Dunia Ruff, a member of St. Mark Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, helps seminarians in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis with learning challenges, such as dyslexia and attention deficit disorder.
Helping Seminarians with Learning Challenges
Dunia Ruff, an instructor for seminarians in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, uses tools like the cognitive flexibility puzzle to aid students with learning disabilities, including dyslexia and attention deficit disorder.
Ruff has spent considerable time perfecting this method, which builds on ideas pioneered by Reuven Feuerstein in the middle of the 20th century.
According to The Catholic Spirit, the Feuerstein institute in Israel, which continues his work, claims that the method positions the teacher as a facilitator between the learner and the task rather than merely imparting knowledge.
The 68-year-old Ruff is a member of St. Mark in St. Paul and worked in the public school system for 23 years as a teacher and teacher-coach.
Now that she is retired, Ruff spends a significant amount of her time assisting seminarians at St. John Vianney College Seminary and The St. Paul Seminary, both of which are located in St. Paul. However, Ruff's work may also be seen outside of the seminaries.
Ruff has given Risen Christ School numerous opportunities to take advantage of her abilities and skills.
At the beginning of the school year 2021, she instructed the school's tutors on how to interact with students via Zoom. Now, to encourage greater involvement from parents in their children's educational experiences, Ruff is presenting a four-part series to Spanish-speaking parents of students attending the school.
In addition, Ruff stresses the need to celebrate one's Hispanic heritage to show the value it has in one's family.
The first session in Ruff's four-part series, "Raising the children that God has entrusted us," had parents share memories from their childhoods, as stated in the report.
Helping Seminarian Manage His ADHD
With the help of Ruff's assistance, Cullen Gallagher, 26, said that it aided him in controlling his symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Since Gallagher was diagnosed with ADHD in the seventh grade, he has found it challenging to keep up with the demanding academic and liturgical pace required of seminary students.
Because of Ruff's research, he can now take on challenges in a way that complements rather than conflicts with his ADHD.
On average, Gallagher and Ruff spend an hour together every week. Ruff prays with Gallagher and then gives him cognitive flexibility.
They talk about the methods he employed to complete the work, which he characterizes as extremely challenging, and how he can apply similar methods elsewhere, such as in his spiritual practice or academic pursuits.
According to Gallagher, the lessons he's learned from Ruff will equip him to carry out many priestly responsibilities, including planning parish festivals, writing homilies, and maintaining an orderly parish office.
About St. Mark Church
People of all ages and marital statuses make lasting connections, offer mutual support, and encourage one another in their pursuit of holiness at St. Mark Church, as they are all joined in Christ. They have a deep and abiding faith in the Catholic Church and its storied history, which informs every aspect of their life.
