What would happen if you combined drawing, map making, origami, puzzles, ancient games, neuroscience, history, and Charlie Chaplin, into one class?  You'd get my American Sign Language class, of course.  In ASL class, not only are you going to learn to converse in one of the coolest languages on the planet, but your hand-eye-brain relationship will never be the same again.  You will become more visually astute, more keen at processing and interpreting visual information.  More perceptive.  But don't worry, you won't even notice it's happening, as all you will remember is the fun.

And all of this fun takes place in an amazing learning environment - a classroom filled with artwork, traffic signs, classic games and toys, open-ended manipulatives, dolls, vintage typewriters, and a thousand books.  Great tools for working on one’s focus, single-tasking, and social interactions with peers.  And get this, none of it involves a screen.

Wow, all this sounds fascinating.  What kind of fascinating person could teach a course like this?  Well, I'll tell you.  My name is Jon Cofinas.  I'm a former filmmaker, comedian, luthier, and interpreter, who's apparently doing this now.  I have my Single-Subject Teaching Credential in ASL and Masters of Education, which makes me very smart.  I grew up playing soccer in New Jersey, I spent the 90's in Chicago, and now I live in a tiny house at the beach.  I also learned recently that my Greek blood runs clear back to ancient Sparta, so I wouldn't mess with me.

Today’s young people are insightful and creative and totally hilarious, and that's why I love working with them.  Any questions about the course or pedagogy, or typewriters, feel free to reach out.

JC

https://portfolium.com/JonCofinas