You know what, I'm about tired of these damn generalized questions about the deaf community, so I'm going to give you some real answers to take back to your teacher.
1. Are you deaf or hard-of-hearing?
A) Deaf
2. If not, how did you become a part of a deaf/hoh community? If so, how long have you been a part of the deaf/hoh community?
A) Irrelevant, I'm deaf.
3. What country do you live in? If you live in the US, what state?
A) I live in Florida. ( United States )
4. What does your community look like? I.E. are you part of a deaf/hoh family, school, club, etc.? (If you are the only deaf/hoh person in your immediate acquaintance, feel free to skip question 5.)
A) What does our community look like? How about I have friends just like hearies do! What does your community look like? Do you all go to concerts? Do you all like sports? Or are you all different and like various types of things? You must all be the same since you are all united by hearing, correct? Are you part of a hearing family? Now, doesn't that question sound stupid when I read it back to you?
5. What is unique about your deaf/hoh culture? In other words, are there any traditions, shared values, or activities (besides using sign language) that set you apart from the hearing communities in your area?
I actually laughed out loud at this one. Other than signing, what TRADITIONS do the deaf share? Well, I hear on Sunday's us deaf like to gather up at Starbucks and drink coffee! Followed by a brief rain dance in the parking lot, to grant our crops a plentiful harvest. What part of we're the same as you, are you not getting? We are deaf, you're hearing.... we communicate with ASL, and you communicate by speaking..... We're all individuals with different likes and interests. Some deaf people play the disabled card and sit back and are lazy. Some deaf people ( myself included ) busts her arse at work every day to make sure I can live! You know what unites us? The fact hearing people place such an emphasis on us being so different from them. Shared Values? Again, you're just assuming all deaf people are the same, but different than hearies. Some deaf people value monogamy and getting married before having kids. Some deaf people value staying single and living it up! We.... are.... all.... UNIQUE! We all have our own thoughts and opinions. Same with activities. Sure, sometimes we have deaf expos to check out what's new of the new ect ect. or even here we have a deaf coffee chat, but don't hearing people meet up with their friends or groups to have coffee? I think so.
6. How are the deaf/hoh viewed by the hearing in your country/state/area?
A) I'm sure we're viewed by each individual differently. Depending on the individuals stance on the deaf or HoH depends on the view. So you might want to go talk to the hundreds of thousands of hearies in my state and see what they say. I'm deaf, I can't speak for how a hearie will view me, nor do I really give a crap.
7. How does the hearing community in general treat your culture? Are they usually respectful, or are you often misunderstood/mistreated?
A) In my personal experience, my favorite is when I tell a hearing person I'm deaf in Walmart when I'm checking out or something, so they talk to me louder and slower... like I have a mental retardation issue going on. I hear this is a common issue among my deaf friends. Misunderstood? Oh come on, being born deaf I'm sure I have the voice of an ANGEL! Who could misunderstand that?! The fact is, what you "hear" and what I am saying are two different things. I also love being treated like I'm a helpless baby when people find out I'm deaf. "Oh you poor thing, I'm sorry you're deaf!" *rolls eyes*
8. What is the most culturally sensitive (appropriate/polite) way for a hearing person to interact with a deaf/hoh person when starting a conversation?
A) Culturally...... sensitive? So now you're definitely treating deafness as a total handicap. Culturally.....sensitive! WOW! How about you address us with the same respect, eye contact and treatment you'd engage a hearing person with? How's that for culturally sensitive addressing...... Seriously! No, you should show up with aluminum head gear and start making weird gestures and shaping dog food into pictures..... *rolls eyes*
9. (Optional) What is the worst experience you have had while interacting with someone from a hearing culture?
A) You should just go to the thread ( terrible hearing people stories ) and print out some of those. I'm sure most of the deafies here could spend HOURS if not DAYS giving you examples of those! As for myself, where do I begin? In high school being pushed, shoved, made fun of, hit, and even spit on.... how's that for a start? Is that what you want to hear? Or how about now, the fact that I'm a certified P.A. in school Full time pursuing my M.D. degree, and people still talk to me like I'm 5? How's that for you? Does what I'm writing to you look like a 5 year old did it? Oh, but I sound messed up so obviously I must be stupid.
10. (Optional) What is the best experience you have had while interacting with someone from a hearing culture?
A) Good damn question! I wouldn't say I've had any "stellar" performers from the hearing community in my life. I have hearing friends, yes. However, I don't think I've ever had a "best experience" with any of them, none that I can be like WOW LOOK AT THAT HEARIE GO! I'd say they're all about average. Good friends, nice to have around.... people I can trust, but nothing that has set a dent in my brain to remember super things by. I like those people. They treat me normal and like the rest of their friends so I don't remember "stellar hearie performances." I like the real ones, those are my friends, hearing or not.
11. If you could get all of those in the hearing community to listen to you for one moment, what would you tell them? (This is less of a formal question, and more of an opportunity for you to add any information or opinions that the previous questions did not allow for.)
Stop...... putting...... such...... a friggin....... EMPHASIS.... on the fact we're DEAF! Why can't you just look at people as people, and move on with your day? What is a culturally correct way to interact with me? Look me in the eyes, treat me with RESPECT! Don't act like I'm some poor disabled baby and I need your charity or help! I don't want it! I'm 26 years old and have managed just fine so far in life without others charity and pity. I'm a deaf medical student for crying out loud! How many people told me I couldn't? TONS! I don't care what you, or any other person out there thinks of me. I'm the same as everyone hearing and not out there, and yet different. I'm a person, I have feelings, thoughts, desires, ambition and drive. I'm a person, I have different feelings, thoughts, desires, ambition and drive than the person next to me, or the person next to them. You get such a terrible reaction from these questions because if you flipped them and asked a hearing person these exact questions, they'd look at you the same way most of us look at you when you ask them to us.... Like WTF is wrong with them?! You get smart ass answers because the questions you're asking are terrible, judgmental and creating massive assumptions. Why can't people treat people the same?! deaf, black, white, gay, straight or whatever! Treat people with respect, dignity and treat them genuinely, and that's how you will make it far in life. Stop putting such an emphasis on what's different and start focusing on how we're the same. Don't put your focus on bashing what you hate or what is different, place your focus and strength into encouraging things you love and the similarities we have as people..... not "deaf people."
Just print this out...... and hand it to your teacher. Is your teacher deaf or HoH? Just a question. My hostility goes out to a person that would make students go out and seek these answers from deaf people, and is "making" you have a real response. I'm deaf, there's your real response for your teacher. :P