Pictured: TLC student Ethan Stockert, center, plays UNO with NSU education students.
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Every other Thursday, students in the Aberdeen Public School District Transition Learning Community work on life skills alongside Northern State University education students.
It’s a unique partnership that benefits both groups of students.
“It's a great benefit for our students because they can actually work with students,” said Dr. Cheryl Wold of Northern’s Millicent Atkins School of Education. “They can apply what they’re learning.”
For TLC students, it provides an opportunity to work with someone in their own age group, said TLC Teacher Jessica Papke.
“Our students enjoy it,” Papke said. “They always look forward to it.”
The Transition Learning Community (TLC) program, located in the District Service Center, is an option available for special education students aged 18-21 who want to work toward achieving their post-school outcomes. Students on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) who have completed all classes required to graduate may apply to be part of the TLC program.
“It's very appropriate for people who are focused on employment,” said TLC Teacher Linda White. “We do focus on independent living.”
White and Papke also assist TLC students with finding employment in the community. One way is through Project Skills, a state program that provides work experience for students with disabilities. Current local Project Skills employers include Kessler’s, Natural Abundance, My Place Hotels and Snap Fitness.
Other TLC students may be interested in pursuing college or tech school. For those students, the teachers help them gain that exposure through dual-credit courses online or on campus.
“That's why we say it's an individualized program,” Papke said, “because they’re not all doing the same thing.”
As part of the TLC program, students have been meeting every other week with NSU education majors who are taking Wold’s semester-long transition course. During their time together, the students work together on skills including laundry, cooking and writing checks, among others.
“We really focus on their strengths, needs, interests and preferences,” Wold said.
White said another benefit of the program is that sometimes she and Papke get to sit down with the NSU students and answer their questions. It’s important for the students to understand transition learning because it's different from other areas of special education.
“All kinds of students learn so much better with life experiences than with a book experience,” White said, “and when you have the life experiences with the book experience, it just connects so much better.”
Wold said each year when she begins the course at Northern, most students say they’re interested in working at the elementary school level. But after her course, she’ll often hear from former students who have changed their perspective.
“Students will say, ‘Remember when I was in your transition class and I said I was going to teach elementary?’” Wold said. “‘Well, I’m a high school special ed teacher right now and I’m loving it, and I’m thankful that I had that experience.’”
About the Aberdeen Public School District
The Aberdeen Public School District provides a comprehensive educational program to approximately 4,200 students in grades K-12, with a mission of empowering all students to succeed in a changing world. Our students receive the knowledge and skills necessary to reach their potential in a global community through high expectations of academic achievement; diverse educational opportunities; and community involvement in a safe, supportive environment. Learn more at aberdeen.k12.sd.us.