When my second son was little, my aunt—who is deaf—taught me what I like to call the golden signs that saved our mornings: Milk, Mom, Please.

To my amazement, he picked them up right away. With just a few simple hand movements, the tears and morning chaos disappeared. No more screaming for his bottle—he had the power to communicate clearly.

It worked so well that we began learning more signs together as a family. The more we signed, the more peaceful our home became. That’s when I had an idea: If this could make such a difference at home, what could it do in the classroom?

I started small, introducing just one new sign each day. Something magical happened—the more we signed, the calmer and quieter the classroom became. Students were connecting without words, supporting each other, and finding new ways to express themselves.