Mrs. Hootons life skills class is a special education class made up of 15 students, 5 para-educators, and 3 or 4 peer helpers in each period. Each student does something different each period, whether it be going to P.E., art, or choir, or staying in the classroom to play board games, participate in crafts, or reading a book with a peer helper or para-educator.

This year the life skills class has decided to venture out every Friday afternoon to the Arlington United Church to join the Voices of the Village in a music class that last a couple of hours. The Voices of the Village is an organization put together specifically for people with disabilities to come and play music together. There is a group that travels and performs with Voices of the Village, but the event that the life skills class is participating in every Friday is for anyone who wants to come and get involved. “Its a little hectic, but everyone is happy,” Mrs. Hooton said. The sensory aspect of playing instruments helps students with their kinesthetic learning. In previous years, the life skills class has gone bowling, grocery shopping, and shopping at value village. “It’s hard for us to find places to congregate” said Hooton. A lot of the students are interested in different things so it’s difficult for the teachers in the class to find an activity for everyone. Since there are instruments, music, and singing, Voices of the Village appeals to almost all of the students in life skills.

This month, the class is gearing up for their annual Halloween party. Peer helpers, new and old, are encouraged to come and hang out, eat some halloween themed food, and party with the life skills class.
Thanks to the great students, teachers, and peer helpers, there is never a dull moment in Mrs. Hootons class.