Teacher Tuesday: You Know the Drill

I grew up as the daughter of a carpenter. My dad was a big guy with leathery skin from long hours in the sun, wide, callused hands, and muscles on top of muscles on top of massive muscles from shouldering planks and beams and plywood up and down ladders for most years of his life. He loved his work, and his perpetual smile left no doubt as to that fact.

I adored him and wanted to be around him whenever he was home. You can say that I was a daddy’s girl. I knew my way around a tool box better than I could figure out all those odd little gadgets in a sewing kit. He taught me that having home maintenance skills was important – you could save a lot of time and money handling repairs on your own. I learned that tools could be girly and fun as well as functional, and that I could fix my own clogged sink and still maintain my femininity.

These were skills I never learned in school, and knowing them has benefitted me more than all my Algebra, Chemistry and European History classes put together.

I recently asked the Shepherds College instructors what they were teaching the students. My heart went a little gooshy with memories of flatheads, levels and grease guns when Mr. Gaschke responded that he was teaching Home Maintenance and Repairs in Daily Living Skills. 

Here’s his outline for the lesson:

Introduction

            Stewardship: A biblical basis for taking good care of things God has given to us

The difference between “repairs” (fixing something that’s already broken) and “preventative maintenance” (taking good care of something so that it doesn’t break)

Basic Tools

A hands-on overview of basic tools needed for basic repairs and maintenance, like measuring tapes, hammers, screwdrivers, drills, etc…

Basic Repairs and Maintenance Projects

An overview of basic home repairs and projects our students may do in the future like hanging pictures, plunging a clogged drain, assembling a bookshelf or installing shelves, oiling a squeaky door hinge, etc…

Over the next couple of weeks in Daily Living Skills, the students will be visiting a hardware store to learn how to locate various tools and supplies.

Mr. Gaschke will have the students using tools he brought from home to do some actual hammering, sawing, and drilling in a classroom “workshop.”

The students will also have the opportunity to assess their own dorm rooms for safety and maintenance or repair issues like leaky faucets and burned out lights.

What a perfect class for students who are learning to be appropriately independent!

 

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Teacher Tuesday: The Right Stuff

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, our Residential Life staff are so much more than the RAs you might find at a typical college.  They become surrogate parents, friends, counselors, managers and teachers to our students.

It’s a big role with a lot of responsibility, and the leadership of Shepherds College is careful to fill this role with just the right person.

Kim Pechous is definitely the right person.

God brought her to Shepherds knowing that she needed to be at a place where she could grow in her faith, continue to learn and serve others all at the same time.

Shepherds College is definitely the right place.

Put the right person into the right place and you have the opportunity to witness excellence in action.

Kim worked in Special Education for three years before coming to Shepherds College. She views this experience as “the greatest blessing” thus far – constantly learning from each new situation and constantly growing in every aspect of her life.

Now Kim runs the female dorm and co-teaches Daily Living Skills with Daniel Gaschke. She oversees meal planning and grocery shopping for the first-year students. 

She incorporates the R.E.A.L. instruction the students receive during class time into the Daily Living training, such as cooking and cleaning lessons.

She manages the kitchen and oversees the rotating chore charts.

And she takes advantage of the countless opportunities to teach cooperation, collaboration, communication and many more life lessons while supervising the young women in the dorms.

Some people might feel overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for twelve people every afternoon and evening, but Kim’s personality is particularly well-suited for the task. Her co-workers describe her with sincere admiration:

“She has a gentle and quiet spirit, and a heart of compassion.”

“She is so patient with the students, but has a good balance of control as well. The students really respect her.”

“Kim does a wonderful job of giving students space, but also helping them so the students know she is available to assist them with their problems.”

“Kim’s humility, gentleness and kindness towards both staff and students is very evident. While learning her role, she would humbly ask for help or clarification when needed and willingly accept suggestions, while at the same time, stepping right in and working hard to fulfill her responsibilities. It is a joy and privilege to serve at Shepherds College with Kim!”

Her students added:

“Miss Pechous is a good listener.”

“She is sooooo sweet!”

“I love her.”

Although Kim is very successful at gaining the respect of everyone she works with, this is not her ultimate goal, “I’d like to see the students gain confidence in themselves and in God. I’d like them to see that they can do all things through Christ. (Phil 4:13)”

Put the right person in the right place with the right attitude and what do you get? 

Students on the right path to Appropriate Independence.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Teacher Tuesdays: Musical Methods

The students stood quietly as they waited for the music to begin. They watched Mr. Gaschke for their cue. Suddenly, music erupted from the speakers, and smiles appeared on the students’ faces. Their eyes shone with joy and excitement as they started to sing.

                                            

This scene took place at graduation practice just a few days before the commencement ceremony. It was the first time I was introduced to Mr. Gaschke and his gift of music.

Mr. Gaschke is a Residential Life Staff and Instructor at Shepherds College. Last year, he taught a Daily Living Skills class. He also leads a student Bible study on Thursday nights.

Students enjoy Mr. Gaschke’s classes because he incorporates a different method of learning. He uses music.

Mr. Gaschke and Rachel place flags on veterans' graves

Music is a fun and useful tool that promotes learning. Think about how you best memorize material. Do you use repetition? Do you create rhythm? Do you like to rhyme? All of those techniques for memorization are included in music.

Mr. Gaschke teaches his students songs that reinforce what they are learning. There’s a song for everything.

When they have a lesson about manners or social skills, Mr. Gaschke teaches them a song. When the students are learning new spiritual concepts during Bible study, they learn a song that emphasizes those concepts. When Mr. Gaschke passes out medications, he makes up a song (but that last one’s usually just to get some laughs out of the students).

“I loved how he used [music] to teach us the fruits of the Spirit,” first year student Katy said.

Mr. Gaschke has also found background music to be useful in the classroom setting. We all know school can be pretty stressful at times, but quiet, soothing background music can calm and relax the students. It reduces the tension of a stress-filled situation.

I smile as I remember the students singing at the graduation ceremony. They were having so much fun with the song they were singing, and the song’s lyrics were reminding the students to be like Jesus in all they do. It was so exciting to see them having fun while also learning about Jesus.

If you love music, you will really enjoy getting to know Mr. Gaschke. With music as his teaching tool, he makes learning fun, memorization easier, and situations less stressful. Who knew music could accomplish so much?

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.org.