Cool Careers
Itinerant Teacher
With Ronda Boyle, Halton Catholic District School Board
How did you become interested in your field?
When I was a teenager, I took a general interest course in American Sign Language with a friend of mine. During the first class, we were asked why we were interested in learning ASL. I just thought sign language was cool. My friend said, “I want to be a Teacher for the Deaf.” I thought good idea! Later when I was in university, I had the opportunity to see a class for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing. I knew, within minutes, that someday I would be a Teacher for the Deaf.
Where did you complete your studies?
I went to Lakehead University in Thunder Bay for Concurrent Education. This means that I worked towards my Bachelor of Arts and my Bachelor of Education at the same time. Once I finished four years at Lakehead, I went to York University in Toronto to earn my Specialist in Deaf Education.
What were some of your favorite courses?
I love sewing and my favorite class in high school was my sewing class that I took as an elective. For me, it was all about fun. I have always enjoyed mathematics. In university, I majored in psychology and I really enjoyed my psychology courses. I have always enjoyed English, as well. I love to read and found that English classes exposed me to many authors and writing styles. I have always had a range of interests.
How long did it take you to complete your studies?
I was at Lakehead University for four years and at York for one year. After graduation from high school, it took me five years to complete my studies.
What courses would you recommend a student in high school take to prepare for this profession?
If someone wants to become a Teacher for the Deaf, he/she would need to take University Level courses which will lead to a high school diploma and then go to university. At university, the student can take any program which is of interest to that person. Once the student has graduated from a university program he/she would need to attend teacher’s college, and then obtain a specialty in Deaf Education.
Can you tell me about your hearing loss?
I am profoundly deaf in my left ear and have a severe sloping to profound loss in my right ear.
Given the fact that you have a hearing loss, what challenges, if any, did you encounter? How were you able to work through them?
The biggest hurdle was note taking. In high school, I pulled up my desk beside a classmate and would use that person’s notes as a cue for myself when I missed something. In university, I had a peer note taker in my classes. I was lucky because with the exception of one class in my first year, I had the same note taker in all my classes for all four years. We were in the exact same program taking the exact same courses. I would not attempt to take notes at all. I simply listened (using my FM system) and focused as best as I could on what was being said. My note taker and I studied together regularly and I was able to help him if he could not remember what was meant by something in his notes. We were an excellent team. Other than that there wasn’t much in the way of challenges as I was clear what my needs were and saw that they were met.
How have your students responded to you when they learn you have a hearing loss?
My students are usually quite happy when they find out I have a hearing loss. Often in a school, my student may be the only person that has hearing loss and wears a hearing aid. They feel less alone and like that there’s someone that understands what they’re going through. I often share my experiences growing up with a hearing loss with my students and this often helps them to work through their own struggles. My students often see me as a role model.
What have you learned about yourself as a professional in your career?
I have learned that though my hearing loss does not define who I am, it has helped me to become the person I am.
What is your favorite aspect of your job?
I usually have the same students for a number of years. I love seeing the young children I work with become confident young adults who are active participants in their community. I love when I see my students become leaders.
What parts of your job do you like the least?
The hardest part for me is when a student tells me they want to pursue a career in a field that they are not able to due to having a hearing loss. It can be hard for a person to hear that they cannot work in the military or become a pilot because of their hearing loss. What I do, however, is work with the student to come up with another plan that fits into the student’s area of interest.
Would you recommend this job/career?
Absolutely!
Are you active in your community in terms of volunteering your time given your specialized training and education?
I am. I volunteer with Scouts Canada as a leader for a Cub Pack. I enjoy being with the children, hiking, camping and all the other fun things we do. It allows these children to see a positive role model in their community who just happens to have a hearing loss. They do not see me as any different from the other leaders. I have also spoken to many groups and classes about hearing, about living with hearing loss and about working with a Hearing Ear Dog.
If there is anything else you would like to share, please do so.
Harley is my Hearing Ear Dog. We have been a team for 11 years now and he has been a huge help by alerting me to sounds in my environment. Here’s a picture of Harley and me.