Sign Language

Sign Language 

By Katherine Aguilar

People can learn every day of their lives.  Sharing what they have learned from others keeps the learning going. It's even more impactful when an adult learns from a child, because the child becomes the teacher and you become the student.   

I was at work a month ago. I saw a young child, about seven, teaching her little friends sign language. 

She was teaching them spelling and some phrases in sign language.

I asked her, "Can you teach them a phrase so they can share it with their teacher?"  She said yes.  

She showed them how to say 

Teacher, we love you!

Her classmates were excited to learn.  They practiced the phrase in sign.

They couldn't wait to get back to their class so they could sign it to their teacher.

  I told her I would learn it so I could share the phrase with others.

I ended our conversation with.

 " You became a "teacher" just by teaching your friends and me how to sign."  I let her know I was going to practice the sign language phrase. That's when I saw her again.  I would show her.  I did not forget. 

Later on in the day.  I saw her again.  I said.  " See, I have been practicing.  I signed the sign language phrase.  

She was so happy.   I told her I promised to share it with others. 

Well, this morning, I was at work.  I found an opportunity to share the sign language phrase and the story behind it.

Learning this sign language phrase has meant a lot to me.

Making a memorable impact