As we celebrate #DeafAwarenessWeek, we are excited to spotlight a few of our amazing deaf Crowley ISD family members. Tonight, we are featuring Becky Poston! Ms. Poston is in her fifth year as a Crowley ISD educator. She currently works as a Pre-K and Kindergarten deaf education teacher at Deer Creek Elementary School! Read a Q&A with Ms. Poston below to get to know her better!

Tell us a fun/interesting fact about yourself.
As a child, I loved going on road trips with my family. Since I became a teacher, I do most of my traveling in the summer. I take my two furry kids with me, and we visit my family and friends in several states. My favorite road trip was from California to Pennsylvania and back, which has so many beautiful scenic routes! Being on the road provides time to reflect, rejuvenate and embrace the next school year.

What is your job in Crowley ISD, and what do you enjoy about it?
I have been teaching for 22 years and in a variety of school settings in different states. I decided that I wanted to be the teacher who helps our little young ones build the foundation they need to be successful for years to come. I want to be the first deaf adult that their parents see and help them understand that their child can reach their full potential. I love working with preschoolers because they are so eager to learn and please. The best part of this job is watching their little minds work hard and finally comprehend what they are learning. It never gets old!

How long have you been deaf, and what challenges has it brought?
I have been deaf my entire life but was not diagnosed until I was 5 years old. The challenges it has brought are both enormous and a blessing. I went to the same public schools as my siblings attended with no services or help because my mother was told that if I was taught sign language that I would never learn to talk, which is a big misconception. It meant that I had to lip read so much, and it was difficult. I was not getting the best of the best education because I was missing so much.

With my mother’s blessing, I learned sign language in high school because there was a deaf education program. My opportunities expanded and my learning was even further enhanced! I no longer had to lipread all the time! Communication became 100% accessible! The blessing is I had the opportunity to attend Gallaudet University, the world's only university in Washington, D.C., where all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students. I learned so much at Gallaudet University, but the most important thing that I learned was that I am part of the Deaf community, and that was everything to me! I met so many wonderful colleagues and to this day many of us are still connected. My travels in the summer bring me to these wonderful individuals. I consider my deafness a blessing because of the wonderful opportunities that it has provided.

How do you overcome those challenges? Who or what helps you?
The challenges I face are not as hard as when I was younger. By planning in advance for any meeting or encounter, I make sure that there is an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter. When it comes to just being with my family and friends who do not sign, they know to talk to me in a normal voice and provide a clear view of their face. This is important because a beard and a mustache that are not kept tidy can make it difficult to read lips.

What do you want people with hearing to know about people who are deaf? What are some misconceptions you’d like to correct?
Deaf people are just like any others who want the exact same access as their hearing peers. It may sound simple, but having access to a doctor, ER, or any other type of services means that an interpreter should be provided, and this has not always been the case. There was a time when it was difficult, and, in some cases, it is still difficult for a deaf individual to become employed because of the misconceptions of being deaf. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people who are deaf or hard of hearing are entitled to the same services law enforcement provides to anyone else. They may not be excluded or segregated from services, be denied services, or otherwise be treated differently than other people. Law enforcement agencies must make efforts to ensure that their personnel communicate effectively with people whose disability affects hearing. This applies to both sworn and civilian personnel. Deaf people can do the same thing as their hearing counterparts EXCEPT hear. Deaf people can drive, become doctors, dentists, teachers, accountants, police officers and work in many other professions.

What activities did you participate in during high school?
I truly enjoyed my high school years and participated in pep squads. I also was on the Deaf cheerleading team which was an unique experience. My sister was on the varsity cheerleading squad. During the football games, we would be on the field and she would sign to me what cheer would be next. I'm proud of Crowley High School for including two deaf ladies on their cheerleading squad. Just as my experience in high school as a cheerleader, these ladies will forever cherish these memories.

What advice do you have for hearing people on how to become more inclusive of people who are deaf?
Here are some tips on how to become more inclusive of deaf people:
• Speak directly to the person
• No need to scream
• Talk in simple sentences (do not exaggerate)
• Provide paper/pen or use text messages
• Be patient when you are asked to repeat and if you don’t understand ask them to repeat
• Provide good lighting
• When using videos, please try to use the ones with CC (closed captions)
• Using visuals is strongly encouraged
• Speak directly to the person with hearing aids or have a cochlear implant, but it doesn’t mean they "HEAR" like you do. These devices are to help them in their surroundings. Once they take the devices off, some of them do not hear anything.
• You can check in to make sure they are understanding what you’re saying
• Learning American Sign Language (ASL) will do you wonders!