The Road to Success

The hope of all the faculty and staff of Shepherds College is that each student who goes through our program reaches his or her fullest potential as a purposefully created human being.

How do we help the students get to that point?

It may mean challenging a student academically, or pushing him in Special Olympics, or placing him in social situations that could take him out of his comfort zone.

It could mean repeated reminders about chores, reassuring Bible verses written out on notebook covers, unwanted (by students and advisors!) disciplinary actions, or awards during Time to Shine.

It may mean that a day at Shepherds College starts with tears of frustration and ends with high fives and fist bumps. 

It means seeing and believing in each student’s God-given abilities and encouraging every smidgen of talent, skill and strength out of her through instruction, repetition, reinforcement, sensitivity, and love until the student can see and believe in her abilities on her own.

It means a lot of hard work, diligence, courage and faith.

It also means watching each student don a gray cap and gown on graduation day and walk out the doors of the school to a life of hope and possibility – a meaningful job? A closer relationship to God? An apartment shared with a friend? Volunteer work? Marriage? New skills? A greater sense of responsibility?

Whatever it looks like - this “fullest potential” - it’s the triumphant result of a partnership between the student, his parents, Shepherds College and God.

It is success.

The current students of Shepherds College know what it takes to get to this point – they are walking that path right now - and they want to share what they’ve learned with the incoming Class of 2017:

“Do your homework! Doing your homework helps you grow and learn. If you don’t do your homework, teachers will be very unhappy and your grades will go down. If you are having complications with your homework, do not hesitate to ask them. They are here to help you in any way they can.”  ~ Sarah

“Focus on God and school work. Read God’s Word and put it into action. These will be the best three years of your life at Shepherds College, but you have to make them your best.” ~ Anthony

“Know the teachers and res life staff are there for you when you need them.” ~ Crystal

“Have a great time at Shepherds College and also make great friendships. You will have homework, but nothing that will overwhelm you. Take your final exams. You will get your own locker to keep your books and other stuff in there as well.” ~ Kathryn

“Do not be nervous and always be honest. Have fun within reason. Enjoy your time at Shepherds College. It’s only three years. Make an impact on people in your college community. Be a light to people around you for Jesus calls us who are Christians to be ambassadors of Christ. Even in the tough times, it’s important to be on your guard. Guard your heart and your words that you speak to others because words that speak edifying things bring up your peers. I would like to wish all the first-years luck for the next year. May God bless you in everything that you do and say.” ~ Wade

“Learn your strengths. Shepherds College is a very good school.” ~ Ryan

“Do not use technology after 9pm. If you use technology after 9pm, you will be tired.” ~ Andrew

“Follow the rules without complaint.” ~ Jonathan

“If you feel frustrated with the other students, find staff and never fight. Also, if you want to join any of the clubs, don’t be shy. Join the club.” ~ Joey

“Do good in school. Don’t be lazy. Work hard, study, start strong, finish strong. Remember to please God in all you do. Stay encouraged.” ~ Willetta

“I would tell you that to be successful you better be ready to work hard.” ~ Nathan

“Keep learning in class. Ask questions to the people around you.” ~ Nick

“I would say do your homework and work hard in everything you do.” ~ Ellie

“Respect the staff and students.” ~ Matt

“Responsibility. When you come to Shepherds College, you want to learn to be on your own and independent.” ~ Isaac

“Make new friends. Have fun. Learn new things.” ~ Geovanni

“There are sports that you can be on. Work hard and do your best. Have fun!” ~ Julian

“Being successful at Shepherds College is to be a great student. Be here. Make it your best time.” ~ Christi

“Make a ton of great friends and teachers. Do a ton of activities and you will have a ton of fun at college.” ~ Grant

“Try not to get involved with the students of the opposite gender. They are just trouble and draining. And don’t gossip. Also, if you have a problem with another student, the staff won’t fix it for you. Instead, they will help you solve it yourself because they are training you for life.” ~ Suzanne

“Just be yourself, trust in the Lord and He will guide you to greatness.” ~ Tommy

“Do some hard work to earn your stay.” ~ Kirsten

“Be diligent in homework, chores, etc. Be respectful of staff and others. Learn and have fun.” ~ Krista

“Listen to staff and teachers. The rules are important to protect you from bad mistakes.” ~ Philip

“Do not make the same mistakes that I did in the past. Listen to me because I will be a good leader and give good advice and be a good example for the new students.” ~ David

“Just be yourself, study hard, relax, don’t get stressed and just have fun.” ~ Cherokee

“Focus on the growth of yourself, and enjoy your time as a first-year because it will go by fast.” ~ Ashley

“Follow the school policies, don’t be disrespectful, and have fun.” ~ Torrey

“Train hard for a job.” ~ Miranda

“Plan to be faithful to do your school work.” ~ Bethany

“Read the blog. There is a lot of good stuff on there to help you learn about the college. You can comment on it. Keep looking to the future. You have a whole new world ahead of you. Have fun!” ~ Dallas

“Make the right choices and you will not get into trouble or get demerits.” ~ Donovan

“Don’t be scared. There is nothing to be afraid of. When I was a first-year, I didn’t know anyone, but I made friends quickly. When you are a third-year, you will have a ton of friends.” ~ Daniela

“You should follow the rules. If you follow the rules you will be able to do more things like being able to do a lot of the activities.” ~ Nikki

 “Follow the rules. Be respectful of staff and other students. Meet different people in other dorm rooms.” ~ Christian

“Have a fun time. Learn to be friendly and open-minded to the new ideas you learn at Shepherds College.” ~ Sean

“Learn your Bible verses, memorize them and do a good job with your cleaning chores.” ~ Joshua

“As long as you keep up with your chores, get homework done, follow the rules and listen to staff, you will do just fine.” ~ Katy

“Do everything to the best of your ability. The staff at Shepherds College will help you grow more independent after college.” ~ Olya

“Stay focused and stay faithful to yourself. Stay strong and never give up in any circumstance. Honor God, and He will give you an amazing journey of a life.” ~ Micah

So there you have it – great advice for a successful three years at Shepherds College and a future filled with the fullest potential.

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

Wise Words from Mom

Where would we be without our moms’ great advice?

We’d be in car accidents wearing ratty underwear.

Our faces would be frozen in permanent scowls.

We’d spend full price for our groceries.

All our doors would be open.

We would dive off a cliff every time someone yells, “JUMP!!”

And, sadly, our eyes would be put out.

I’m very pleased that I listened to my mom’s advice because, I’m relieved to say, I currently find myself in none of the situations listed above.

Even though I didn’t want to admit it at the time the advice was given, my mom’s words were wise. They proved very helpful to me as I grew into adulthood and started a family of my own:

“Always set the table before you start making dinner. Your family will be more patient believing that their meal is almost ready.”

“Read a lot so you always have something to talk about besides work.”

And, most beneficial when the babies kept coming, the boys grew into teenagers, friends popped in, the football team was over for dinner... “If you add more liquid to the soup, you can feed more people.”  

This Mother’s Day, our teachers, students and alumni wanted to share their mom’s best advice on becoming an independent adult:

“Probably one of the most practical pieces of advice my mom ever gave to me was that I needed to be assertive when I needed something. I hate confrontation and disappointing people and, growing up, I would rather not say anything than have a conflict with someone. My mom would always come back with how I needed to learn to be assertive when I needed or wanted something! This skill has helped me in so many ways, and it has helped me to accomplish the things I want to accomplish. If I didn’t ever speak up for myself, I’d never get anywhere in life! A huge part of being independent is learning how to self-advocate.  My mom also modeled what it meant to be a Godly woman, and that is probably the richest blessing she could pass on.”  ~ Mrs. Cyr

“My mom is having a birthday on May 25^th. She helped me be independent. She told me to do my chores and get ready all the time.”  ~ Sean, 3^rd year student

“My mom taught me how to cook, do my laundry, and clean. From a young age, each member of the family had responsibilities which taught us the value of hard work and the importance of team work. My mom prepared me for living independently.”  ~ Miss Houk

“My mom had me take every accounting class available in high school. She said it was because too many people don’t even know how to balance a checkbook, much less wisely budget their money. That turned out to be a great help!”  ~ Miss Van Oyen

“I don’t remember any advice, but my mom’s constant love and support gave me confidence and helped me see my value.”  ~ Mrs. Konopasek

“I should help others and not be too bossy.”  ~ Kathryn, 1^st year student

“My mom encouraged me to:

1.       Save up for quality, classic pieces (clothing, accessories or furniture). Don’t waste money on fads; for those type of things spend much less because they will only last about a year and then go out of style.

2.       By example, I learned from my mom to take care of what I own. Naturally, after saving up for quality pieces, it would only make sense to then take good care of it.

3.       Why bother complaining about your chore? You’re just going to have to do it anyway, and complaining wastes all the time you could be doing it. For the time wasted complaining, you could have had it done.”  ~ Mrs. Harvey

“You can do anything for one year. This advice helped get me through college out of state and across the country.”  ~ Mrs. Luchterhand

"She taught me to work diligently at any job. She was always there to fix my banking crises, plant problems, and to drop off my lunch when I forgot it at home. She is also my biggest supporter in maintaining a healthy lifestyle." ~ Mrs. Kolkman

“My mom said, ‘Follow your own star and don’t be afraid to be happy.’ Her words are dear to me.”  ~ Gloria, Shepherds College Alumna

“When my mom would say goodbye in the morning or drop us off at school, I often remember her reminding us of the following: Be a leader, not a follower. Mom certainly wasn’t encouraging us to be rebellious or to disregard our authorities. Instead, she was encouraging us to be independent thinkers and strong individuals. She didn’t want us simply doing what everyone else was doing just because everyone else was doing it. She wanted us to do, and to lead others to do, what was right and best. Not only did she encourage us to be strong and independent, both my mom and dad modeled that advice for us in the way they lived their lives and the decisions they made for our family. There are times in life when it is necessary and right to ‘swim upstream against the current’ rather than just ‘going with the flow.’  I’m immeasurably grateful for my mom’s encouragement to step out and lead rather than simply being a part of the crowd.”  ~ Mr. Gaschke

“The most meaningful thing my mother ever told me is to ‘run your own race.’ She does a fantastic job of reminding me that God has specific plans for my life that, most likely, do not resemble the plans of anyone around me, and I need to focus on the path God has for my life. She’s a great Proverbs 3:5-6 cheerleader!”  ~ Miss Pollard

Happy Mother’s Day!

Who can find a virtuous woman? She is far more precious than jewels...
Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle.
Her sons rise up and call her blessed.
He husband also praises her:
Many women are capable, but you surpass them all!
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
~Proverbs 31:10, 25-30

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

Teacher Tuesday: A Word to the Wise

Day 30 of the 31 for 21 Challenge

Shepherds College is unique.

There aren’t many post-secondary programs out there like us. 

We are designed exclusively for people with intellectual disabilities. 

We write our own curriculum.

We base our curriculum, our hiring practices, our policy, and our vision on Christian values. 

We have a philosophy of Appropriate Independence (Ai) – a level of self-sufficiency that is aligned with individual strengths and guided by Christian values. It is used as a measuring stick for all other aspects of our program – how does this material teach Ai? How does this activity support Ai? What does Ai look like for this particular student?

We have a residential campus which is an important element in fostering growth toward Appropriate Independence.

And we’re the first school of our kind to ever receive accreditation by NCA CASI and approval for Federal Student Aid.

So if this model of education hasn’t been done quite like this before, how do we know that what we’re doing is right?

When I first made a commitment to follow Christ, my father-in-law hugged me and gave me this important word of advice, “God wants to do big things with your life. Let Him.”

My pastor said to me, “Pray, watch where God is working, and join Him there.”

I’ve been trying to follow these wise words for the last twenty-four years. You can say that Shepherds College is also following this advice.

It was obvious - from the Board to the president to the hourly staff - that God had a new direction for Shepherds. He had big plans. We opened ourselves up to the idea of change, prayed, and watched as God revealed His will for the development of Shepherds College. Step by scary, exciting step we’ve joined Him in His work.  This plan is from God so we know that, by following Him, what we’re doing is right.

But what about all the day to day details of running this type of college? What about the finer aspects of teaching students with intellectual disabilities at the college level? There are not a lot of textbooks out there that cover these topics.

The same advice also applies in these situations - as Mrs. Kolkman says, “Pray daily!!!”

God is faithful to answer our prayers, not only in the grand plans, but also in the everyday struggles. He sends us knowledgeable people in the ministry, people who have been working with individuals with intellectual disabilities for decades. He puts us in the path of professionals with strong counsel in specific areas. He also draws staff to the college who are perfectly suited in skills and personality to work out all the unknowns in our new venture. 

We’ve received some great advice from all these people to help us along this unbeaten path.

The most helpful advice Mrs. Konopasek received was adapted from the words of Dr. Wood, the first president of Shepherds Ministries, “Never do for the students what they can learn to do for themselves.”  The type of assistance we offer should attempt to release the God-given potential within every student, not foster the impression that their disability makes them helpless.

“Set your expectations high. The students will rise to meet them. Demand the respect and responsibility from a student with intellectual disabilities that you would out of a ‘normal’ student.” Miss Luchterhand was blessed with parents who set high expectations and knows from first-hand experience that this advice works.

 

Mrs. Harvey works one-on-one with the students when needed. This advice helps her as she teaches hard to grasp concepts to a student, “Give directions in steps – short, clear steps with one action per step.”

Miss Spence was offered this advice that helps her develop deeper relationships with the students at Shepherds College, “See the students for who they are as individuals. Don’t just see them for their disabilities.”

As you can imagine, when our students come from different religions, cultures, and family backgrounds…  when they have varying IQ levels and reading abilities… when we’re dealing with over 90 different disabilities among the students, it’s important to be flexible in the classroom. Several teachers received, and took to heart, sound advice in this area.

 “’Be flexible and consistent.’ Seems like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? It’s important to always have the same routine but, depending on the day and the topic, you may need to change your approach.” Mrs. Kolkman

 

“There’s a possibility that nothing will ever work more than once.”  Miss Pollard

 “The best thing that I’ve heard is that everyone is different. People are always different. God didn’t use a cookie cutter to make us. It’s the same with students with intellectual disabilities – what works for one student may not work for another. So, be flexible and get to know each student and what works for them.”  Miss Van Oyen

Shepherds College may be blazing new trails through uncharted territory, but we’re doing it under the guidance of the wisest One of all. We’re definitely on the right path.

“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” Proverbs 19:20

 


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