Exceptional learners teacher Jared Loper enjoys making his student’s day, with fun activities, and lesson plans for his students. Loper isn’t an ordinary teacher, he likes to incorporate exciting and fun new things into his teaching. Loper has daily routines and lessons that any other teacher has, and it's much like running any other class for Loper and he enjoys it very much. For example, after a science lesson, they’ll have a lab to test out what they learned.
“We have our routines and our daily schedule and our academic lessons. We usually do a science lesson, followed by a science experiment to test out whatever we just learned about it,” Loper said.
Loper gets to see different reactions from the kids when they try out their experiments. The experiments allow the students to interact with one another and find new ways of learning.
“I love seeing the kiddos’ faces light up when they get to try to use their science in a hands-on manner. I liked when we were learning about sunlight and its effect on things, so we made glow-in-the-dark paint out of water, highlighters, and cornstarch. Everyone had a really good time both making it and painting with it,” Loper said.
Not only do the students like to enjoy themselves by learning, but they also like to do dance breaks, and show off their different dance moves to each other.
“But I also really like our dance breaks. They have energy to burn and move to show,” Loper said.
The teachers like to keep the students ready for the real world when they graduate. So they practice building vocational skills that will help them with future jobs.
“We also have time to build vocational skills, so our students have jobs that help them prepare to work and live as independently as possible when they graduate,” Loper said.
The class has its challenges with keeping focus and settling down after having so much fun and being silly, so keeping the students on track and focused is an important aspect for Loper.
“The hardest part is staying focused. We have so many fun and energetic students and I am someone who enjoys the silliness and energy they bring. So for me, the most difficult thing is to not lose focus and keep us all on task because some days I would rather we just play and have fun,” Loper said.
Having so much support from the teachers helps the students in different ways, and also motivates them to be more independent.
“I think all of the students in our program need the levels of support we offer them and I am happy to be able to help them achieve their varying levels of independence,” Loper said.
The school's environment has become more supportive and inclusive these past few years and has allowed different alternatives for exceptional learners that were not an option for them before.
“Historically our population of students has been widely neglected by society and it’s truly only been in the last few decades that schools and individuals have truly begun to step up for our kiddos. It wasn’t that long ago that our students would have not been allowed to attend school or have any sort of education because there were so many stereotypes against them. But as research has developed and caught up with what parents of special needs students had been saying for years, laws finally came into place to protect our students and offer them the chance to attend school and develop skills that will help them in life,” Loper said.
Loper’s relationship with the students is important to him, and knowing that he can make a difference in their days makes him feel good. As long as they have fun and love school that's all that matters.
“I like to think that my students and I have a great relationship and that I am making their days better. I don’t know that I will be someone they remember for the rest of their lives or anything like that, but I do believe that on a day-to-day basis, I am making school both fun and engaging. I think regardless, they will graduate with a love for school and learning, and participating in their communities,” Loper said.
Joining Best Buddies is a good way to get involved and build new friendships. Not only do you get to meet new people, but also get to learn about people who may be a little different than you.
“I think Best Buddies is an awesome chance to meet our kiddos and see who they are and what they are really like! Unfortunately, there are still a lot of stereotypes about our students, so any chance people have to come see just how sweet and silly, and fun they are makes my heart smile,” Loper said.