A STORY ABOUT NORMA FREEMAN

YOU HAVE CHANGED MY LIFE

Presented by
Supervisor: Mr Mweemba
08 March 2023
This story is about a teacher who made a difference
in the life of her student, William Martnez.

William Martnez was born to a deaf mother and a

hearing father. He was an only child. His parents
decided to divorce when he was three years old.
William then went to live with his mother (as a single
mother).
William grew up in a deaf and silent household, where
there was no television growing up, no radio, did not go
the movies or concerts for entertainment, instead he
stayed home and read books, played cards or board
games. He existed in silence.

His first language was sign language (American sign

language) not spoken language. He spent so much
time home that his spoken language skills were not as
nearly developed as the other kids his age.
The only time William got to practice his spoken
language skills was when he was interpreting for his
mother, which was often, or when he would visit his
father and his family, which was not very much.

He did learn language skills at school but not as near

or to the extent of other kids. William and his mother
moved around a lot often times not knowing where they
were going.
Moving around a lot created a gap between
attending his old school and new school. By the time
his teacher at his new school realized he was failing
his classes, they would move.

According to records, he attended almost 20

elementary schools (6-8th grade). Showing up, not
knowing anyone and not having the social skills to
be able to make friends.
He was just quiet, quiet on the outside but on the
inside there was nothing but fantasies and dreams.
The dream he had were not like normal dreams
such as growing up to be a fire fighter or a doctor.
He had no concept of what a movie star was or a
super hero.
William just wanted to be noticed, that was his
dream. He wanted to be heard. He wanted to stay
in one place and have stability, as well as friends.
He wanted people to understand him, to
understand why he moves his hands every time he
spoke and didn’t just point and laugh at him.
He wanted to do all the activities that all the other
kids were doing. He just wanted to fit in and belong.
Belong to something, to anything.

Wherever he was, his mind was somewhere else,

dreaming, asking questions, hoping, longing.
Longing to belong.
It was very hard for William and his mother to make
it work. His mother was living in a deaf world while
he was living in a hearing world (nothing was wrong
with either worlds), they just couldn’t make it work.
Despite their different worlds they loved each other.
Fast forward…

In 8th grade, he transferred to another school, and

because he transferred after the semester started.
When his classes were being selected for him, all the
electives were full except for choir.

He showed up for choir class the same way he

showed up to every class- weird, quiet and numb.
And that is where he met the teacher who
changed the course of the rest of his life Miss
Norma Freeman.

Miss Norma Freeman had a soft voice and a

warm smile. She was so welcoming and would
always greet them every time they open the door.
She was patient, really patient with every student.
She picked up on the fact that William was not very
social, so she invited him to spend some of his after
school time in the choir room.
There were always kids singing, hanging out or
playing the piano, or she was teaching them how to
play the guitar.
One day she asked the kids to come up to the
piano and to practice some of the music they were
learning in choir class. He just stared at her as the
other kids sang. She knew he wasn’t singing but
she never judged him or embarrassed him.
Day after day she tried to get him to sing, to no
avail. Finally one day, she invited him to come up
to the piano by himself and she asked him to sing
a simple scale she played on the piano.
So William stood up, walked up to the piano and
sang… la la la la la la laaa

And his teacher Norma said to him

“You are a good singer”
The fog suddenly lifted. His voice was heard. It
was the first time in his life he was something.
He was so excited that he ran home to tell his
mum that his teacher told him that he is a good
singer.
But she wasn’t as excited as he was
You know why?
She responded
“Son I am deaf, I can’t hear you sing, so play
sports so I can see you succeed. I cannot
enjoy singing”
He was so devastated and you know who else
was devastated? His mother.
He continued attending choir class, he made
some friends and for the first time wanted to go
to school.
Well, after a couple of months Miss Freeman made
an announcement that there was going to be a
vocal presentation for parents, and she chose a
couple of students to sing a solo performance.
William was one of the students chosen.
Although very excited he told her that he could not
do it.
He said “Miss Freeman my mum is deaf and she
is not going to come because she can’t hear me
sing”
Guess what she did…
So instead of choosing another student, Miss
Freeman came up with a simple idea, she said “Why
cant you just sing and sign in your song”
So he went home and came up with a plan.
On the night of the show. His mum came, William did
not tell his mum the entire plan because if he did, she
would not show up. He lied that it was going to be a
visual presentation for a science project instead of a
singing performance.
As the mum arrived, William saw that his mum was not
pleased and knew he had to make it up to her. He had
to make her proud. He then realized he was next.

He slowly walked up to the front, very nervous of the

crowd especially his mum.
He began to sing and sign at the same time. After he
was done, his body was covered in tingles, he looked
at his mum and she was smiling ☺
For the first time in her life, she heard him sing.
Do you know why?
Because of miss freeman, his mum got to
experience music through American sign language
by her own son.
Miss Freeman changed two lives that night.
What an incredible teacher, don’t you think?
He felt that his mum and him were finally in their in
worlds together but the ride home was really
awkward.
When they finally got home, his mum said “Son,
your signs should have been bigger, stronger and
filling the room”
Then she walked off to her bedroom. As he was
headed toward his own room, she stomped her feet
together to get his attention.
He looked her direction and she signed “good job”
He then said “Thanks mum”
His mum and him were finally together. That night
was a game changer.
Their relationship grew to a new level. Laughs were
more frequent, she was even open to him teaching
her how to speak a little peak into the hearing world.
William began to sing all the time. His mum allowed
him to teach her how to sign a song.
After six months of him knowing Miss Freeman,
although his mum tried her best, she still really
struggled with her son wanting to have music be a
daily part of his life.

Now this is where his dad came in. His dad had been
trying to be a large part of his life ever since the
divorce, but his mum was very protective of him.
Regardless of this he still left his mum and moved in
with his dad.
But there was one big problem!
His dad lived across town, and William knew that
meant moving to another school.
So his father asked him “son, what time do you
need to be at school tomorrow”
William responded “I don’t know, I have never been
there before”
His father asked “ what do you mean you haven’t
been there before? You have been going there for
six months”
William responded “You mean my other school?
That is like the next town, at 8:30.
His father then said “ Alright, well I have to be at
work at 7am, we are going to leave this house at
6am , and I’ll co-work and say we are going to be
late.
They did that for one week, then two weeks. Dropping
him off and picking him up, adding four hours to his
commute for five months.

When his lease was up at the father’s apartment, he

moved across town to an apartment right down the
street from his school. His father refused to let him
attend another school, knowing how important his
relationship was with Miss Freeman and his friends.
That wasn’t his only sacrifice, Williams education
level and grades were poor and he was failing all of
his classes except for choir.

But his father taught him everything he knows. As he

continued into high school he would attend every
choir concert, every theater performance and every
parent teacher meeting.
Because of his father, he was passing his classes,
he was making life long friendships and he even
began to start thinking about college. His father gave
up his life so that his son could live his.
His father’s determination pushed and encouraged
his son.
William managed to graduate high school.
He decided to go to college, and took a major in
musical theater.
It was in college where he experienced the deaf and
hearing worlds collide on stage.

Fast forward…
He graduated with his degree in musical theater and
decided to move to Los Angeles California to pursue
his dream and where he has been performing ever
since.
He got multiple opportunities such as working with a
company called Deaf West Theater. Where half of
the cast were deaf and half were hearing people. The
productions were done in spoken English and
American sign language.
William got a chance to be part of a critically claimed
show called Big River which made it’s way to
Broadway.
He was a lead male singer on a cruise ship, where
he got to travel the world, see different places and
performing every night.

He did a one man show called Signing the Song,

after his performance, he was approached by a
couple named Harry and Rosemary Wong who
identified themselves as educators.
The Wongs have had a massive impact on the
educational world. They were so touched by Miss
Freeman’s story that they gave William the chance to
fly out and share his story.
Even after 25 years William is still grateful to Miss
Freeman for changing his life.
WHAT LESSON DO WE LEARN FROM THE
STORY?
• The two most important people in a child’s life:
Parents and teachers. The power of parents and
teachers is immeasurable.
• Be teachers who change the students lives in a
positive way. Be the driving force of a child’s
dreams.
• Help them reach their full potential without
expecting anything in return.
• One of the things a teacher does best is create
dreams for children.
• Be kind and patient with students
• Support goes a long way.
• You as a teacher have the ability to inspire a
generation.
AS TEACHERS LET US MAKE A DIFFERENCE
 TOGETHER WE CAN TEACH EVERYONE TO
STOP COMPLAINING, TO LOVE YOURSELF AND
TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS.
THE END