Being a leader not only helps guide, train, and teach the students you are helping. But can also guide, train, and teach the leader many different solutions to work with everyone who learns a bit differently from the rest. This especially applies to the MoCi Program (Moderate cognitive impairments), and the Senior Leadership class that is able to be taken for the MoCi Program at Lake Shore High School.
The MoCi students are always eager to meet the new faces in the hall, and the upcoming students who are wanting to take the class, senior leadership. The students look forward to making new friends and getting to know the general ed students that are taking the class.
Todd Carney, The MoCi classes teacher says, “They absolutely love interacting with the general ed student population as evidenced by passing time outside the MoCi Classroom everyday.”
Seniors attending Lake Shore are able to sign up for Senior Leadership as an elective., and are expected to help the students in the MoCi Program with activities such as, socializing with the students in gym, helping them create projects in art, or helping them solve problems for whatever subject they’re being taught in the class.
The MoCi classes Senior Leadership students, not only contribute to the MoCi students’ social life and allow students to have role models in the school, it also teaches the Senior Leaders how to be a leader, be responsible, and patient with the students, which could help them in the future.
Gabrielle Rushing, a senior who’s taking Senior Leadership, said, “Senior Leadership helped with my socializing skills by teaching me other ways to communicate with a group of people, different conversation starters and how to communicate with them without confusing the other person. “
Annmarie Ware, another senior who is taking Senior Leadership, said, “Senior Leadership helped me see how people are different and how to deal with different personalities, grow as a person, and help students see a peer and have extra help.”
Senior Leadership teaches the seniors good leadership for future jobs, and working with people who learn in different ways. While the students in the MoCi program learn social skills, and how to act around people.
