Summer Thoughts

Whelp... that's a  wrap! I am an officially RETIRED Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher.. I honestly have not  been able to wrap my head around this yet, as I am used to having summers off. I am used to not getting up on a Monday in the middle of June... I think it will hit me more when fall comes around and the school supplies start showing up in Target-ok,let's be real..they will start showing up mid July!

I wanted to take a moment and say THANK YOU to all the parents, teachers, administrators, paras, secretaries, custodial staff, nurses, food staff , special ed staff  and students who have crossed my path in the last 30 years.  To say this has been an easy ride would be lying..but to say it has been anything but beautiful would also be lying. I have LOVED  working with kids who have hearing loss. I  love showing them that they CAN do anything they want in life. I love teaching staff that these kids CAN do things, but rather that the staff needs to adjust how they teach.  I am obsessed with American Sign Language and hope to find many ways to continue to use it in my life moving forward. I am literally moving to AZ in the next few months, so I will be searching out a new Deaf community to join-as outgoing as I may seem, I am VERY shy at first. So, if you are in AZ , please reach out and welcome me so I can get past the shyness!!

There have been the ever lasting debates around  Deaf community,  deaf  as in a medical view,  Hearing Impaired vs hearing loss vs hard of hearing ... Speaking vs signing... ASL vs PSE... I am NOT someone who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing ,so I can not fully speak on the topic-but what I will say, is in all my years,  I know that if your child is surrounded by good hearted, open minded people, your child will get the support  s/he needs to be successful. As a parent, go into school and communication with open minds, knowing that there is not one  right or wrong answer and  that you CAN change your child's school placement or  mode of communication or language. I have regretted a lot of things when it has come to my own kids and they have actually taught me that we can't look back-just look forward and make changes when we learn more. 

I am going to continue this blog hopefully more regularly and definitely keep up the 2 Forever Friends site on Facebook. My books are here-I am looking forward to  doing virtual and in person book talks and book signings and am here to be an advocate for you and your child at school IEPS. I am just an email  away. 

Take time this summer to RELAX, PlAY and ENJOY your kids!I know I did !!  Thanks for sharing your kids with me.  -Mrs. Schley, MEd
​Retired Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher