Lorena Villagran, a student at Park Ridge Elementary in Nampa, Idaho, used to be insecure about her hearing aid, but she’s gained new confidence thanks to her teacher, Courtney Craner. The first grader, who was born with hearing loss, had faced questions from her peers about her hearing aid and that made her feel uncomfortably different. Craner noticed her insecurity and asked if the class could learn more about hearing aids, an idea that excited Lorena.
To support her, Craner ordered children’s books about hearing aids and read them aloud to the class, which led to thoughtful questions from the students. The class decided Lorena’s hearing aid was actually her "superpower," turning her into the superhero of the classroom. Now she’s happy that her classmates now understand her device, and her parents are grateful for Craner’s efforts to make their daughter feel included.
Following the lessons, Lorena started wearing her hearing aid confidently every day, not hiding it in her desk or backpack. Craner says she was surprised and honored by the positive feedback from Lorena’s family and the school community. The girl now considers Miss Courtney her hero and the books that helped pave the way for her newfound confidence have been gifted to her to carry on to her second grade class.
Source: KTVB
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