Teaching @ MindSay 
school
It's only 4:30, and I am ready to collapse.
Here's some of the stuff that was on my plate today:
-- One of my ESPs (Educational Support Professional, aka a para or an aide at other schools), Kathleen, was taking a personal day today. That's totally fine. Yesterday, my ESP Stacey's daughter got sick at her school and Stace had to leave at like 1:30 to take care of her, so I thought she might be absent today. I gave this info to a fellow teacher, Susan, who runs another 'program' in the building. She told me one of her ESPs was going to be out.
Each day, a fax comes to the main office from the sub caller saying who is absent.
Imagine my nausea when Susan came to my room and said, "they're both out, and there are no subs". I almost had a heart attack. THANKFULLY, she meant Kathleen and her ESP, NOT Kathleen and Stacey.
-- However, Kathleen works with a kid who needs CONSTANT supervision (T), so there was no option of 'okay, he'll be on his own today'. 'Shit' I say to myself, 'I'm already understaffed when all of them are HERE, being down another one will kill me!''.
It did NOT kill me, btw. We did an experiment where Sandy left X alone all day, and she went around as Kathleen, and I'd be her at his lunch period so she could eat. OYYY. It also F'ed up Paula and Dot's lunches. I can't wait to have enough staff. It will never happen, though.
-- M had TWO bathroom accidents today. The day before we were going to throw a blow-out party for her for being dry for an entire month. I thought we should have it anyway, because we were at ALMOST a month (this was after the 1st, just-pee accident :-/), but Paula alerted me that earlier M threatened her with, "If you don't _____ I'll pee my pants".
-- Speaking of M, her foster-mom just stopped in here (it's 4:40) to see if I was in. We talked a week ago about how she never intended to adopt her and that their time together would be ending soon but M doesn't know HOW soon it really could be. Well, mom just told me they've found a prospective family in West Springfield, and she's actually going to be having an overnight with them...TOMORROW. As in, if this goes well, and this is for real, she could be leaving NEXT WEEK. I'm devestated at the thought of it.
PS, she's going to tell her about it tonight, so that means tomorrow might be HELL, and also, the behaviors like bathroom issues and defiance are probably going to spike. w00t.
-- I got to have another interaction with ZF today. He is not my student, but probably will be soon. The child is out-of-control, makes-other-behavior-kids-look-like-angels outta control. He has an ESP who has NO IDEA what to do with him. Twice this week, I've had to escort him into the break room because he's been kicking and scratching her. Not that he hasn't been doing it to me when I am the one getting him into the room because she doesn't. He left some good marks today.
-- This one made me laugh. I guess you'd have to know the student to laugh along with me, but there is a boy in Susan's program, H, who is quite a handful. He is very violent and hands-on as well - he's also really sweet, but if you spend time with him, you see a lot more aggression than the sweet side. Anyway, while watching T at recess today, I turned around and saw H on all 4s behind another kid, squeezing him. I told him to let go, and surprisingly, he did without incident. I have heard one of his ESPs, Ashley tell him, "no contact" as in, hands off, so as he and the boys ran away, I yelled, "Boys, no contact". I didn't single HIM out, I made it the whole group.
Either way, H stops, cocks his hip out and goes, "You know what I want? (beat) To kick you". I was TEMPTED to say, 'thank you for not' but I clamped my mouth shut. HOWEVER, H not hurting someone is big news. Of course, he broke a kids glasses today, but ... he didn't kick me when he wanted to :).
-- Oh yeah; Stacey came in this morning and told me she's applying for a transfer back to her old school because she hates working in the program. Not her student, not me or my staff, but the program itself. I knew she was unhappy from the get-go, but ... seriously? You're going to fucking do that to us after you made a huge fucking deal about us NOT splitting the days up so you'd always be with that student?
I can't tell if I'm hoping she gets it or not.
Apparently, I'm madder about that than I thought I was.
Is it wrong that I was able to joke, "Nah, that's what 3 o'clock is for!" and Nathan (the ass't director of Special Ed) quipped, "3? That seems a little early ....". I actually kind of loved that moment...but it also kinda sucks realizing that my first minute to myself where I can do things like go to the bathroom USUALLY don't happen until 3pm...which is when the school day ends.
I think progress shall be made. I have good feelings about this.
I got back from my trip at 2:40; trip, overall, was very good.
While on the bus in the parking lot, I saw the parent of M; M usually has afterschool until 5 or 6, so seeing 'mom' was not a good thing. I got off the bus, left my suitcase and stuff behind, and ran in.
Inside, I see a little boy laying on a beanbag. I think it is An. Then, An walks up to me to show me a picture he's been making, so clearly that's not him. Who is he?
Oh, just my new student. J, but since I already have a J, I'll call him NJ for New J. Know nothing about him except that he's been here since Tuesday.
How is J doing, btw? Got written up on the bus again.
And then, at about 2:55, Li comes flying back into the room, livid. Someone laughed at him and he attacked him in the 2nd grade room, and then Cathy L restrained him to get him out, and he and Kathleen flew back here and he proceeded to kick her, throw things/at me, destroy 2 timers, take everything out of my cabinets, stomp on them, flipped 5 chairs, told me he hated me, threatened the lives of his classmates, and spit.
Oh, and I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon to officially get T as a student. HOLY FUCK.
I am leaving this because seeing it in writing is making me start to bawl again. I am never taking a trip again. I am never doing ANYTHING again.
I guess there are a few reasons, but I want to start by saying it is NOT because I am secretly a boy (eddiec, I know you've had a bad dream about this lately, and I just wanted to let you know it isn't THAT).
The first reason is, it's okay before and after school, when there aren't kids, but when school is in session... I don't wanna pee with a 2nd grader next to me (damn grown-up bathrooms being so damn far away!). You know? That's weird. As a grown-up, it's weird for me, and also, I don't EVER want to be accused of doing ANYTHING not-appropriate.
The second reason is...and it's not just this school, but apparently all schools... kids no longer know how to flush. Parents aren't teaching this skill. Everyday, without fail, if I got into the multi-stalled bathroom, I will get the privilege of seeing the remnants of someone else's bathroom time. 9 times outta 10 just yellow, but... not delicious either way.
Which brings me to my next 'weirds me out' part: A LOT of the time, there's pee in the toilet, but no toilet PAPER. In a toilet designed exclusively for girls. Are they not even doing that part? shudders
Now that I've found the 'adults only' bathroom that has a heater... this will be a non-issue because why go ANYwhere else?, but....eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew!
Hello Everyone,
This is my first every weblog! Consider yourself lucky if you are reading this! I currently attend Ozarks Technical Community College. I have been specifically asked to comment and tell you about my experiences in my Technology for Teachers class.
Throughout this course so far, I have learned SO much information, it is mind boggling. I am hoping to become an elementary school teacher when I finish my degree. It is pertinent that not only teachers, but also that each person around the world, knows how to use technology. This class has specifically introduced me to the world of technology and how it can influence and improve your classroom.
So far in this semester of my Technology for Teachers class, we, as a class, have learned about making our own teacher website, using PowerPoint, and other various Microsoft Office tools, as well as web logging. Web logging seems to be a great concept for helping you share your thoughts, comments, and concerns. It reminds me of writing in a daily journal, minus the pen and paper and the fact that anyone around the world can read this.
When I finally become a teacher, I think that I will try to incorporate web logging into my lesson plans. I think that it would be a good way for not only me, but my students as well, to express themselves freely. As a class, my students would be encouraged to sometime throughout the day or week, to log on and make their own weblog.
Many students become bored with the classic pencil and paper style of writing a journal, but hopefully, with the web logging, they will become less bored. Who knows, they might actually like doing their journal activities then?
Sincerely,
Danielle Smith
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