By: Stella Lee
When my son Marcus finished kindergarten in June 2025, I took a moment to reflect on how far he had come—not just academically, but in his ability to advocate for his hearing needs. As a parent of a child who is hard of hearing, this past year has been a journey of learning, adapting, and growing—not only for Marcus, but for our entire family.
Early Preparation and the Power of Support
We were fortunate to receive an FM system in the summer of 2024, ahead of Marcus starting kindergarten. He had the chance to begin using it with daycare staff, which gave him some early familiarity. When it came time to transition into school, I made a specific request: I asked for our Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TDHH) to attend Marcus’ kindergarten intake interview.
That step made all the difference.
Our TDHH was incredible. She ensured the FM system was properly set up and took the time to train the classroom staff on how to use it. This early preparation gave Marcus a strong start, and it reassured me that we were setting the foundation for a successful year.
Building a Collaborative Team
In October, we had our first Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting. I was grateful to see both the TDHH and the school-based case manager working together to develop meaningful goals for Marcus. Since Cantonese is Marcus’ first language, he also received English Language Learner (ELL) support, which made a significant impact on his vocabulary and language development.
At one point during the year, I noticed communication between the various support teachers seemed to be going in different directions. Marcus at one point had 3 different support teachers, due to a teacher being on leave, and many were not following the literacy goal set out in the IEP. Instead of letting that continue, I sent a quick email to our TDHH. She responded quickly and helped bring everyone back together and focused on a unified approach for Marcus. That experience taught me that speaking up—even in small ways—can make a big difference.
Celebrating Growth and Small Wins
By the time we reached the year-end IEP review in June, it was encouraging to hear about the progress Marcus had made—both socially and academically. One of the milestones we were especially proud of was how he began learning to advocate for himself. He was still working on consistently remembering to take the FM system with him between classes, but he knew how to speak up when something wasn’t working with his hearing aids or the equipment. For a 5-year-old, that was a huge accomplishment.
Summer Practice and Continued Learning
Marcus attended Burnaby summer school in July, which gave him more practice in managing the FM system independently. As a family, we took it upon ourselves to ensure that the summer school staff knew how to use the equipment. On the first day, we brought the FM system in and reminded Marcus that he was responsible for handing it off to his next teacher after lunch. He managed that perfectly—but we forgot to check if he had it at the end of the day! Thankfully, his afternoon teacher noticed and sent the FM back to the morning teacher.
After summer school, Marcus attended camp through his afterschool care provider. We did have some challenges getting him to consistently wear his hearing aids, but we gave him a bit more responsibility. He knew he could store them in his case and just needed to tell an adult if he chose to take them off. Many of the staff had known Marcus since he was three, which gave us peace of mind—they understood his needs and supported him naturally.
Looking Ahead to Grade 1
As we prepare for Grade 1, I’ve learned that supporting a hard of hearing child is about balancing trust in the system with ongoing advocacy. Sometimes we need to take a step back and let our children grow independently. Other times, we need to step forward and ensure that their needs are being met—whether that’s through communication with teachers, checking equipment, or reminding staff of accommodations.
To other parents walking a similar path: trust your instincts, speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and celebrate the small victories along the way. Your child is learning not just how to hear, but how to be heard—and that’s a lifelong skill worth nurturing.
