NW Valley Times

Elizabeth Kuehne was inspired to teach at the Missouri School for the Deaf by her late mother. Born deaf, Kuehne quickly realized that the hearing population isn’t always accommodating. They rarely know sign language and often ask if she can read lips, which she compares to being asked if she knows how to breathe.

Kuehne grew up in foster care but was adopted in 2005. She graduated from the Missouri School for the Deaf in 2009, married fellow graduate Daryl Kuehne, and had four children—all of whom are deaf and attend the same school in Fulton, Missouri, where she became a paraprofessional teacher’s aide.

Her adoptive mother, a teacher, always encouraged her to follow in those footsteps. Kuehne dismissed this until she sat at her mother's deathbed. “I was with her and heard her struggle to breathe,” she wrote. “Before losing her ability to speak, she mouthed the words, ‘be strong,’ and I promised her I would.”

“She is why I want to become a teacher; she knew I would be an amazing deaf teacher when I could not see it myself. And here I am, a teacher's aide. The students love it; they want me to be a teacher.”

Kuehne shared these thoughts through emails, including how she discovered Grand Canyon University (GCU) on Facebook soon after. “It took me less than two weeks to make a big decision of my life. Even though I asked a ton of questions, my counselor had answers to every question that I had. She made it sound like I can achieve it!”

College of Education Dean Dr. Meredith Critchfield noted that GCU provides paraprofessionals with additional support to become classroom teachers. That university counselor is Stephanie Flores.

Flores helped Kuehne learn about a scholarship through the National Center for Teacher Preparation, where GCU offers assistance and professional development for paraprofessionals aiming to become classroom teachers.

Despite initial nervousness as her online classes began in June—transforming American Sign Language into proper English grammar—Kuehne remained determined. “I am scared to do this,” she wrote to Flores. “I am not giving up.”

“While Elizabeth is my first deaf student, I’ve been fortunate to have close personal connections with the deaf community through my family,” Flores told GCU News. “This background helped me quickly adapt our communication approach to ensure Elizabeth felt heard, understood and empowered throughout the enrollment process."

“Elizabeth never let obstacles deter her. Her resilience and refusal to give up were truly remarkable,” added Flores.

Kuehne expressed her desire to be the first in her biological family to earn a college degree: “Now I am going to show them I can do it; I am not a quitter,” she wrote.

“I am a strong woman.”

Several weeks into her studies, Kuehne uses texts, emails, and video in her classes despite limited speaking abilities. Her daughter showed her how to type closed captions and use recorded voice for videos.

The Kuehne children are ready for Missouri School for the Deaf this fall: Shyla (11), Blake (9), Lucas (8), and Mikayla (13). It’s part of what Kuehne wants hearing people to understand.

“We can do ANYTHING... just our ear is not working,” she wrote. “We all must unite as a unified world without judgment or exclusion.”

“The best thing about being a teacher is the positive impact I can have on how deaf students perceive themselves,” Kuehne continued.

She likens Missouri School for the Deaf to Hogwarts from "Harry Potter," complete with dorms and sports activities but also American Sign Language.

“No deaf child should be left behind,” she wrote.

Kuehne aims to brighten students’ days with smiles and good cheer while setting an example for them and her own children.

“I’m determined to overcome any struggle I face,” she said.

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Related content:

GCU News: A paraprofessional finds understanding among differences