Guest Lecturers Lead a UC Lesson on Understanding

“Do you ever get homework?”

“Yes, she’s always giving us homework!”

A group of 100 University of Cincinnati students taking a course on teaching and special education got the inside scoop about a life skills-based learning program at Turpin High School, as 10 of the students took a field trip to UC to take questions from the UC students.

The young visitors, guided by special education teacher Cynthia Gajus, ranged in age from 14 to 18-years old. Their experience at Turpin High School includes spending part of their day in the community, learning specific life skills, such as cooking and shopping.

The UC course, led by Education Professor Annie Bauer, explores issues related to special education and requires a field experience – an example of the commitment of the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) to prepare committed, caring and competent educators.

As the Turpin students visited the UC classroom – with majors ranging from teacher education, to nursing, to fields in communication disorders – Bauer says the classroom gave the visitors a platform to discuss their challenges and their dreams.

“We want to stress that people with disabilities are people first, and this is an opportunity to say so to peers that are a similar age,” Bauer says. “It’s not that their wishes are any different – they, too want to be independent, it just takes a little more planning. I want our students to see that these people with special challenges are peers, and that they share the same hopes and dreams,” Bauer says.

The talk ranged from working and cooking to movies, favorite restaurants, entertainment and sports, including the excitement over the UC Bearcats and the bemoaning of the Bengals. Some of the visitors mentioned holding jobs such as bussing or setting tables.

“I wear hearing aids too,” said 20-year-old Lauren McGivern of Youngstown, Ohio, a third-year student in the communication sciences and disorders program, as she introduced herself to the Turpin visitors. UC students used a special microphone to talk with the Turpin students because some of the guests were hearing impaired. McGivern learned that the students prepared meals and that they have to wash dishes by hand because the dishwasher was broken.

McGivern says she has wanted to be an audiologist in pediatrics since she was three years old, the age that she first got hearing aids and became the patient of a young audiologist starting out in the field. “This is one of my favorite classes at UC, because our professor gives us these situational events and one-on-one scenarios that we’ll encounter in our field,” she says. “I really liked the class today.”

“I want to compliment all of you. I really like the red-and-black,” said Brian Berling, a 20-year-old secondary education major from Delhi. The Turpin visitors wore their UC colors to show their spirit on their field trip.

Berling adds that the course also mandated a 10-hour field experience that was related to the class, which is why he first started working with Special Olympics at Ross High School on Monday nights. Now that he has completed his requirement for the course, he continues to volunteer with Special Olympics because of the personal rewards from the program.

“Of all of the education courses I’ve taken so far, I think I’ve learned the most from this one.” Berling says. “Professor Bauer really emphasizes knowledge that goes beyond the textbook and a lecture. That real-world experience got me involved in the Special Olympics, and I really feel like I get a lot out of it.”

Turpin teacher Cynthia Gajus says the class was also a key opportunity for her students to build connections. “It’s an opportunity to connect as schools, as people, as soon-to-be special educators and as a chance for my students to present themselves as young, maturing adults. This builds up their self-confidence and gives them a sense of self-determination. These students give hope and motivation to me every day that I work with them, and I enjoyed sharing this with a group of aspiring teachers,” Gajus says.

As the visitors wrapped up their visit, Bauer presented them with special CECH gift bags that held a UC T-shirt, UC pens and a Frisbee.