At first glance, Kristi Callihan is your average Communication Arts instructor. A second look and one might notice her hearing aids.
Callihan’s parents first found out their daughter was deaf at age five.
“You either go to a deaf school and you sign and you don’t speak,” says 37-year-old Callihan. “Or they streamline you and make you use hearing aids and they start making you read body language. I streamlined.”
Callihan wears two hearing aides, but she also reads lips and non-verbals to communicate with others. She teaches Interpersonal Communication and Public Speaking at Sinclair Community College.
“Why would they hire some one who is deaf to do public speaking?” asks Callihan. “In reality, I’m the best instructer because I can read all of the body language.”
Callihan began teaching at Sinclair in the fall and has previously taught at eight institutions. Callihan said she had a ball at Sinclair during her first quarter.
Future implant for Callihan
According to www.fda.gov, a cochlear implant is “an implanted electronic hearing device, designed to produce useful hearing sensations to a person with severe to profound nerve deafness by electronically stimulating nerves inside the inner ear.”
Callihan has done her research on the procedure and is now attempting to find the right surgeon to place the implant.
“It’s actually brain surgery to get that electode into that shell,” says Callihan. “I’m hoping for that (implant) in the spring.”
Callihan has been told that when hearing someone speak that they will sound similar to Daffy Duck.
“It’s amazingly cool because I’ll be able to plug directly into my iPod, my computer,” says Callihan. “I’ll be kind of like the Bionic Woman.”
Callihan has never taught another deaf student, but has taught interpreters before.
“I don’t do any of that (sign language),” says Callihan. “It’s a whole different world. They don’t consider me a part of their world because I embrace technology.”
Life outside of the classroom
Callihan was given a lively presence to make up for her loss of hearing. Her passion for teaching is evident when in conversation. Callihan lives a normal life off of campus. She is married, has two children and loves basketball.
“Boy is older (eight) and the girl is younger (five),” says Callihan. “And they hear beautifully.”
Callihan sees herself sticking around Sinclair for quite awhile.
“In the eight institutions that I have taught for, [Sinclair] is the most supportive,” says Callihan. “I feel very blessed to here.”