YOUR DEAF SON IS FAILING ASL 1!!!!

The text from my ex husband comes late after I already sent myself to bed. He is checking the kids grades online. I am really tired.

"  HE'S FAILING ASL!"

OK, breathe, what? , "I will inquire about his grade with him in the morning."

15 years ago

We started signing with Haddy when he was a baby. We studied ASL as a language and not as a bridge to spoken language. We realized we couldn't achieve fluency fast enough to meet his needs so we surrounded ourselves with native signers.

I advocated for ASL to be taught to Deaf children the same way English is taught in general education classrooms to hearing kids. Right.... we don't teach ASL grammar to Deaf kids.

Today

My daughter has been in Spanish immersion for five years and reads above grade level in English. Oh yea, she is  fluent in Spanish and ASL. Turns out children can be naturally bilingual. (trilingual....)

Now, here is the kicker....

So does my son. He reads wells above grade level in English but is failing ASL.

Why? He didn't finish a report on" Deaf".  Yep, like any other class a kid would take he gave a half assed energy to a report that is about him.   All of my son's life he has been exposed to Deaf. The teacher assigned a report and he took the diva out. So I am sure he will pull at least a C by grading time. ASL is his first language.

Consider that in the time while others do their research he is "hearing" about himself. They are reporting on his people. These reports reflect back on him,

He is 15, Deaf, mainstreamed and tonight no interpreters showed up for his play rehearsal. That sucks but he managed.

I'm OK with him forgetting his report but he still needs to cleans his room and can someone text my EX please and tell him we are fine?

Yawn..... wake up and go

I quit blogging because my Deaf son entered that stage of his life where I allow him to control it. He asked me to stop.

Yesterday his control decided my blog was a good thing. He wants me to share what it feels like to be Deaf in his world. So with his help here we go,

Update:

My 15 year old deaf son is busy with his rehearsals for "Our Town". He attends a mainstream magnet art school and is considering a modern dance and film focus. He also started his education at a two state deaf schools.
 My 10 year old daughter  is in a Spanish immersion program (fluent in three languages) and enjoys her violin.
I am now a single parent.

Let the story begin