Hacienda Getaway...Our Life Skills Summative

We learned to cook, to clean, how to be polite and courteous, to socialize at meals and outings, and to empathize with others (the short list). So how do you assess all of that?

Jerome and I put together an incredible summative overnight getaway. First, we were lucky to have a beautiful hacienda offered up by a student's family, which made life a lot easier. We could plan everything and make it seemingly perfect, but we wanted the students to do a lot of planning and take responsibility for the event. So that's what we began with.

Weeks leading up to the event we had students meal plan, create grocery lists, vote on activities, and create invitations for staff and parents. We had lessons on setting tables, making beds, personal hygiene, and more to prepare them for time away from their families and empleadas (helpers at home).

Even with all the preparations, the event wasn't without disarray. One student throwing up in the restaurant, another struggling to shower or dress himself, and one student's horse being a little overly excited made for moments that contributed to "real life" moments.

By far the greatest reward was watching our students socailize and have fun in such a carefree way. The social expectations that they face everyday in school were loosened and their true selves shown through. They showed us how independent they can truly be and we (along with their trusting parents) showed them that we believed in their successful futures.