| Meg Klawiter, Teacher
A letter from Meg:
Hello, my name is Margaret Klawiter.
The kiddos at Sojourn call me Miss Meg, or Meg, or sometimes just "Hey!" I have been leading the classroom at 'Sojourn Learning Center' since January of 2009 and feel pretty darn pleased to have the job.
I come from a great big stash of educators; Mom, Dad, sister, three aunts, two uncles, great uncle, great aunts, cousins, second cousins, etc. Well, you get the idea, and that is actually just on the paternal side of my family. Growing up, I dreamed of being everything except a teacher. Careful what you wish for.
At the University of Minnesota I took classes that interested me, without thinking too much about a career after the fact. During my junior year in college I studied abroad in India and found myself walking into a degree in South Asian Studies. Returning from India I taught classes on Cultural Awareness as a volunteer for one year in the St. Paul, MN School District. St. Paul, at the time, had the largest population of Hmong (South East Asian) families in the nation. Oh, all those childhood dedications to not being a teacher began to crumble more quickly than I could say "Namaste". To teach about South Asian culture brought these kiddos running to me and I found a great deal of joy in letting them, and their classmates, know that this new culture was "not wrong…only different." Indeed, these immigrants gained a great deal of acceptance in response to these classes and I found a great deal of satisfaction myself.
Graduating with my BA in 1991, I fulfilled the ultimate liberal arts stereotype by travelling abroad for as long as my meager funds would allow. When I landed back in the states I fell into a job as a special education assistant in Livingston, Montana. Oooh, this was education the way I could see it happening. Kismet is the name, really. So, my next step was onto a long and circuitous route through an MA and certification in Special Education. This area of learning and working was, as far as I was concerned, just one more lesson in cultural awareness and education styles.
Next, I was teaching students with autism and a variety of other learning styles within the halls of public education. I have taught in 4 different schools in a 12 year period as my husband's journalism ambitions moved us around. This is stop 5 for me now, and my husband and I couldn't be happier. Just try to make us move! Boise is the place for us.
THE CLASSROOM
I enjoy the freedom of leadership that Sojourn Learning Center provides outside of the public school system as well as all the possibilities for students. We have, here, a tight family of learners who support each other. Individual rights and overall respect are major points in our classroom. The stresses of working in such a close-knit space can create friction and problems. But, the ability of students and staff to deal with the overload is a primary focus for us all. This is a major life skill that will follow through to any social or professional position in the future. Focus on each individual's strengths and potential will assist in this endeavor.
Our class day is broken into morning and afternoon. Mornings are more academically focused with work in reading, writing, math, science, geography, and much more. Each student has a program that addresses their individual needs. During this time there is independent work supplemented with assistance in new lessons and ideas through one-on-one teaching when necessary. We also have small and large group work on more common themes and lessons. This gives every student the opportunity to learn through their greatest strength (independent, one-on-one, or group) and, at the same time, work on their other learning styles as well, with a bit less stress for performance. This way, each child has the chance to succeed and shine with their own natural abilities every day. In the end, our hope is that each child is able to learn about their own processing and use this to their advantage in the future.
Afternoons are focused on health, fitness, socialization, cooperation, community awareness and more. This time of the day will find our classroom split into common groups to head out from the classroom, and our morning routines, to explore our world and ourselves. The kiddos might head out to a volunteer job, the fitness center, to the library for research, field trips to learn about the Boise area, or to meet other youth with similar learning and socializing styles. No dust settles on this posse. Again, we try to make sure that student interests are honored and encouraged in these afternoon outings. We also love it when a parent, grandparent or other family friend can come along to participate in and gain a better understanding of our group and the work we do.
Major themes in the past have been: Me, My Self and I; What I REALLY Want to Know; Rocks and Fossils; and The Healthiest, Happiest Me. Look to our present years curriculum map to find the newest and most interesting topics. Students are able to explore, with staff support, topics in these areas and create their own projects to prove their learning. The winter of "09-"10 will offer up a showcase of artistic activities by our students that explore their world. Please watch for that date to be announced.
Collaboration with families to find and follow an individual student's goals and desires is of utmost importance. The work we do is always aimed at the progress of the whole child, working towards the future life that will make them happy, as self-sufficient as possible and vitally productive citizens. We all work for rewards in our lives. Paychecks are what keep the world spinning. So, our students work for classroom accounts just as they will in their work-a-day world. We make sure that there are objects, both physical and emotional, that satisfy and drive them to succeed. Ask any of them about the 'Sojourn Independent Credit Union' and you will find a child specific story about the advantages they receive as well as those of which they dream.
Come on in, meet the class and staff, witness how easy and enjoyable a learning environment can be. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to our "Home".
Miss Meg and "The Crew"
Email | Qualifications
 Masters Degree in Special Education
10 years of teaching experience
Intensive Behavioral Intervention Specialist |
