What it is Like to be Deaf? A Lesson in Belonging & Inclusion

Our beginning school and 1st grade friends were introduced to a special school friend, Professor Kimberly Kuhns, who spent time teaching them what it is like to live as a deaf person.

Professor Kuhns is the sister of Swain Campus teachers, Kelley Stout and Karla Gaugler, and is visiting all the way from Kansas where she is a Professor at Johnson County Community College.  Professor Kuhns is deaf and teaches courses in sign language and deaf culture. 

During the beginning school town meeting, Mrs. Stout and Professor Kuhns, read and signed the story "My Deaf Friend Can Do Anything You Can Do" by Tanesha Ausby.  This story is an African American children’s book for all ages that celebrates belonging and inclusion. Our first graders in Mrs. Gaugler's and Mrs. Monahan's classes also spent time with Professor Kuhns and learned similar lessons of empathy when they heard this same story but while Mrs. Gaugler read and again, with Professor Kuhns signing.

Both groups of students discussed technologies that assist deaf people with communicating, what it may feel like to be a child who is deaf, how deaf people communicate, and they even learned some sign language!   

Mrs. Gaugler, Mrs. Stout, and Professor Kuhns also shared anecdotes about growing up as sisters and how they learned to communicate using lip reading. 

Their favorite part of the day?  Clapping in sign language and singing and signing  Happy Birthday to their friends with April birthdays!