Harper launches courses for adults with special needs
Harper College is launching a collection of courses aimed specifically at adults with intellectual disabilities. These courses — magic, culinary, physical fitness and art — come on the heels of a popular special needs cooking course the college offered a year ago.
The classes, intended as personal enrichment courses for adults with intellectual disabilities, are noncredit and will be taught in a small-group format, with lessons tailored to the students’ needs.
“We know there is a tremendous community need for this kind of instruction,” Continuing Education manager Scott Cashman said. “These classes are designed to help students learn new skills. Some are fun, and some are more serious.”
The concept was introduced last year when John Filler, Harper’s manager of dining and conference services and the father of an adult daughter with Down syndrome, suggested offering an introductory cooking class geared toward adults with intellectual disabilities. That class, which had students crafting salads and sandwiches and learning the basics of kitchen sanitation and organization, was the only one of its kind in the area — and became so popular the college had to add seats to accommodate the high demand.
“I was confident that classes like that could be a great way for my daughter and others to master important concepts while also meeting peers and forging friendships,” Filler said. “That’s exactly what happened, and it was wonderful to watch them learn.”
This fall’s offerings include beginning and seasonal cooking — enrollment is full for those classes already — as well as a two-dimensional art class (7:15-8:15 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 20-Nov. 17; $59 in tuition and fees), a beginning magic class (6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 8-Oct. 13; $79 in tuition and fees), a basic baking course (6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 18-Dec. 6; $129 in tuition and fees) and a class aimed at sports, exercise and nutrition (2-4 p.m. Saturdays, Sept. 24-Oct. 15; $69 in tuition and fees).
Registration is open now. To register or for more information, call the Continuing Education Department, (847) 925-6300.