After 35 years as a special education teacher for the Souderton Area School District, Gwynedd Mercy University graduate Sue Saylor wasn’t ready to hang up her hat just yet.

Saylor, who mostly taught kindergarten through third grade during her career, stayed on for a year after the COVID-19 pandemic because she was reluctant to leave her students.

“When you’re in special education, you make deeper connections with students and their families because you have them for a few years instead of just one,” she said. ” You really do know your students.

Connecting with The Learning Program

The mother of one of Saylor’s students introduced her to The Learning Program, hosted by the Montgomery County Down Syndrome Interest Group. The Learning Program supports children with Down syndrome (from kindergarten to age 21) with monthly workshops held on Saturdays from September to June at Saint Rose of Lima School in North Wales. The program also offers parallel workshops for parents. The program was originally launched by the Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County and can now be found around the country.

After retiring from her full-time teaching role, Saylor stepped into the volunteer role of teacher and classroom coordinator at The Learning Program. She saw a need for a formal group of volunteers to help her and the other teachers.

She immediately thought, “I’m sure there’s a resource down at Gwynedd Mercy. Why can’t we have Education majors doing this? Leadership let me run with the idea.”

Saylor connected with Dr. Deb Schadler, GMercyU’s Chair of Undergraduate Education and Director of the Autism Institute, and now, GMercyU is in its third year of offering this unique fieldwork experience to Education majors.

“Working with Gwynedd and teaching again at Saint Rose Elementary, where I went to elementary school, was like coming full circle for me,” said Saylor.

An Opportunity for GMercyU Education Majors

Any GMercyU Education major — typically those in their first or sophomore year — can choose to spend their Teacher Apprentice Program (TAP) working at The Learning Program for one Saturday a month, for the whole academic year. There, they work one-on-one or with small groups of students, implementing teacher-directed lessons and keeping students engaged in learning.

“TAP is usually run weekly, every Wednesday,” said Dr. Cheryl Malfi, Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Field Coordinator at GMercyU. “Even though The Learning Program experience is monthly instead of weekly, it’s more intensive, more immediately hands-on than other TAP experiences, where they do more observing at first”

Noe’Lina Walker, a sophomore majoring in Early Education and Special Education, is returning to The Learning Program for a second year this fall.

“I absolutely loved it,” she said. “It was different than a typical classroom. You have to be more attentive and find different ways to help each child focus. For example, one boy wanted a hug and to lay on the carpet. You just had to create different instruction depending on the child.”

The teachers at The Learning Program support formal instruction in literacy, math, communication, and social skills. What appealed to Saylor after decades in public schools is that she could focus solely on teaching instead of data collection and IEPs.

“We are giving them extra practice and socialization — that’s a big thing,” she said. “It provides such a service to parents, too. It helps them find their community. Then they help each other.”

The program also supports fine and gross motor skills for younger students, which includes art and music and movement.

“Through direct interaction with students, TAP students not only see instructional and behavioral techniques in place; they have the opportunity to make connections, feel comfortable, and see firsthand that all children can learn,” said Saylor. “It’s invaluable to all Education majors because when you go into teaching, at some point you will have a child with Down syndrome in your classroom, and you’ll have had this experience in your toolbox to fall back on. At The Learning Program, you’ll see different teaching strategies and especially learn how to make modifications on the fly. That’s key.”

The Learning Program also piloted a one-week summer theater program last August, which Saylor described as a huge hit.

“The participants really enjoyed performing, and their families were proud and felt it was such a valuable experience,” she said.

Incoming first-year GMercyU student Charlotte Kephart worked the entire week of the theater program, beginning her TAP experience before she even started at GMercyU.

“I was genuinely moved by how wonderful the kids were and absolutely adored them,” said Kephart. “It was incredibly meaningful to support them as they explored theater, expressed themselves, and had so much fun. It is something I’ll always be grateful to have been part of.”

Learn more about The Learning Program in the video below: