trouble over silly things and saying really stupid things just to make things exciting. So out of there, finally. Now, the public schools didn't even have a disabled program. I was their test mainstreaming experiment. I was old enough for 6th grade but my mom and the school officials wanted me to go into 5th grade with everyone I knew. So my sister and I were in the same grade, but separate classrooms. Mom picked the 5th grade teacher. No interpreters and notetakers. However, I had a tutor to keep up with the class with whatever I needed. That kept me up with everyone. They found out I needed glasses when I was forced to read the blackboard....whoops. So when I got my glasses, my family then REALIZED exactly why I wouldn't listen with HA's. They were not helping at all! I never ever wanted to wear glasses! I fought that but when I finally got used to my glasses, I wore them constantly. HA's? Nope. So Mom knew it and left me alone as long as I did good in school. Mom also picked the 6th grade teacher. BIG MISTAKE. She was legally blind. We didn't know it but it was reason why that teacher and I did not get along! I hated her! I also started to do horrible in math because I fell so far behind due to not understanding the math blackboard lectures. (we switched teachers for some subjects) Everything else, no problem. So I passed 6th grade. Onward to middle school, high school. No interpreters but I'd get classmates to do take notes for me using carbon copy I supplied every class I could go. Everyone was great. I was the only deaf student in the entire school. Teachers were helpful, they found ways to help me. They wrote HW on boards, spelling tests for everyone in a way I can do them also, so on. Of course, I found a mean teacher or two, had to go to the remedial room for a short time every day until they found out it was a complete waste of time. So I kept getting a math tutor and speech therapy throughout high school. I barely passed chemistry. In the end, what mattered the most, did I pass high school? in top 1/3? NYS Regents? Good enough. They even recommended me for the gifted program but as soon as I found out who was running it, forget it. When I went to RIT, I was pretty rusty signing but started to pick up again. I was then welcomed to the wonderful world of interpreters and professional notetakers. WOW! I did ok at RIT because I wanted to take a year off to work but I wasn't allowed to. Go to college! At least I was done with school in four years. Problem was, I wanted to do everything!
Sorry long post but I say both worlds is great when you can have that! I think it really helps because when you can do both, you really grow a lot more with experiences. I saw my deaf friends and my hearing friends. I didn't even have a tty or captions until my senior year. So I missed out on the fun captioning....My mom wanted me to learn lipreading more from watching TV without captions but boy was it difficult. I always pestered whoever for dialogue when I wanted to know it!!! I eventually learned so much that I'd ask a few questions and move on. Now I have captions all the time. I really appreeciate that so much--give my eyes a rest from all that lipreading!
In end, after reading everyone's posts in Alldeaf, I realize I am one of the very lucky ones who had so much growing up. I even got a horse because it's something to teach a child responsibility, confidence and more. Remember the thread about family get togethers? I have the same problems as most of you!!!!! Only my sister knew how to fingerspell....I didn't want to sign but needed support in terms of understanding group conversations. I do pen and paper when I run into trouble. I even have the same problem at our camp and rides (local atv group) but it's okay because people are pretty much decent. I see hearing people with issues of their own and it makes this problem nothing to cry over. Life isn't perfect, you know?
