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New Perspectives - Apr,
1999 Issue #57
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Cloister Creek
Conyers, Georgia
Delia Fleming, Director
770-483-0748
Cloister Creek
is a “non-profit program designed and dedicated to meeting the needs of students from the age of 14 to 28 whose learning difficulties
have affected their ability to function independently.” They “provide a nurturing, supportive home atmosphere while offering a continuance
of instruction in the academics, social and independent living skills.” The goal is to help the student toward total independence.
Situated on 20 acres, the students can “enjoy sports, gardening, swimming,
etc., while being only minutes from banking, shopping and other activities.” To enhance a home like atmosphere, “each bedroom houses
only two students, meals are served in a large country kitchen and the living areas are set up very much like they would be at home.”
Students are encouraged to “become involved in community activities, church
groups and volunteer organizations.” The program’s goal is to offer “Experiential learning in a structured setting….” An I.T.P. (Individualized
Transitional Program) is designed for each student. Morning classes “include nutrition, vocation, finance, social/personal, reading/writing
and current events.” Students work at their own pace with one-on-one instruction provided by the classroom teachers.
The program’s philosophy is “…that young people with learning difficulties
are capable of working and living outside their home if given special and continued instruction…. Breaking down tasks into steps,
demonstration, teaching cause/effect relationships and developing sound problem solving techniques is the philosophy behind the teaching
methods used by our staff. Keeping in mind that even small tasks can set the learning disabled up for failure, the program’s goals
are to teach all aspects of daily living in a success oriented manner.”
Copyright © 1999, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced
without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)
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