Tracie Rieder

I have been intrigued by the beauty of American Sign Language since I was a young child, often borrowing books on ASL from the local library and working to learn the language on my own.  As a college student studying elementary education, I chose a deaf and hard of hearing resource room to be the focus of a special project in one of my classes.  This is where I fell in love with the language and was first introduced to the deaf community.  Once I graduated with my elementary education degree, I took a job as a paraprofessional in the local Early Childhood Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Program.  It was in this job that my sign  language skills really improved and my interest in deaf education was sparked.   Then, in 1991, I received a Masters Degree in Deaf Education

Since graduating in 1991, I have held positions as an itinerant teacher for Deaf & hard-of-hearing (working with students birth-age 21), an elementary school substitute teacher, an ASL aid for a preschool child in a special education program, a sign language instructor in a local homeschool coop, and an early intervention teacher for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students (working with ages birth-3).  For the last 20 years I have owned my own family childcare business, Circle of Friends Daycare, and have enrolled several children with hearing loss in my program.  Sign language is used continually within my program with all children, and I have seen so many benefits!

My new adventure: becoming Owner/Instructor of Circle of Friends Signing School.  I provide sign language classes to groups of children in family childcare, daycare centers, homeschool groups, families, and community education programs.  My classes incorporate ASL vocabulary, stories, songs, movement activities, and miscellaneous projects and games.  I can provide ongoing weekly, biweekly, or monthly classes.  I can also provide single session sign language instruction or story/music/sign-language workshops.  Please contact me if you have an questions or ideas for a class you think would work well for your family or group.   I’d love to hear from you!