ST JOHN’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, BOSTON SPA
We started and ended the day with a great buzz! The tour is keeping us busy bees active! This was one of the all round greatest days – unfortunately the day went too quick!
Here we are getting ready for the assembly and the pop up event outside.
The primary and secondary students at St John’s school, along with staff, were very engaged when we talked about using secret signing behind teachers’ backs in school, or talking about others in public places, making hearing friends who learn to sign with us. There was time for the students to discuss their own memories and thoughts and feelings – so many put their hands up to share what they thought. The memories were very positive even when there were negative causes, which prove they are able to deal with the situation and learn from it.
Here are some examples:
One boy want to imagine what hearing world is like. This student says he now knows what is it like and managed to fit in with few of hearing people but does not feel included enough.
Another girl always felt left out in everything and still experiences the same now, especially around hearing people acknowledging her deafness and walks away to talk with others and leave her alone to not know anything.
These two have felt the same as many others as I told them myself when I went through the same struggle,
‘… they forgotten about me and chatting away, they left me in unknown darkness…’ excerpt from the poem Unknown Darkness.
At St John’s school they school gave a great hospitality making sure we were fed well with water and yummy biscuits, on a very hot day. We had loads of great bunch of groups who were very interested in poetry, quite a few of them expressed their life’s struggles and experiences, ups and downs, highs and lows.
LEEDS ROUNDHAY TESCO SUPERSTORE
We had a great afternoon in Leeds Roundhay Tesco Superstore with many visitors including a group of children from Kerr Mackie primary school.
They loved all of the activities! They wrote balloon tags to be sent up into the air …
They created lots of poetry on the giant magnetic poetry board …
They explored games, apps and videos on the Life & Deaf iPads in the camper van …
Blog entry by Mayuri Hirani, Life & Deaf poet on tour
In the afternoon we were off to Newcastle Tesco Superstore. Today went brilliantly. This tour has boost up my confidence and now I willing to talk to anyone that I don’t know and tell them about our project. Today was successful as we spoke to over 200 people and their attitude was really nice toward us and they were willing to learn.
SGM Tesco Hatfield Mum and Daughter