Members of the Oxford Elementary Signing Bear Cubs are learning American Sign Language and have performed several times. On the front row, left to right: Luke Branch, Dallas Eades, Brianna Deal, Breanna Duncan, Megan Turnbull and Devin Perdue. Standing in back are Haley England, Julia Smith, Emily Maxfield, Shakira Pettis, Michaela Horton, Alexis Hubanks, Chelsey Lamm, Lauren Zepp, teacher and group leader Erica Dorsch, Molly Phillips, Alyssa Owens, Kaitlyn Guins and Marcale Cornelius. Not pictured is Annette Green.

Oxford elementary teacher starts Signing Bear Cubs Group

Erica Miller Dorsch, a second-grade teacher at Oxford Elementary School in Catawba County, has found a way to use her deaf education major, even though she isn’t teaching deaf students.

Dorsch graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne College in 2005 with a double major in elementary education and deaf education and got her first job last year at Oxford Elementary. Although she enjoyed teaching, she said, “I wasn’t using all my education. There was something that was missing.”

So she asked her principal if she could start an after-school club this fall. He approved the group, called the Signing Bear Cubs, for second through fourth graders. Although she had only planned to include 20 children, almost twice that many expressed an interest.

She began teaching the group American Sign Language. She taught them to sign “Happy Birthday,” “The Star Spangled Banner” and the Pledge of Allegiance. The group meets after school once a week, but may meet more often if they are preparing for a performance.

Each member of the group has a blue tee-shirt designed by another third-grade teacher, Sophie “Petie” Wagner. It features a teddy bear signing. The words “Oxford Elementary” circle the bear in both the English and manual alphabet. Dorsch said she selected the name based on the school’s nickname, the bear cubs.

Dorsch came to Lenoir-Rhyne to seek advice from Shawn Frank, director of deaf and hard of hearing support services and leader of a similar group for L-R students called the Sign Troupe. Frank invited the Signing Bear Cubs to perform with the L-R Sign Troupe before the college’s Homecoming game on Oct. 7. Both groups signed the national anthem as the college’s A Cappella Choir sang.

Each Oxford Elementary student was paired with a member of the L-R Sign Troupe, which includes hearing, hard-of-hearing and deaf college students. Although some of the elementary students were nervous, they performed in front of the audience of more than 4,000 fans. One parent told Dorsch that her daughter was very shy, but performing at the football game has given her more confidence. The school principal and assistant principal came to the football game to show their support, as well as many parents and other family members.

“It was really nice to do something like this,” Dorsch said. “It’s going to be something they remember.”

The Signing Bear Cubs have also performed for a Veterans Day program at their school. They are now preparing for a PTO Christmas program. The students are also using their new skills outside the group. For example, several teachers have told Dorsch that the children in the Signing Bear Cubs use sign language when the classroom sings “Happy Birthday” to a fellow student, or when the class recites the Pledge of Allegiance.

 In fact, the club has been so successful that Dorsch is planning to accept new students into the group next semester.