Our Curriculum

The Institute of Abundant Living

Our Curriculum

Education includes meeting the needs of spirit, mind and soul
to produce a complete and healthy person!

Adult Education Program:
Saturday Classes: 2:00 - 4:00 pm at 1915 Novato Blvd., Novato
Thursday classes: 4:00 - 5:00 pm at 2000 Las Gallinas Ave., San Rafael

The Adult Education program is comprised of two (2) programs of study:

      Academic Studies - General Education

    Life Enrichment Studies

The Academic Study Program:
By using the standard of the California 8th Grade Proficiency Certification, we individualize educational plans and measure achievement through pre & post testing. *The academic studies include: Geography, Social Studies, U.S. Government, Science, Mathemetics, Finance, Literature, English Grammar, Vocabulary & Composition, Theology, Critical Thinking, and Communications.
The Life Enrichment Study Program:
The life enrichment program is more flexible, incorporating a variety of subjects; specialty teachers relish sharing their expertise.

*Life Enrichment studies include classes in employment studies, healthy living, relationships, music, art, dance, woodwork, and more.

The general curriculum incorporates:

Practical Life Enrichment Studies:
To better equip our students for succeess in community living, IAL regularly provides courses and extra-curricular opportunities for gaining skills which ensure more safe. healthy and fulfilling lifestyles. Self advocacy skills leading to competency, confidence, and greater inclusion within one's community are a natural result. Also included in this category are elective courses in the various arts.
Academic Studies:
Classroom multiple subject instruction using standard and innovative courses.
Spiritual Growth:
Courses are suffused with lessons on ethics, morality, and personal enrichments; we strive to instill self confidence and a sense of value and purpose endowed by our Creator.
Career Training:
Training for Special Education Teacher Aide professions and data entry are available
to those who show interest and proficiency.
Continuing Education Workshops:
Subjects include but are not limited to:
      Current Events                     Personal growth
      Spiritual/Basic Beliefs           Social Development
      Get Ready Marin                  U.S. Government
IAL Workbooks:
IAL has available a full-spectrum of workbooks geared to help students and teachers take the first steps into academic growth in a format which is both easy to follow and thorough.
The workbook titled: I Am Independent is a good entry level workbook which is commonly used by teachers and students to evaluate learning interests and learning levels. The IAL workbooks were co-authored by self advocates who lived in a group home setting most of their lives. Of the 7 women who helped author the series: 2 are married and have been successful for more than 20 years, 3 are living in a group home settings and working in the community, 1 passed away at a young age due to a heart problem, and 1 is living in a residential program.   The Workbook series is described in more detail on this page.

"I AM INDEPENDENT"

Authors:
Jim Lewis,
Lorrie Lewis,
Cindy Sinclair,
Barbara Moore,
Sheila Hollern,
Janice Blunt,
Tanya Herbert,
Kim Hammerman

This curriculum features independent living skills training for developmentally disabled, special education, or home schooled individuals.
This workbook series makes learning independent living skills easy.
The 8 volume curriculum set is designed for classroom or home school with the special education or developmentally disabled student in mind.
Also this workbook is a faith-based curriculum.

Workbooks were inspired (and co-authored) by students with specific learning goals in mind. These special people – often labeled developmentally disabled, mentally retarded, or special education students - have shown that they can and, given the proper tools, will learn. Because of the simplicity of language and direction the workbooks are also invaluable for teaching the inner city, culturally deprived student. The California Department of Education has found the “material(s) to be in compliance with social content requirements.”

Volume 1:
Resource and faith based curriculum guide for working with people who have developmental challenges. Learn to set higher (yet realistic) goals, decrease paper work, develop discussions, and improve vocabulary, measure and track progress, and use a complete range of neuro-linguistic learning opportunities.

Volume 2:
Skill subjects: Personal hygiene, laundry, sewing and mending, housekeeping, shopping and telling time. Reference by one of the co-authors, Cindy Sinclair: “The Independent Living Skill workbooks have helped me to learn how to help myself. Now I can also help others.”

Volume 3:
Skill subjects: Personal rights, privileges, responsibilities, First Aid, Fire safety and prevention, Prescription and over the counter medication, and sex education. Reference from California residential program, Cedars of Marin: “No human service provided to another is ever perfect...but we should be dedicated to providing the best service we can deliver...such is the subjects in this volume.”

Volume 4:
Skill subjects: Personal goals, Social graces, Conversation, hobbies, going out, eating out, gardening, travel skills, leisure time and telephone skills. Reference from another co-author, Barbara Oderott: “Tell everyone for me, that if they work hard, they can learn more than they think they can.”

Volume 5:
Skill subjects: Basic cooking skills, food groups, sample menus, weekly meal planning, shopping guide, and recipe section- recipes written for people with sequential planning difficulties. Reference from another co-author, Sheila Hollern: “Lorrie showed me an easier way to cook…and I like it.”

Volume 6:
Skills subjects: Money identification, terms, counting, budgeting, banking, comparative shopping, money orders, using a calculator, and shopping lists. Reference from a teachers aide, Betty Gingras: “Orderly and continues, scheduled means of learning that provide consistency is important. This volume teaches what could be a difficult subject in such a manner.”

Volume 7:
Skill subjects: Employment readiness, mature dating, apartment readiness, marriage, correspondence, and household repairs. Reference from a co-author, Barbara Moore: “If you are slow at learning, it’s ok, you can still have dreams, and they can come true.”

Volume 8:
Skill subjects: Sensory motor skill development, health records, basic geography, pets and pet care, citizenship information, and check writing. Reference from a past student Jean Swindell: “I am a person, I can make the world better if I am given a chance. These books and this teaching helped me find my abilities.”