Sparta — Students with moderate cognitive impairments at Sparta High School are learning just how capable they are of rising to real-world tasks and challenges.
An instructional method called community-based instruction, in use at Sparta, bridges the gap between classroom learning and practical application, taking students out into their communities to build skills and boost self-reliance.
“We venture out into the community because life skills are best learned where life happens,” said special education teacher Samantha Klemm. “Skills like navigating a public bathroom, crossing streets safely, handling money or responding appropriately in social situations can transform a student’s confidence and independence.”
On class trips to shopping malls, restaurants and more, CBI has helped Klemm’s students learn a wide variety of important skills.
“Whether it’s learning to navigate a grocery store, understanding proximity to others or discovering their interests and talents, each experience helps them grow toward living a full, meaningful life,” she said. “Plus, it’s a chance to build communication, problem-solving and even career awareness — all skills that contribute to their future success.”
Sparta is a regional hub for MoCI services, which the district offers to students from Kenowa Hills, Northview, Comstock Park, Kent City, Cedar Springs and Rockford. Klemm said CBI is an “absolute cornerstone” of the district’s offerings.
“It’s all about providing our students with the exposure they need,” she said.
‘It’s hard to put into words how much CBI benefits our students.’
— Samantha Klemm, Sparta High School special education teacher
Getting to Know Their Community
Klemm is a champion of the CBI approach, but her students are big fans as well.
Junior Myk’Quan Jones said he always looks forward to the community outings, which he considers a weekly highlight.
“We play, we do work stations, we do cooking sometimes. … We take a walk outside, we go to the store, we go swimming, we do ice-skating,” Myk’Quan said.
The class excursions aren’t just fun, they’re valuable, said the eleventh-grader.
“It helps me relax … and it makes me feel safe,” Myk’Quan said. “It helps me get to know my community.”
Norton McKay, also a junior, takes pride in what he’s learned while volunteering at Standard Lumber for the vocational portion of the curriculum, which prepares students for future jobs.
“I clean countertops, I clean fridges, and I just clean window sills around the windows,” Norton said. “I like the jobs. … I would say I’m a workhorse.”
He’s also proud of the fact that, when the class visits a restaurant, he orders, pays and thanks his servers.
In weekly trips to area grocery stores, sophomore Ebony Bateman has learned important lessons about shopping and budgeting.
“That’s a really, really helpful skill when you become a grown-up. You’ll need that skill,” Ebony said.
‘Tremendous’ impact
Klemm said the impact of CBI curriculum has been “tremendous.”
“It’s hard to put into words how much CBI benefits our students,” she said. “It builds confidence, fosters independence and opens up possibilities they might not have considered before.
“You see them mastering social skills, solving problems, or using money in a store, and you realize these are steps toward a fuller, more empowered life.”
She called seeing students learn and grow as a result of the instruction “one of the most rewarding parts of teaching.”
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