I showed them how to sign "next week".
The teacher said, "No, she wants to know the sign for next week".
I showed them how to sign it once again.
By now I'm suspecting something's not quite right. I think about it a moment and just started laughing. Of course! They wanted to know the signs for next week, not how to sign "next week".
Repeat and repeat, my days are full of repeats. I like funny ones like these.
Teaching kids is really cool. You have a great job.
ReplyDeleteMy day yesterday gave me deaf culture shock. There are "signs" that a person does not learn by watching Signing Time on TV. A man was upset that his bus was late. I am not stupid and it was not difficult to figure out what the signs mean. I realize now that some people are just potty months even if they are deaf.
Good morning, Neil. Each region has its own variation of a sign, just like there are accents, dialects. When I was in Munich years ago, I was told there were about three hundred different dialects (verbal) in that region. It is the same with Sign Language.
ReplyDeleteWhen children show me a sign they have been taught by someone else and ask me if it's right, I never say, "No", because for the region or family, that is most likely correct, However, I will show them in turn the different ways I have seen it, as well. Then, I will tell them we will use the ones Rachel uses so we all understand one another when we sign in school. That way, the use the signs in the family the way the family uses it, and in school, the way we are learning to use it.
With older children, they are looking up the signs online and we practice those, if they aren't covered in Signing Time.
Signing Time is the most wonderful series, and we love what Rachel has done with her God given talents. Have you read their family story? They are most inspiring!
Oh...I just realized you were discussing signs that aren't appropriate for for children! :-)
One year, we had a first grader looking up "bad" words. I was asked to discuss with the class what is appropriate and what is not. I simply tell them, "If you would not use the word in church in front of Grandma, do not look it up in school." That's pretty simple and straight forward. We've not had that issue again.
I hope I Learn to sign better than I spell. I typed "month" and not "mouth". I think you figured it out.
ReplyDeleteThe man that was upset about the late bus was just happy to "vent" his problems to me and I guess I now have a new friend. I am glad I am not the bus driver. :-)
I have read Rachel's family story. Her and her husband should receive a "SuperMom" and "SuperDad" award. :-)