Growing Together in a Common Goal: Staff Shine as Teachers in Strengthening Pathways

Growing Together in a Common Goal:  Staff Shine as Teachers
in Strengthening Pathways

Matt measures ingredients for a pumpkin pie

It’s been a year, but it’s finally launched: the staff in Lighthouse’s day program, Strengthening Pathways (SP), created their first teaching unit with lesson plans, hands-on exercises and even a creative theme.

Since last Spring, the Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) from Strengthening Pathways have received training in lesson-planning skills with four mentors from the IU13.  The IU13 teachers first came to Lighthouse to observe. By watching the staff in action, they were able to create a custom lesson plan that would fit both the participants’ and staff.

They also provided the team with a wealth of teaching resources and tools; lesson planning hacks like AI lesson creation, quizzes and games; and tips for organizing the day.  They divided the year into 12 monthly units, each with themes, such as the Olympics held in August and Civics in November.

As the year went on, the staff took more ownership of lesson planning ideas. At the beginning, many staff found the idea of lesson planning strange, commenting, “I’m not a teacher.” But Program Specialist Jen Swanson says, “Everyone is a teacher. Everything you do every day: you’re teaching.”

Today all the staff in SP oversee teaching at least one subject; many have two.  To prepare, they have one hour each week to work on a lesson plan.

Although staff may be responsible for their own subject, they’re not alone in lesson planning or teaching. Every Wednesday, the entire SP team discusses what went well, brainstorms new ideas and supports one another. The IU13 teachers also remain available to help review lesson plans and offer creative ideas.

As the year went on, many staff grew in confidence in their ability to teach.  Jen describes the growth she notices in the staff: “I’m really impressed by what I see. Watching them collaborate and the confidence.”   

Our awesome staff from Strengthening Pathways.

This December, the team reached an important milestone. They created all the classes and materials for the December unit—Holidays Around the World.”

The Holiday theme was woven into all 11 classes in Strengthening Pathways, including art, science, music, math and others.  In nutrition class, individuals learned recipes for celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas.  In math class, they learned about cooking measurements which tied back to what was learned in nutrition class. Outside of the SP room, a colorful bulletin board displayed Christmas, Kwanza and Hanukkah. The repetition helped to foster learning.

Jen Swanson comments on the changes in the program: “The biggest difference is the structure of the day…The consistency of repetition so that (the participants) are able to retain information.”

Program Specialist Kaitlyn Deemer describes how by having repetition, individuals are picking up on materials faster. In her Sign Language Class, the individuals are signing the alphabet in 10 minutes instead of 30 minutes.

To help reach diverse learning styles, staff come up with hands-on-activities. For instance, in one Bible class, individuals were blindfolded and had to rely on the staff to navigate through obstacles. This illustrated the principle of trusting in God. The DSPs also found a way to engage individuals who are non-verbal by creating a thumbs-up card for giving feedback.

Jen reflects on the result of the new curriculum: “Everyone connects, it’s a huge reward to see.”

Jen speaks about how this program will especially help individuals transitioning from the IU13 to Lighthouse: “The
transition from being a high-school student is daunting—especially for individuals with disabilities.  By following a curriculum similar to the high school IU13, the transition to adulthood will be so much easier.”

We’re excited about the new curricula like Holidays Around the World, and we look forward to the fresh themes coming in 2025.  The lesson plans that the staff created together are truly beautiful. Thank you all for being open to learning something new and for being teachers who inspire.

~Emily Bauman, Marketing Associate