new blogger??

>>New Blogger format is pretty nutty. I hate change!

>>Coming back from vacation is nuts! I have two triennial IEP's due this week, plus an annual which I have been putting off. For those who do not know, when a student has an IEP (an individualized education plan) they are given goals to meet each each. Goals usually have to do with areas that the student is able to do in the regular education classroom. Perhaps they do not know how to multiply. This is something that is taught in the 3rd and 4th grade. If the student has not mastered this, and is in the 6th or 7th grade, a IEP goal can focus on multiplying and then the special education teacher focuses on a student learning these goals. Every year on the same date students have an annual IEP. Goals are revisited and new ones are written, accommodations are modified, placement is discussed etc. Well every 3 years the students have a triennial IEP. In this IEP the students are completely reassessed using formal assessments in all areas in which they receive services to determine if special education services are still needed. So, after all that mumbo jumbo, when a student has a triennial IEP A LOT more work goes into it. Each student is assessed by AT LEAST a special education teacher and a psychologist. Reports are written, compared and we discussed that they still qualify under their certain disabilities. But, along with this all the same things need to be revisited and touched on. I know. Feel bad for me :)  I did nothing involving work all thanksgiving break, so it has been work work work for the last two days.

>>A student from a resource class  comes into my class now and works on her math, today the quote of the day comes from her.
We were discussing how some people do not celebrate Christmas.
Girl: Did you know Santa Claus is real?
Me: Really?
John: I know who my Santa Claus is, my mom.
Girl: No, my friend told me. Santa Claus is real.
Me: Well that's neat!
Girl: Yeah, except I heard he died. I think he got hit by a car a few years back.