The school year has started, and it’s off to an exuberant start. Friday afternoon, I was part of the Carleton Activity Fair in “ALC Lead Teacher” mode, encouraging Carleton students to consider volunteering in our Alternative Program. We have had numerous college students help us with tutoring, mentoring, teaching a mini-class, and I always welcome their involvement. It’s great for our students to get a taste of what it is like to go on to college and a great experience for college students, especially those interested in teaching, to get a sense of what it is like for students who struggle in traditional learning environments.
I’m having my own struggles with school, working hard to keep up with a rigorous campaign schedule now that I am back to work. Exciting things are happening at school — we have just started a new aspect of our program working with 9th and 10th graders, who are with us all day every weekday, unlike the other program which is an independent study focus. They are great students, but all of us at the ALC are finding it a challenge to cover all the bases necessary in working with a new set of students with different needs and at the same time keep our existing program working as well as it always has. I’m looking forward to acclimatization to these changes, as it is great to see these students grow and succeed in the many ways they do.