A Teacher of the Deaf
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Michael was a musician and holds a degree in Contemporary Music. When he lost his hearing music was the thing he missed most. He had lost himself and his self esteem was low. Having a Cochlear Implant helped him regain his self esteem. He continued his study and became a Teacher of the Deaf. This is Michael's story. |  |
Michael Harrison May 2008 |
Read about Michael's Masters Degree. Click the image to go to the story | |
I will start with the present then head back into the past somewhat. I am an Itinerant Support Teacher - Hearing (Teacher of the deaf) with the NSW Dept of Education and Training. I am in my second year of this field having previously qualified as a High school Music teacher which I found a little bit too much of a challenge due to my deafness. I am married with two beautiful young children and currently reside at Yamba on the NSW North Coast.
I was born with 'normal' hearing but when I was 5 years old I was diagnosed with a moderate-severe hearing loss in both ears by the school nurse. Throughout my schooling I was mainstreamed in a typical classroom environment and received support from an ITD (Itinerant Teacher of the deaf - as my position was known as back then). My hearing remained fairly constant but with small declines here and there. Sometime during high school, I began to take music a little seriously and commenced studying guitar which eventually saw me become a fairly competent musician as well as led me to study at University for a Bachelor's Degree in Contemporary Music, majoring in Composition and Production.
Throughout the music degree I naturally found myself playing in bands, which were obviously too loud, and this more or less sent my hearing levels through the floor. I eventually became profoundly deaf during 1999 when suddenly hearing aids just weren't cutting it anymore.
On finishing my music degree at the end of 1999, I moved back to Sydney and enrolled in a one-year Graduate-level teaching degree. I lasted one week as I simply was not coping when I couldn't hear everything that was happening.
I discontinued my education because I couldn't hear
During the early part of 2000 I embarked on a journey to find myself, with particular focus on whether I would be able to learn Auslan and 'fit' in with the Deaf community. I found this tough going as all of my life was about the hearing world. I had no hearing impaired or Deaf friends and found myself stuck in the no-man's-land between the hearing and Deaf worlds.
I became engaged to Jackie during this search to find myself and we wed in April of 2001, spending our first year together in Brisbane. To be honest I have no idea how we coped as I simply was not at peace with my hearing loss and how suddenly music was no longer a part of my life. Music had been everything!
After that first year of marriage we decided we would move to Sydney to be closer to my parents and to investigate the cochlear implant option. This is still perhaps the best decision I have made. As we began the process of implantation I found work in Sydney in a hearing aid mould factory which was very repetitive and not intellectually stimulating. I was referred to the Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre and Professor Bill Gibson. I remember the battery of tests that the 'prof' completed on me that day - there is a reason why they call it a battery!
From here I was sent for further tests and appointments at the SCIC, with that fantastic lady Monica Bray who became my Audiologist. She later told me she really did not think I would be a candidate for implantation as I presented too well! Once all the tests were completed and the wait for health insurance to come through, I was implanted in Feb 2003 and switched on three weeks later.
We had been counselled not to expect too much at first and they weren't wrong. It sounded pretty ordinary! Having said that, in the days following it got a lot better and after the first week when the levels were adjusted, I was thrilled with how it was all going.
It did not take long before I was challenging myself to use the telephone - something I had not done for several years. In case you are wondering, these days I find using the telephone on both landline and mobile is fantastic!! All possible due to my cochlear implant.
Since my implant I have renewed self confidence and had a desire to fulfil some higher purpose than making hearing aid moulds. In 2004 I recommenced the Graduate Diploma in Education at Wollongong University, the same degree that I lasted one week in previously. I completed the course with a Distinction average and was targeted by the NSW Department of Education for a full-time permanent teaching position in Cobar NSW - as a music teacher.
I had gone down the pathway of becoming a teacher (not just because I was insane at the time :) but knew that if I wanted to get to where I am today, I would need to teach in the mainstream education settings.
I am a teacher who helps kids who have problems like I faced. I love every minute of it.
In 2005 we moved to Cobar in Far West NSW to take up my new teaching position at Cobar High School. To be honest, it was a tough year for us both. I found teaching music just was not possible for me which allowed self doubt to creep in again. We came very close to quitting and giving up. Thankfully, the school allowed me to stay out there as a permanent generalist teacher rather than a specialist music teacher and I completed the year 2005 at Cobar High School.
My wife Jackie fell pregnant towards the end of this year and we decided it would be best to move back to the Far North Coast of NSW where Jackie's family live. Once Caleb (our son) was born, Jackie could work from home as an accountant and I would be the house-dad. It was a great experience not too many dads get a chance to do.
During this time I was enrolled in a Masters Degree in Special Education (sensory disability) through the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children which I was undertaking via distance education. Being a house dad allowed me to get on top this work.
At the end of 2007 I completed the course with merit which allowed me to apply for permanent work as an Itinerant Support Teacher - Hearing. I am now working 4 days a week permanently in this capacity and love every minute of it. I currently support three students from Year 2 to Year 12 in high school. I am based at Yamba and travel as far as Maclean and Grafton. My youngest student is a fellow cochlear-implantee who is doing very well.
I find it a great privilege to share my story and life-experience with not only my students, but with their parents. I understand much of their pain and what their concerns are. I also understand the thrill of achievement which I share with my student's parents with joy!!
I look forward to sharing my experiences and expertise as a Teacher of the Deaf with those interested in the miracle of cochlear implantation.