After much reflection, I have decided that I am not going to pursue an ASL teaching certificate. I've been in the workforce for over 30 years, and if hearing people actually meant it when they said "Oh, I've always wanted to learn to sign.", we would have legions of somewhat capable signers by now, if they were earnest.
Where are they?
I'm not necessarily advocating for Total Communication, however give children sign language to communicate, and teach them about the hearing and Deaf worlds. Allow them to interact with both, step back, and let them choose.
I recall being asked when I was younger if I wanted to attend school away from home at Sir James Whitney in Belleville, Ontario. I said no, because I didn't want to leave home, so I was mainstreamed. I did take sign language courses as a young man, because I wanted it for myself - also the plan was to work in education - this didn't happen for various reasons but I can still sign, thankfully.
This individual inquired why I was wearing hearing aids. I think I shrugged my shoulders because it had always been that way for me; if I was heading out in public, I put them on out of habit - because I needed to in order to function. They suggested pulling them out of my ears and throwing them away. This blew my mind a bit at that age - that sort of rebellious attitude against the system! How punk it seemed to want to do that - rip them out, stomp them into the dirt and say NO MORE! That was not the first time I would be exposed to that attitude - reject the system.
I didn't do that. Instead I spent the next three decades bouncing from job to job trying to endure; however I can't recall any job lasting longer than five years with any employer. After 30+ years of being in the workforce, I'm worn out with dealing with hearing people. Age, physical wear and tear, and bouts with COVID have me considering an early, forced semi retirement. That head spinning realization that occurred in my 20s makes me wonder if they were right, now that I'm in my 50s: just stay at home, collect some sort of pension, and find a way to beat the system. That's what they implied - there's no use trying to advance in this society, they'll just beat you down. You'll always be stuck in entry-level jobs. Yes, there are exceptions but they're exactly that - exceptions.
I hate the fact that as a hard of hearing person, I'm supposed to pick myself up by my bootstraps and blaze a path to self-sufficiency, while the entire system is constructed for people who are able to hear or have no disabilities.
I spent over a year trying to lip-read with face masks on everyone. If people don't believe me that it takes its toll, I don't know what else to tell them.
The Canadian Association of the Deaf conducted a survey and reported low levels of gainfully employed individuals or family. My own experience, coupled with that of others in the community seems to back this up. Perhaps it is time to heed the advice of my elders, as it was foresigned...
