From 1999 to 2004 I taught High School history at an alternative school. We had students with behavior problems as well as kids with Autism spectrum disorders. I taught all the History classes; Geography, World History, US History and Government.
I also had the leadership kids. It was a delight to see kids that spent most of their school years getting in trouble turn into peer leaders. We did a lot of experiential learning. Activities included camping, Snowboarding, movies, prom, The Shakespeare Festival, college campus tours and an amazing musical show.
We also went on a few school trips, once to New York and Boston and the other to Florida.
While out and about they learned to use public transportation, use maps to find where they needed to go and managed their own money.
Service projects included hats and gloves for impoverished children, sandwiches for the homeless shelter, delivering food for the food bank and Sub-for-Santa. Serving others brought many of them out of their comfort zones and gave them a new perspective.
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| Singing with the girls |
We also went on a few school trips, once to New York and Boston and the other to Florida.
While out and about they learned to use public transportation, use maps to find where they needed to go and managed their own money.
Service projects included hats and gloves for impoverished children, sandwiches for the homeless shelter, delivering food for the food bank and Sub-for-Santa. Serving others brought many of them out of their comfort zones and gave them a new perspective.
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| Making sandwiches for the homeless. |
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| Years later and we're still getting together for dinner. |
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