Erin had a dance competition meet at her school
this past Monday. It was
State Conference meet.
With the hs gym being next to the lobby of the gymnastic
center, we often watch what is going on in the gym
when we are waiting for our girls to finish gymnastics.
Erin's JV kick team had just finished their routine
and Monika was due to be finish with Gymnastics.
I went over to the gymnastics lobby and had several parents (I know almost all the gymnastic club parents), tell me they saw Erin dance and was amazed on how well she dance and was in sync with the rest of the team.
One mother used to coach one of the opponent team years ago
also commented how well Erin did and she was just amazed by her.
The athletic director approached me and also commented
on how well she did and told me that
he was sitting next to an opponent family and told that family there was a
dancer out there that is deaf, they didn't know which one.
Deaf people normally "hear" music by it vibrations they feel.
When she practice she can hear the sounds of music,
but it doesn't make any sense to her as the vibrations aren't strong enough.
At the meet, they play the music so loud you can easily get a headache.
I can feel the vibration but not the beat
another words can't separate each beat.
Because of this, Erin has to memorize the steps
and keep counting to stay in sync with the other girls.
Whereas the other girls memorize the music too and know where
they are suppose to be at with each sound of the music.
Erin has an interpreter at practice and meets,
one meet there was no interpreter.
The interpreter helps with the "beat"
and when the interpreter isn't there
the head coach has to do it at the same time
trying to coach the rest of the dancers
Erin has learned how to communicate to
hearing teammates and coaches.
She uses her interpreter, at times
her interpreter isn't there that exact moment and she has
to communicate.
She is learning how to and at the same time
learning how to say words.
Erin has been going to both deaf and hearing school this school year
She is loving it.
God is just amazing on how he open doors and windows when you don't even know it or realize that is what happening.
When I first saw Erin's referral paperwork and found out that she is deaf. I did not consider adopting her until I found out there was a local middle and high school that was deaf.
The deaf school has been wonderful those first two year she was home.
When she hit high school she was really opening her eyes and seeing there was a lot in the world that could offer her things.
She was allow to dream and think beyond food, shelter and survival like she did the first 13 years old her life.
She has been going out of the comfort zone and trying new things even if that means she has to be part of the hearing world.
She has learned to adapt to many things.
She is getting good experiences with interpreters
She is learning how to communicate with someone that doesn't sign.
She is learning how to figure out something when she doesn't have interpreter there.
She is learning so much in both the deaf and hearing world,
learning to adapt in her surroundings
which is different then learning to survive.
She is proving to herself and to others that you put your mind to it
you can do it.
And not let deafness define you.
If her deaf high school stayed as strong as it was in middle school, I don't think Erin would have these chances that she has right now.
I don't mean that in a negative way.
The deaf school is doing great with Erin when she is there,
they continue to teach her ASL, just like English, you are always learning new things, ASL is no different. They continue to teach her Printed English and math at a pace she can learn.
Her hearing school is teaching her different things like Cooking, Arts, photography which
can applied to daily living skills too as she has to do some math, abstract thinking and be surrounded in an hearing world. She is also seeing a lot more vocabulary while at the hearing school.
Kids absorb academics differently as one child might love the big classroom settings others thrive better in smaller ones. Some like private school better then public and vice versa. Some love the challenging and others like just learning.
For Erin being split between two school is good for her right now. She would like to be at the hearing school full time, but Academically she not ready to be.
She miss being able to carry conservations with other deaf people, but does get that with her friends outside of school.
I am proud of Erin how she is dancing with the hearing school, never danced before. The dedications she takes with it. And proud of everything she has accomplished.
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