ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. -- Jane Dorsey is in front of a computer, with an opened book, and an eager attititude to learn. She also has a learning disability. "I've never known how to study."
Dorsey could be like any student, but because of that disability, she is especially at risk, now that she's in college.
""In high school, they're getting tons of support, and then when they move on to college, they have to advocate for everything," explained Josh Tierney, who is director of the Groves Academy Post-Secondary Transition Program, GPS.
Tierney had been an instructor at Groves Academy, a small, private school with expertise in teaching students in grades 1-12 who have learning disabilities.
Tierney also has a learning disability-- one that temporarily sidetracked his college education. "I didn't want kids to have similar pains and similar struggles to what I had."
Dorsey tried college on her own right after she graduated from Groves. "I took three courses, and that went pretty well," said Dorsey. But then she signed up for an English class that seemed overwhelming. Dorsey stopped attending and wound up on academic probation.
She then turned to Groves and GPS.
Tierney and fellow instructor Tracy Guaman don't teach content to the GPS students, they look at organizational skills. They offer tips on how to read a text book, take and organize notes. They question students about their workloads and give advice on how to tackle big projects.
"I can really concentrate on what their disability is, and how it affects them and work with them," said Tierney.
"It's really nice to have that feeling, that internal feeling that, 'O.K., I can this,'" said Dorsey, who is on track to graduation as she completes the GPS program this year.
(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All rights reserved.)