<![CDATA[My Smart Hands Calgary - Adventures in Baby Signing]]>Fri, 25 May 2012 08:48:59 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[I Love to Ride]]>Tue, 22 May 2012 15:40:15 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/05/i-love-to-ride.html
An original My Smart Hands song. We sing this in our level 1 class!
]]><![CDATA[Please Change Me]]>Fri, 18 May 2012 20:38:43 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/05/please-change-me.html
An original My Smart Hands Song! We sing this in our Level 1 class.
]]><![CDATA[MSH Graduate Signing milk!]]>Thu, 10 May 2012 14:13:32 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/05/msh-graduate-signing-milk.html
What a cutie! Thanks for sending in mama!
]]><![CDATA[Level 1 Grads May 2012]]>Sat, 05 May 2012 22:18:25 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/05/level-1-grads-may-2012.html
]]><![CDATA[Participant Comments]]>Fri, 04 May 2012 23:29:29 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/05/participant-comments4.html"The class was fun and informative. Super great atmosphere. Thank you."

"Excellent instructor, passionate about signing"

"Learned lots and a great instructor!"

"Melody is great!"

"Using Sign Language will improve the relationship with your child and decrease the tension of not being able to talk for your child"

"I would absolutely recommend this class to parents. I promotes communication, it's fun and Melody is a great instructor!"

"It was a great experience. Melody is sweet and awesome!"

"You were awesome!"

"I highly recommend MSH. The class was helpful, applicable and she is a wonderful instructor! Thanks Melody, we had fun!"

"Thank you! We really enjoyed the class!

"Great experience! Lots of fun for parents and babies!"

"I would totally recommend the class! It provides a fun way to develop communication strategies with your baby."

"We had a lot of fun and we learned a lot!"]]><![CDATA[Milk]]>Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:09:06 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/04/milk.htmlHere is a photo from a MSH grad! She is signing "milk". Thanks for sharing mom :)

Picture
]]><![CDATA[Signing with B]]>Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:01:59 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/04/signing-with-b3.htmlorange (in our region both the colour and the fruit)- squeeze your dominant hand in front of your mouth (same sign as milk but the placement is different)

Picture
]]><![CDATA[Signing with B]]>Sat, 21 Apr 2012 21:51:34 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/04/signing-with-b2.htmlpenguin - walk like a penguin waddling back and forth

Picture
]]><![CDATA[From a MSH participant:]]>Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:07:56 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/04/from-a-msh-participant.htmlMy son has just started signing like crazy! Still not talking, but he at least signs with us. He's mastered milk, more, eat, bath, bird, bed, apple, his own version of cracker and cookie.  It's awesome! Honestly, I don't know what I'd do if he didn't sign.  He's obviously not ready to talk and I know there's nothing wrong with his hearing or his comprehension.  This would have turned into quite a frustrating time otherwise.  But, we can communicate, and so can
he.  So, I love it, and can't thank you enough.

]]><![CDATA[Looking for a Baby Sign Class? Consider these things before you commit!]]>Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:11:18 -0800http://mysmarthandscalgary.weebly.com/1/post/2012/04/looking-for-a-baby-sign-class-consider-these-things-before-you-commit.html As baby signing starts to increase in popularity there are more and more options available for signing classes. What is a parent to do? How do you decide which class is the right fit for you? Here are just a few things to consider before you register for a signing class (or any class).

Before you spend any money on a class, ask if the instructor or company offers demo classes. This is a great way to check things out before you make any sort of commitment. Ask questions! How long is the class? What materials are included? Are there any “extra” costs? What happens if you need to miss a class? Is there an opportunity to review the material missed? What if you need to withdraw from the class? These are all very important questions when you are committing to a class or classes – babies keep us on our toes, our schedules can change at any moment so it is important to ask about the “what ifs”.

Attending a demo class also gives you the opportunity to get to know the instructor. You want to be sure that you are comfortable with the person who is teaching the class. In some cases you may be spending 6 or 8 weeks with this person. Be sure that you feel like it is a positive environment where you and your little one will learn and flourish. Also consider the experience of the instructor. Just like any other class you would register for, look for someone who is qualified to be teaching baby signing. Unfortunately there are many businesses out there who will hire anyone who pays the instructor fees.  When I was looking into becoming an instructor I was really disappointed to find that more often than not, this was the case. Look for someone who has a background in ASL and teaching. This way you are sure to get your money’s worth!

Ask yourself a few addition questions to determine what’s important to you. Do you want a class that will teach real ASL signs? Do you want to support a local business? Is it important that the business has awards or has been recognized for their curriculum? Are they teaching something that is relevant for you? Are there additional classes available if you want to continue classes? Figure out what is important to you and your family and then decide which class is the best fit and have fun!

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