Colleen Brunetti, M.Ed.

One of the best things about being a Signing Time Academy Instructor is that we have such a wide market to teach our classes in. There are in-home classes, mommy and me groups, libraries, rec centers and so much more. Have you ever considered adding homeschooling families as a potential place to bring your classes and products?

Homeschooling Trends
The rate of children being homeschooled is growing nationwide, by up to 75% since 1999 in fact! It’s a growing trend that offers you a great opportunity to bring Signing Time to children of many ages. I was curious as to how many homeschooling families were around my area and when I spoke to a local homeschooling mom, she told me in her network alone there were about 400 families. Now, I come from an area of tiny towns, with mine having a population of only about 6,000 people, so you can imagine how surprising this high number was. And that was only in one network! To find networks around you, simply Google your town or county’s name with the word “Homeschool”. You might also want to check sites like Meetup.com. Many Meetup groups welcome guest speakers and this is a great way to get your name out in the community for homeschoolers and the public in general.

Homeschooling Talking Points
When you go to speak with homeschooling families you are going to want to think about what sorts of things Signing Time can offer them specifically. Be sure to read the Homeschooling Guide, which is available in the Instructor Lounge for STA instructors, and for your clients on Signingtime.com

I really enjoy talking to parents about how sign language is so inviting for a variety of learning styles and also a variety of ages. This is a great point to bring up with homeschooling families, many of whom will be schooling children of multiple ages and perhaps with unique learning needs.

Another great talking point is how sign language can be integrated across a homeschooling curriculum.  In past blog posts, we have touched on how Signing is Spelling and how signing can be helpful in Establishing the Foundations of Literacy. However, signing goes beyond these concepts as well. You can use it to teach number concepts, make social studies come alive, and to learn about things in nature and in the community. Keep in mind how our DVDs are themed and encourage parents to explore them as a great supplement to their curriculum.

Homeschooling Products
You may also want to offer some of our products that work particularly well with homeschooling. There is the Homschool Bundle, as well as the Classroom Edition and the Preschool and Childcare Program. Depending on your preference and the needs of the family or homeschool group, you can offer these as stand-alone products for their use, or offer yourself as a great guest instructor. Let us know how it goes working with the homeschooling community! Share your success on the Signing Time Academy facebook page.

By Signing Time Instructor Colleen Brunetti

In this age of increased focus on test scores, “teaching baby to read”, and some kids being put on waiting lists for preschools before they are even born, it can be easy to get swept up in the desire to give a baby the best start possible, and loose a little sight of the joy of learning and play. Enter Signing Time, and the classes you teach as a Signing Time Academy Instructor. Learning to sign is just plain fun, and you can really bring that alive with the classes you teach in your communities.

The magic really happens when parents get involved. I don’t know about you, but I’ve taught some classes where parents were pretty content to let the child sit on their lap or nearby, and practice the signs on the side. It may take some coaxing, but I really encourage you to encourage them to take center stage with their child during classes.

In the education world we have a saying, “Be the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage”.  What it means is that you as a teacher should be empowering students to take control of their own learning, and moving away from an older tradition of lecture and monopoly of class time. How can you apply this concept to your classes? By modeling the signs, songs, and activities and then stepping to the side, letting parents take the lead in guiding their children through the practice times.

This month’s Handy Craft on our website is a memory game with many of the animals you learn about in Signing Time Series One: Volumes 7 – 9. Here’s where you can apply the above quote in a tangible way: If it’s time to act out the animals, have the parents go first. When the children march like the bugs, play “Follow the Leader” and choose a parent-child pair to lead. Let them be silly together – make signing fun by letting the biggest heroes in the children’s little world become the ones who ultimately take the lead in the games and puts really fun spin on learning you can provide. Have a blast!

This month, we are running a special here at the Academy. We are inviting people who love teaching and signing to join our Signing Time Academy Instructor Team. Those who join in January will save 20% on the Instructor Kit. If you are an early childhood educator or if you own a preschool or child care center, here are a few reasons you might want to consider this opportunity:

• Instructor Kit includes our Preschool and Child Care Program  - a $199.99 retail value. The Signing Time Preschool Program is FULL of great resources: videos, songs, stories, activities and printables for children ages 0-5. Parent handouts and take-home activities are included as well. See a sample now.
• You’ll get a wholesale discount on products. Need money for that playground update your facility needs? Run a fund-raiser by offering Baby Signing Time, Signing Time, Potty Time and TreeSchoolers products to your families.
• You can earn extra income by teaching Signing Time classes in your community. 

Now through January 31st, you can get all of these great benefits for $159.20 –  less than it would cost you to buy the Preschool Program alone!

• Apply now
• Learn more
  
• Buy the Preschool Program (not discounted)

Watch this short video to learn how you can get involved with the Signing Time Academy!

Welcome New Instructors

The following Instructors have recently joined the Signing Time Academy and are completing their certification so they can start teaching the families and educators in their communities: