PREP (Pride, Respect, Empowerment, Progress)

PREP (Pride, Respect, Empowerment, Progress) is a not-for-profit organization that provides innovative educational and therapy services to children with Down syndrome. PREP has the privilege of accompanying parents on the challenging, yet ultimately rewarding, journey of parenting a child with special needs. We believe in “inclusion for life” that starts in the home, continues in school and community, and ultimately leads to the workplace.

Participating pre-service teachers will contribute to PREP 3, an elementary program for students aged 6-12. PREP 3 supports students as they transition from early childhood programs to school, focusing on literacy and speech and language development. Pre-service teachers will also have the opportunity to experience other PREP programs based on their interests, including the Mavericks Every Child a Reader (MECAR) program, which provides individualized reading instruction, as well as PREP 4, a junior and senior high school program that focuses on speech-language therapy, transition planning, and self-advocacy.

• Throughout the semester, pre-service teachers will curate their volunteering experiences using a creative medium (e.g., photos, art, storyboarding, videos, etc.) that best reflects their experiences in the program. Your creative reflections will form part of a public showcase of Werklund student experiences later in the year.
• Pre-service teachers will participate in 2 group meetings: one at the mid-point and another at the end of their placement (1 hour each). These group meetings provide pre-service teachers with opportunities to reflect on the community placement experience and to guide improvements for the program.