Sharon McGlynn (right) works on a word with fifth-grader Kate Sample (left) while Brittany Wellman watches during a sign language class on Monday at Hillsdale Elementary School. Beth Conner’s class has been working with McGlynn, whose granddaughter Carra Mader is in the class, since November, teaching them signs for everything from letters and numbers to clothes and animals. (Catherine Odson / catherineodson@miconews.com)
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Fifth-graders learn the signs of Grandma’s time
By Catherine Odson, catherineodson@miconews.com
Sharon McGlynn’s hands carve a smooth circle in front of her body, enthusiastically giving the word “America” its place in the Pledge of Allegiance.
McGlynn, who goes by Mimi, looks to the class of fifth-graders before her — especially her granddaughter, Carra Mader — for the exact words in the pledge, but they are counting on Mimi for the same thing.
Mimi leads the same pledge two more times for the eager group of Hillsdale Elementary School students, who join in with signs they know, such as the waving motion of “flag,” and quickly mimic those some don’t know — allegiance, liberty and nation — in their keen attempt to add to their sign language skills.
The class began learning sign language in November. Since then, they have amassed a vocabulary of hundreds of words, teacher Beth Conner said.
“They’re very fast learners,” she said.
Monday’s lesson drifted from the solemn Pledge of Allegiance to an informal question-and-answer session, which left one student avidly sharing his obsession with squirrels.
Mimi has had a wonderful attitude in the weekly lessons, Conner said, where she has taught everything from the alphabet and animals to clothes and colors.
“They learned to fingerspell,” Conner said. “Sometimes it takes a minute to get a word out, and she’s just patiently waiting.”
The students see her patience as well.
“If we mess up, she just encourages us to keep on going,” Taylor MacFarland said, “… until we achieve our goal.”
Mimi’s granddaughter, Carra, began signing before she could talk. Carra’s grandfather is also deaf, and her mother is a sign-language interpreter.
For her, class is just one more opportunity to talk to Grandma.
And she does, helping translate questions from Conner and her classmates for her grandmother, who then responds with vigor.
With the sign language lessons, the students are learning how to communicate in a way they couldn’t before, they said.
They will put their skills to the test Thursday when they travel to the Deaf Cultural Center in Olathe, where Mimi has been revered for her work, Carra said.
Mimi’s upbeat lessons have instilled the signs the students have learned into their brains, Conner said.
“I forget,” she said, “and they know.”
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McGlynn, who goes by Mimi, looks to the class of fifth-graders before her — especially her granddaughter, Carra Mader — for the exact words in the pledge, but they are counting on Mimi for the same thing.
Mimi leads the same pledge two more times for the eager group of Hillsdale Elementary School students, who join in with signs they know, such as the waving motion of “flag,” and quickly mimic those some don’t know — allegiance, liberty and nation — in their keen attempt to add to their sign language skills.
The class began learning sign language in November. Since then, they have amassed a vocabulary of hundreds of words, teacher Beth Conner said.
“They’re very fast learners,” she said.
Monday’s lesson drifted from the solemn Pledge of Allegiance to an informal question-and-answer session, which left one student avidly sharing his obsession with squirrels.
Mimi has had a wonderful attitude in the weekly lessons, Conner said, where she has taught everything from the alphabet and animals to clothes and colors.
“They learned to fingerspell,” Conner said. “Sometimes it takes a minute to get a word out, and she’s just patiently waiting.”
The students see her patience as well.
“If we mess up, she just encourages us to keep on going,” Taylor MacFarland said, “… until we achieve our goal.”
Mimi’s granddaughter, Carra, began signing before she could talk. Carra’s grandfather is also deaf, and her mother is a sign-language interpreter.
For her, class is just one more opportunity to talk to Grandma.
And she does, helping translate questions from Conner and her classmates for her grandmother, who then responds with vigor.
With the sign language lessons, the students are learning how to communicate in a way they couldn’t before, they said.
They will put their skills to the test Thursday when they travel to the Deaf Cultural Center in Olathe, where Mimi has been revered for her work, Carra said.
Mimi’s upbeat lessons have instilled the signs the students have learned into their brains, Conner said.
“I forget,” she said, “and they know.”