Today I was in familiar territory when I volunteered at the SRVS Learning Center. SRVS stands for Shelby Residential and Vocational Services, but everyone refers to as “serves”. Since 1962, it has provided a range of services for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including employment and residential services for their clients. Due to my past experience teaching children with special needs when I worked as a substitute teacher, I am familiar with working with individuals with such needs and have found it very rewarding. Although such students can be very challenging, when they display progress it makes all the work totally worth the effort.

Upon my arrival at SRVS, I was met by Allison, the volunteer coordinator for SRVS. We started off with a tour of the Learning Center facilities, which were impressive. The Learning Center moved into its current building only about a year ago, and the new facilities include numerous classrooms, a kitchen, library/computer room, model apartment, music room, theater stage, and a kiln. (There currently isn’t anyone at the SRVS Learning Center who knows how to use a kiln, but if any readers know how, or knows someone who does, and are willing to help, please contact the SRVS Learning Center.) The library/computer room is equipped with a SmartBoard, a piece of technology I really appreciate. It’s like a whiteboard, but it can also be used like a giant computer monitor, presenting whatever is on the teacher’s computer to the whole class, and it is touch sensitive. I have enjoyed using them as a teacher, and I wish that they had been invented when I was a student. No more cleaning chalkboards and dusting erasers. SmartBoards are particularly useful at SRVS because they provide excellent interactive activities for the SRVS clients.

Another feature of the Learning Center that stood out to me was the classroom design. The Learning Center uses a Montessori style curriculum, which is student lead. The classrooms have open shelves with various objects on them. Students follow their own interest and choose what activities they want to do and work at their own pace. This particular style of learning is apparently quite effective with the clients at the SRVS Learning Center.

After the tour, Allison placed me with one of the Learning Center groups, which consisted of Pam, Rosalyn, Patrick, Danita, Lee, and Precious. We decided that I would help them with some kitchen activities. I was happy to participate because I love being in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking and eating. Today we made chocolate chip mini-muffins. We used one of those mixes that comes in a plastic bottle and all you do is add water, shake it up, pour it into a muffin pan and stick it in the oven. I helped everyone in the group have a turn shaking the bottle and pouring the mix. The muffins came out great and were ready just in time for the mid-morning snack.

Michael helps Patrick pour the muffin mix in the SRVS Learning Center kitchen.

Michael demonstrates how to make muffins in the SRVS Learning Center kitchen.

Michael helps Rosalyn make the muffin mix in the SRVS Learning Center Kitchen.

When we were done in the kitchen, I joined a different group in one of the classrooms and worked one on one with Earnest, who I discovered to be a mischievous fellow. He likes to tease the others in his group. I helped him work on a jigsaw puzzle and we were able to finish in time for lunch. I joined Earnest and his group on their lunch break, and that’s when I learned how mischievous he could be. He tried to trick me into doing things for him that he is perfectly capable of doing himself and is encouraged to do so by the staff of the Learning Center, like opening sandwich bags and getting a straw. I was told Earnest likes to try such ploys on new staff and volunteers. I am familiar with such tactics from my experience as a substitute teacher. So, along with some help from the regular staff, I was able to see through Earnest’s ruse, but I hold no grudge.

Michael helps Earnest with a puzzle at the SRVS Learning Center.

I find working with people like Earnest rewarding because although he may be clever and cheeky, Earnest lives up to his name. He communicates with almost total honesty and sincerity. Another reason I enjoyed working with the clients at the SRVS Learning Center is their smiles, which are very serene. Aside from Earnest and his colleagues, I have only ever seen such serene smiles on Buddhist monks. It makes me wonder what they know that I don’t.

Thank you for reading! I’m searching for a job as an historical consultant, researcher or educator. If you know of a great fit, please send it our way: jobleads@volunteerodyssey.com.

Cheers,
Michael

My profile pages:
LinkedIn
Academia.edu

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