Teachers Take a

“Walk in Their Shoes”

SEPTA Provides Workshop for Shelter Rock Staff

 

On Tue, Nov 3, Shelter Rock elementary school teachers took a Walk in Their Shoes, courtesy of Manhasset SEPTA. Taking a ‘walk in the shoes’ of people with learning disabilities allows one to feel what its like to live with a disability like dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, or visual impairments. By ‘walking in their shoes,’ teachers build awareness and sensitivity to the feelings that children with various learning disabilities experience in the classroom daily.

The Walk in Their Shoes workshop is a simulation of life with a learning disability, bringing awareness to the challenges and frustrations faced by some special needs students. Presented by International Dyslexia Association’s Long Island Branch President Lynn Burke, this workshop is renowned throughout Long Island with countless school districts and special education organizations participating over the years. The workshop was provided by Manhasset SEPTA during the school’s superintendent’s day training to build awareness and sensitivity about special needs students.

Consisting of six learning disability simulations, the workshop included audio processing difficulties, reading disabilities, fine motor problems during writing tasks, and visual-motor problems. Through lively, thought-provoking activities, attendees were able to better understand the challenges their students may be experiencing as children learn the classroom.

The “Walk in Their Shoes” workshop was attended by Shelter Rock elementary school teachers and staff from the fourth, fifth and sixth grades, as well as being attended by various administrative staff including Principal Geczik and Assistant Principal Williams.

“Thank you to Manhasset SEPTA for providing such a wonderful staff development opportunity,” Shelter Rock Elementary School Principal Robert Geczik stated. “The feedback from the teachers was very good and some were recommending it to their colleagues who could not attend,” he added.

“We are so grateful to Mr. Geczik for welcoming our support during the staff training, and to the school staff who attended for participating in this humbling experience,” Manhasset SEPTA Co-President Lori Mann said. “We are certain that all the school’s students will benefit from the awareness and sensitivity gained today during the workshop,” she noted.

The Walk in Their Shoes workshop is part of Manhasset SEPTA’s staff enrichment effort that provides teachers and school staff resources and training to best service the district’s special needs students.