Special Needs Kids Learn Life Skills

Special-needs kids learn life skills at Mountain Pointe High

by Coty Dolores Miranda - Oct. 5, 2011 11:18 AM
Special for the Republic

Ten years ago, Jamaica Drowne helped start a Special Education and Life Skills program at Mountain Pointe High School that opened the door of opportunity for special-needs teens and young adults.

The program was close to her heart: She had grown up in Ahwatukee as the older sister of her only sibling, Ben, who has dealt with severe and multiple disabilities since birth.

Drowne, a 1997 Mountain Pointe grad who later graduated from Arizona State University, said growing up with Ben inspired her to become a teacher.

"Because of my brother, it was obvious to me I should be a special-education teacher because it was like second nature to me," she said. "When I started teaching in 2001, we had about seven students who started with me; it was a learning experience for all of us."

Today's MPHS Life Skills program has 28 students, ranging from freshman beginning at age 14 to young adults age 22. There are four teachers, including Drowne: Heidi Klepfer, Jenny Thompson, and Anne Schumann.

"By law, it's appropriate placement for students to stay until they're 22, depending on their IEP - individualized education plan," Klepfer said. "We have students with various intellectual disabilities, including multiple disabilities and autism. Our biggest goal for the Special Education and Life Skills is to get them ready for adulthood."

To accomplish that, students receive a variety of educational information, experiences and hands-on skills.

In the Functional Academics, students learn basics like handling money, how to prepare menus and then shop for the ingredients, prepare simple meals and similar basic activities.

A recent shopping trip to an Ahwatukee grocery store - a journey made twice weekly - underlined how multiple lessons meld.

"Before we let them go, we prepare the students; we shop with them but I let them lead. Like if we need flour, I ask, 'Where would we go in the store to find it?' Our goal is that they know and understand the grocery store. If they can't find what they want, we teach them who to go to and how to appropriately ask," Klepfer said. "Then they come up with a recipe, we shop for the ingredients and then cook it."

As any shopper knows, keeping track of money is a necessity.

"Understanding money is very important. We make sure they know how to use it, and understand what change is correct," said Klepfer, who taught Life Skills at Centennial Middle School and Kyrene de las Lomas Elementary before coming to MPHS seven years ago.

Preparing meals in the classroom kitchen varies according to the students' abilities. Some require "hand-over-hand assistance," with teachers literally placing their hands over their students' while adding ingredients or cooking. A student in a wheelchair may require help scooping flour. Some use "picture recipes" because they're unable to read.

Life Skills students are also exposed to Vocational Exploration, such as catering and basic art. Field trips that correlate with educational projects are also in the curriculum.

Sometimes, says Drowne, progress must be counted in years: "Many times we see slow moving progress that gradually gains momentum over time. I had one student and we worked on telling time on a traditional analog clock. We probably worked on that for about five years, and I didn't see much progress at school. Then one day, his mother told me he'd told her the correct time while at home. It was awesome to hear.

"From that day on, it clicked and he got it!" she said, which helps explain why "I truly love working with the students within Life Skills."

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2011/10/05/20111005mountain-pointe-high-school-life-skills-program.html##ixzz1bpoJZKKE