Summer school is generally not something students clamor for, but there are some that enjoy the atmosphere and benefit from year-round learning.
At Forest Park Elementary School in South Colonie, Thomasa Nielsen instructs an art class where special education students are learning about different types of art while improving a number of skills and boosting their confidence.
In the class, students in kindergarten though 12th grade worked on different projects, such as mixed media flowers to bumblebee drawings. The projects are designed to help improve fine motor skills.
“What we’re doing here, basically, is we do a lot of stuff that involves fine motor skill development. Every child has different skill sets,” said Nielsen.
On a recent morning, students in the high school class were working on a sewing project.
Nielsen said sewing helps students to hone their creative thinking and motor skills, but it also helps them gain confidence in seeing their project completed — proof that they are learning.
The finished product was a pillow.
“You’ll notice they are working on the stitching and creativity at the same time, but it’s really a lot fine motor stuff. We change what we do. We do a lot of sewing in the summer and the regular year because it helps on a lot of levels. The bottom line is, as soon as you learn a skill, you feel empowered. That’s what it’s like for all the kids,” said Nielsen.
That confidence and proven success is crucial when students participate in job placement programs, where they can work at places like grocery stores or fast-food restaurants.
“They get to choose where they go so they learn different skills. We’re really lucky because a lot of times, the kids will end up in jobs related to those fields,” said Nielsen.
Nielsen asked the students where they had worked, and they named places like ShopRite, Marshalls and the Marriott. The teachers help the students find the work they want.
The idea is to inspire the kids to overcome their own obstacles by helping them to realize what they are capable of.
“The thing is for all kids, and this is a big deal, you want kids to feel good about themselves. I work with every level of kid at the high school. When they see that they can do something, they feel good. I have this philosophy that whenever you learn something, it inspires you to learn more because you know you can,” said Nielsen.
Another tool that Nielsen is able to use in the summer school class are student interns. Nielsen said that the some of the students respond better to kids their age, and it also helps to form friendships.
Many of the students that intern have ambitions of becoming teachers or working in the service field. The interns are paired with one or two students to help them be as independent as possible. The students sometimes end up helping the interns.
“Some of the kids that we have intern struggle in school, but when they suddenly get the chance to help someone, it suddenly helps them to focus on the rest of their day. It’s not uncommon for us to get interns that get in trouble somewhere, but when they’re helping, it changes them,” said Nielsen.
One intern got involved in the program because her brother has special needs and she wanted to help him. Kiley Donvito, 16, wants to go to college for child development and said she finds the program very rewarding.
“It makes me feel good to know that they are working and having fun and to see them grow as students,” said Donvito.