Life Skills Worker
Being a 1 on 1 life skills worker with a teen with ASD provided me so many insights into teaching and learning. Most of my job was teaching a personal “curriculum” with learning objectives with documentation. Now, through personalized interactions I witnessed the impact of experiential learning and the importance of applying these skills to the real world. This job highlighted the importance of building trusting, professional relationships and creating a supportive environment which are essential to teaching. Also, facilitating skill development and independence in daily activities emphasized the value of scaffolding lessons and slowly releasing responsibility to the individual. Sometimes lessons would not work and I would have to navigate this challenge and adapt it to suit the needs of the individual. This experience was enriching and allowed me to develop my ability to not only work with children with disabilities but also provide meaningful, differentiated learning experiences by focusing on hands-on learning. This job served as a reminder of the power of individualized support and the ever growing need to understand that no child with a disability is the same as another and requires personalized support.
Support Worker
Being a 1-on-1 support worker for an elderly, nonverbal client offered me rich experience with teaching and learning. I truly learned the importance of empathy, patience and understanding in fostering good communication and meaningful interactions, with an individual who is unable to communicate with me verbally. Just as in teaching, this job required the ability to adapt to individual needs and preferences, coming up with strategies to create understanding and engagement with each other. I recognize the significance of nonverbal communication and alternate forms of expression in both teaching and supporting individuals with disabilities. As I reflect I also took note of how I had to scaffold activities and provide tailored assistance which is what differentiated instruction is at its core. When I think about this experience I draw upon the principles of inclusive education and recognize the dignity, and worth of every individual whether in the classroom or outside of it. I will strive to create supportive environments that promote growth and learning.
Shelter Worker
Working in a homeless shelter provided me with many examples of how an environment can support teaching and learning. The importance of empathy, resilience and adaptability in supporting individuals facing tough situations, sometimes out of their control. This role demanded the ability to create a safe, nurturing environment that helped people have an opportunity to feel safe, heard and understood. This relates to the classroom because it involves understanding diverse backgrounds and needs, it involves effective communication and problem-solving skills. This experience helped me recognize the impact of social and emotional support individuals need and these are some of the first steps to creating a supportive classroom conducive of learning. It reaffirms my commitment to having an inclusive, empathetic classroom while recognizing how interconnected teaching and supporting individuals really is.