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20:21:00 |
signs4baby |
Sarah - have I come to the right place? |
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20:21:19 |
WeeHands |
yes, you're in the right place - things are VER |
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20:21:34 |
signs4baby |
VER? |
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20:21:41 |
WeeHands |
VERY quiet though! :) |
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20:21:55 |
signs4baby |
Have many people come to the chats at all? |
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20:22:36 |
WeeHands |
it varies per week. this is the second or third evening chat. last
week we had 3-4 people and the week before I think 5 |
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20:22:54 |
signs4baby |
That's cool - then it has gone well |
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20:23:25 |
signs4baby |
We have big excitement at my house tonight - the diner across the
street burned down tonight - still smoldering |
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20:23:36 |
WeeHands |
holy moly! |
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20:23:57 |
signs4baby |
I have no phone - no cable - I understand I might lose power at some
point - BUT funnily enough my DSL is working! |
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20:24:22 |
signs4baby |
Are you a Sign 2
Me Presentor? |
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20:24:48 |
WeeHands |
yes, i've been an sign2me presenter for about 3 years, you're with
babysigns right? |
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20:25:05 |
signs4baby |
yes - I've been with them for about 1.5 years now |
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20:25:11 |
signs4baby |
where are you located> |
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20:25:33 |
WeeHands |
i'm in Toronto, Ontario |
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20:25:50 |
signs4baby |
oh yes that's right I am in Vermont |
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20:25:55 |
WeeHands |
just looking at your website. my joshua is now 4 years old. my
site is
www.weehands.com |
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20:26:16 |
signs4baby |
Are there many other presentors up near you? |
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20:26:28 |
signs4baby |
I have looked at your site before I'm pretty sure |
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20:26:51 |
WeeHands |
Marilyn Daniels lives in Vermont currently - wrote Dancing with
Words. there's one other in Toronto and 3-4 others in the province |
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20:27:24 |
signs4baby |
Really - I didn't know that - I somehow thought she was in Texas -
I've never heard of her around here |
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20:27:51 |
WeeHands |
i think she just moved - just had an email from her yesterday |
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20:28:11 |
signs4baby |
I've just hired on 5 new instructors in New England - its so
exciting to get fresh new people - it makes it exciting for me all
over again |
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20:28:30 |
signs4baby |
wow - I wonder how close she is to me |
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20:28:59 |
WeeHands |
as long as you hire the right people :) |
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20:29:11 |
WeeHands |
that's great though about the new instructors! |
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20:30:05 |
signs4baby |
yes Baby Signs just moved to a District Manager model - I think it
will be really good - it means people get hired and trained right
where they live - one on one - instead of long distance |
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20:30:39 |
WeeHands |
I've currently got 5 instructors in the Toronto area and hoping to
hire 1-2 more |
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20:31:20 |
signs4baby |
Do you have district managers as well - I don't know a lot about how
you guys are set up - do you hire and train or is it all through the
main office |
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20:33:01 |
signs4baby |
this is so funny - this is only the second chat that I have been to
for signing - and the last time I ended up chatting with Michelle
from Wide Eyes Learning LOL |
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20:33:15 |
WeeHands |
instructors with WeeHands have to qualify as sign2me presenters,
e.g., have an ASL background, signed with their babies and a related
educational background. |
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20:33:57 |
WeeHands |
all of my instructors have signed with their babies, have an ASL
background and have a educational or psychology educational
background |
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20:34:26 |
signs4baby |
all three qualifications - or if someone has just an ASL background
and educational but maybe did not use it with their children or do
not have children would they be considered? |
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20:35:10 |
WeeHands |
everyone with WeeHands has all three backgrounds |
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20:35:41 |
signs4baby |
right now I have a professor from a college - is an ASL interpreter,
but has grown children - so didn't do it with his children - but is
doing it with his grandchildren! |
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20:35:57 |
WeeHands |
it also depends very much on personality. they have to be able to
teach, be excited about signing with babies and be part entertainer! |
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20:36:06 |
WeeHands |
kewl! |
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20:36:08 |
signs4baby |
absolutely! |
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20:36:43 |
signs4baby |
do you guys offer play groups and a general classes or one or the
other? |
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20:37:49 |
WeeHands |
WeeHands has classes (8 weeks) and 1.5 hour workshops. How do you
define playgroups"?" |
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20:38:21 |
signs4baby |
Baby Signs just came out with a new curriculum for a playgroup - it
is 6 weeks - Mommy/Daddy and Baby |
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20:38:50 |
signs4baby |
They learn 6-7 signs a week around themes - there are song,
activities, reading time, etc. to support learning the signs |
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20:39:25 |
signs4baby |
There is an added component which I like, Linda and Susan have
written 2 other books as well, Baby Minds, and Baby Hearts which is
due out next year |
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20:39:40 |
WeeHands |
that's what we do in our WeeHands Signing Babies classes! |
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20:40:27 |
signs4baby |
It talks about social emotion development from 0-3 and Intellectual
Development from 0-3 - we are incorporating teaching activities to
develop these areas in their children - but all around activities
with the signs |
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20:41:02 |
signs4baby |
That is cool - I am setting up my first one - it is very exciting -
I have just done parent workshops until this point |
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20:41:16 |
WeeHands |
that sounds great! my back ground is in speech therapy, so WeeHands
focuses alot on early communication development |
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20:41:28 |
WeeHands |
there's so much too learn! |
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20:41:42 |
signs4baby |
yes there is! |
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20:42:04 |
signs4baby |
Do you work in speech therapy as well as teach sign language with
babies? |
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20:42:12 |
WeeHands |
I do try to read materials/books written by anyone and everyone on
infant sign language. |
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20:42:56 |
WeeHands |
I don't do speech therapy anymore, just WeeHands :) and i teach at a
local college within their Communicative Disorders Assistant program |
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20:43:25 |
signs4baby |
I do to, I have even contemplated ordering the Wide Eyed Learning
material, which is difficult for me only because I get tired of the
attitude |
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20:43:37 |
WeeHands |
hmmmm |
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20:44:39 |
signs4baby |
I think it is great they have the company and I really had a
wonderful time chatting with Michelle Anthony, and really have no
problems with other companies and instructors, just wish there was
more harmony and grace between the programs |
|
20:45:12 |
signs4baby |
after all - we all have the same goal!!! |
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20:46:00 |
WeeHands |
yes! i try to use the Thumper way of thinking for everything! |
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20:46:11 |
signs4baby |
Thumper? |
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20:46:33 |
WeeHands |
if you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all! . . .
from Bambi! |
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20:46:54 |
signs4baby |
yes!! :) Very good motto to live by! |
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20:47:26 |
signs4baby |
How old are your children? |
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20:47:33 |
signs4baby |
Or do you only have the one? |
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20:47:58 |
WeeHands |
joshua is 4 years old and sabrina is 23 months old - I can't believe
she'll be two in a month! |
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20:48:17 |
WeeHands |
both are incredibly different children is every way! |
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20:48:25 |
signs4baby |
Is she still signing a lot - or moving towards lots of words |
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20:48:26 |
WeeHands |
You? |
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20:48:59 |
signs4baby |
I have 5 - a 20 yo son in the marines, daughter 12, son 6, and twins
Josh & Meg turned 2 in July |
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20:49:03 |
WeeHands |
I sign with Joshua when he's out of ear shot - I love you", "stop,
get down" :)" |
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20:49:43 |
signs4baby |
yes doesn't it come in handy - I do that with my twins as well - My
12 yo likes to sign to me when I am on the phone - she doesn't have
to wait to ask me things! |
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20:49:52 |
WeeHands |
Sabrina signs when she sings and when she really needs to emphasize
something, e.g., when she verbally says no to her brother and really
means she also signs no" with two hands!" |
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20:50:21 |
WeeHands |
yes, signing while you're on the phone is such an added bonus to
this! |
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20:52:07 |
WeeHands |
my husband signs beer" to me from outside when he's mowing the lawn
- definately NOT a baby sign!" |
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20:52:20 |
signs4baby |
LOL - useful nonetheless!!! |
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20:52:46 |
signs4baby |
I'll have to learn that sign - my husband would love to learn that
one!!! |
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20:52:58 |
WeeHands |
i usually teach parents the signs for beer, wine, coffee, tea and
chocolate just for fun! |
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20:54:32 |
signs4baby |
sorry my Mom called to check on me! |
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20:54:41 |
signs4baby |
That is a cute idea! |
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20:55:11 |
WeeHands |
http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/b/beer.htm |
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20:55:22 |
WeeHands |
for the ASL sign for beer"" |
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20:55:25 |
signs4baby |
LOL - Thanks |
|
20:56:14 |
WeeHands |
maybe good for moms who need help with breastfeeding as well!
although I'm not sure if that's just an old wives tale! :D |
|
20:56:32 |
signs4baby |
:P I'm not sure either! |
|
20:56:52 |
signs4baby |
Well - I'm going to head off to bed - what time zone are you in? |
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20:57:27 |
signs4baby |
I'm in the eastern its 10 pm and I'd better get some sleep time zone
:D |
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20:57:43 |
signs4baby |
It was so nice to chat with you |
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20:57:50 |
WeeHands |
eastern - i'm off to bed soon too! tell all your families about the
chat and we'll see you next week! |
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20:58:06 |
signs4baby |
I will - have a great week! |
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20:58:18 |
WeeHands |
you too! |
