>>Coming back to school was surprisingly pleasant and nice. A few of my students got haircuts. Some got out of the psych ward. It really was a great smooth day. Almost like they were happy to be back. They moved right back into the swing of things. It made me so happy.
>>I have an aide in my classroom, who is sort of a complainer. She constantly complains about everything, from the kids (not in front of them), to the school, to the class, to her life, everything. I am aware that everyone complains. I, in fact, am a constant complainer, but I attempt to keep it to a minimum. One of the reasons my principals said I received "teachers who make a different" award, was because I am always smiling and never complaining. Anyways, she is always complaining. Eventually, it gets tiresome. She acts like she knows everything, and if you try and tell her something differently she argues. She comes up with information, and when you tell her you heard differently she argues. When you have a difference of opinion, she argues. Now, I do really like her as a person, but after a while, its tiresome. Its hard to find joys when someone around you always focus' on the negative. I have begun to look on the bright side of everything, and being around her is not easy. I know I am her boss. I should be telling her what to do. But, its difficult. She also holds grudges and sometimes its easier to let her do what she wants, then to sit there and argue with her and then deal with it later. She definitely has had the most difficulty accepting that I am the boss. I have heard rumors that she may be moving to another class next year. I am constantly planning how amazing it will be without her around. But, then I think, What if I am getting my hopes up? How do I fix this? Its hard to change people who are set in their ways, but is there something I can do to just hint at her getting an attitude change? I'm stuck.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Back to the grind
>>Tomorrow we go back to school. I have been off for 10 days. It has been an amazing spring break. I feel relaxed. I feel sane again. I needed all this. I am ready to kick the next months butt and make it through this year. Get through my final IEPS and finish this year on top. yay! lets do it :)
Saturday, April 16, 2011
spring break
>>I am on a much needed spring break until the 26th of april. It's been a long haul since we had a week off in Feb. No breaks. Nothing. The kids were ready. I was ready. Everyone was ready. Its only Saturday though and I am already kind of missing my kiddos. What am I going to do during summer??
>>The other day we had a meeting with the special education teachers in my district. Even though these meetings are a pain because we usually end up there until 5-5:30. Its nice to see the other teachers who deal with the same stuff as I do. In our district we have a teacher who teaches k-2. A 3-5 teacher. I am 6-8. and then we have a Language intensive class which focus' on students with communication/reading needs. We went over things for next year. I will be down to 9 kiddos. This is pretty nuts. I started out this year with 20 students! Then, I went down to 17. When my school opened the new SDC class I am now down to 13. But, next year. 9? I am not getting any 6th graders. So, for next year I will just lose my 8th graders and not get any new students. It's a little sad, because it's always nice to have new students come in and change up the class, but I am also excited for the fact that the students will all come next year knowing the rules, and schedule, and how things work. It makes my life a million times easier than it was this year. Plus. only 9 students!!!? my class is going to learn so much next year! :)
>>I also recently received at Ipad to use in my classroom. This week will be spent finding good aps for my students to learn with, and I am excited to find out some good resources to use it for.
>>The other day we had a meeting with the special education teachers in my district. Even though these meetings are a pain because we usually end up there until 5-5:30. Its nice to see the other teachers who deal with the same stuff as I do. In our district we have a teacher who teaches k-2. A 3-5 teacher. I am 6-8. and then we have a Language intensive class which focus' on students with communication/reading needs. We went over things for next year. I will be down to 9 kiddos. This is pretty nuts. I started out this year with 20 students! Then, I went down to 17. When my school opened the new SDC class I am now down to 13. But, next year. 9? I am not getting any 6th graders. So, for next year I will just lose my 8th graders and not get any new students. It's a little sad, because it's always nice to have new students come in and change up the class, but I am also excited for the fact that the students will all come next year knowing the rules, and schedule, and how things work. It makes my life a million times easier than it was this year. Plus. only 9 students!!!? my class is going to learn so much next year! :)
>>I also recently received at Ipad to use in my classroom. This week will be spent finding good aps for my students to learn with, and I am excited to find out some good resources to use it for.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
well...
>>Apparently I got nominated for an award.. It's for "teachers who make a difference". I am actually not sure what it really means, but I believe you are nominated and then you get an award. It isnt really a competition it is just an area to recognize good teachers in our county. I was the only teacher nominated from my school and it is quiet a complement. It makes me proud that my hard work is recognized. But, it also makes me proud to know that I am good at what I do.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Stress
>>A lot of the things I deal with on a daily basis could be thought of as stressful. A lot of the things I have to tell my students over and over could be thought of as stressful. It is very easy for them to become this way. I think I have even blogged about stress. Lately I have taken on a new outlook. A lot of the things I deal with are comical. They are hilarious. It is amazing the issues I deal with. It's easy to get frustrated. It's easy to think that my job is so hard. But, what's even better is just laughing at it. Its so much better to enjoy it. To take a moment and look at these kiddos and just laugh. They are so funny. They say the best things. I love it.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wow.
>>Wow. That is all I can say. This week has been nutso. I explained all that happened on tuesday. Yesterday I went on the ski trip which proved to be way way way more work than fun. I had three students there. We happened to be the last 4 people on the bus. The last four people in line to get rentals (for my students). after trying to figure out addresses, phone numbers, heights, weights, shoe size, and whether or not to take a lesson. We finally got on the mountain. One of my students was actually smart and stuck with the lesson, the other two didn't. Steve proceeded to go three feet, fall, and then spend 5 mins to get up. And then get upset when we didn't wait for him. Finally, Frank and I decided to go to the top of the mountain. (frank was fairly confident on ski's) We told steve, "we will do one run, and by the time you have finished the bunny slop we will be back and we'll do some more runs together" Steve was not having any of it. He said, "I wanna go! I'll be fine" Anyways, he was not fine. Frank and I would go down a little ways, and then wait for Steve to come the rest of the way down. One time he came down, and the outside of his boot had fallen off, so he was walking down the mountain in just his inside layer. So, I had to put him back together on the slopes. Another ways down, he comes down sliding on his board. So, it ended up with me having to snowboard down carrying his snowboard, while he slid the whole way down on his butt. After this, we stopped for lunch and I was exhausted. They ate, hung around. and then of course we were the last ones to turn in our rentals, and the last ones on the bus. Needless to say, I went to the bed at 8 last night with a bad sunburn.
>>Today, Jamie was at P.E. and another student (who used to be in my class, but moved to the new SDC class) flipped him off. Jamie ran up to me and said, "want to do that to my face?" Where this other kid proceeded to push Jamie, and Jamie took him down. Punched him, put him in a headlock, etc. He got in trouble, but Jamie was the student who was in foster care over winter break. He currently lives with his uncle, and still has a lot of anger toward his mother. The principal pushed it off as anger toward his mom and instigation from the other student and let him off easy.
>>Then, I learn during lunch from a crying parent that Steve was 5150. "5150 is a section of California's Welfare and Institutions Code which deals with involuntary confinement and psychiatric evaluation of any person deemed gravely disabled or a danger to himself, herself or others". Basically it means, that he was so violently out of control that his parents had to call the cops to have him mentally committed and restrained. I am worried for his parents, but also worried for Steve. He can get really out of control, which I have seen, but not physically. it must be scary to wake up all drugged up, restrained in a psych hospital.
>>I am taking this friday off. My first personal day I have taken all year. I am soooo stoked! I feel bad for my IA's who have been there all week taking the grunt of most of this action, but they've had their time, so I feel like I deserve mine :)
Happy friday!! (or my friday that is!)
>>Today, Jamie was at P.E. and another student (who used to be in my class, but moved to the new SDC class) flipped him off. Jamie ran up to me and said, "want to do that to my face?" Where this other kid proceeded to push Jamie, and Jamie took him down. Punched him, put him in a headlock, etc. He got in trouble, but Jamie was the student who was in foster care over winter break. He currently lives with his uncle, and still has a lot of anger toward his mother. The principal pushed it off as anger toward his mom and instigation from the other student and let him off easy.
>>Then, I learn during lunch from a crying parent that Steve was 5150. "5150 is a section of California's Welfare and Institutions Code which deals with involuntary confinement and psychiatric evaluation of any person deemed gravely disabled or a danger to himself, herself or others". Basically it means, that he was so violently out of control that his parents had to call the cops to have him mentally committed and restrained. I am worried for his parents, but also worried for Steve. He can get really out of control, which I have seen, but not physically. it must be scary to wake up all drugged up, restrained in a psych hospital.
>>I am taking this friday off. My first personal day I have taken all year. I am soooo stoked! I feel bad for my IA's who have been there all week taking the grunt of most of this action, but they've had their time, so I feel like I deserve mine :)
Happy friday!! (or my friday that is!)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Welcome to Middle School!
>>Today was one of those days where I worry about how mature kids are getting at such a young age. Within one hour. One little hour, so much happened today. To begin with, I had a parent drop in and start explaining to me that her and her husband are getting divorced. She went on to explain how he is an alcoholic, verbally abusive and very controlling to her. She said they were up fighting all night, and I should be aware, because it may affect how her student is acting over the next few weeks. I felt really badly for her, and she seemed... so upset and flustered and stressed. I really could not do much to ease these feelings, but I did my best to listen to let her know I am available for help if she needs anything.
>>Then, I find out Steve (who fell and hit his head yesterday) fainted/passed out in P.E. today and hit the ground hard. They had to go and pick him up in the golf cart, and his mom came and took him to the emergency room. I talked with her after school and he checked out fine, but It was still scary and makes you worried. This student is going on a field trip tomorrow (The snowboarding one) so it makes me nervous, but the doctor said he is fine.
>>Finally, (I have to tell a little background first) I have a Matthew who came to me in January from a continuation school. What this means, is that he was expelled from his last school (which is very very very hard to do with a special education student) They gave him his triennial (which is where you reassess special education students every 3 years to make sure they still qualify for special education services) and he scored very very very low. They had a hard time serving him at this continuation school because of his academic levels, so after he completed some provisions he was able to come back to middle school. (8th grade exactly) We had a hard time getting him motivated to work, and actually be in class. But, after setting deals with him, giving him goals to reach, we had finally gotten to a point where he was being respectful in my class and completing what was asked of him. He was participating in class, playing games with other students, and he even was teaching another student how to tie their shoes. I was really happy. He had been working hard in his history class. Getting work done, and even participating in P.E. Last week, he ditched an entire day of school. People saw him walking to school, but he was absent and when his parents were called to confirm his absence, there did not know where he was. Now, to today, He was fine the first two periods of school in my class. Completed his spelling packet. corrected his mistakes, completed his math pages, then during 3rd period, he was caught with an ounce of marijuana, and a wad of cash. When the vice principal found these items on him he bolted, left the school and he was not found. I am not sure what will happen to this student, but its hard. It's assumed that he was selling the drugs to other students at school (which is why I am guessing they found out that he had that on him). So, we will prob have to go through the process of expelling him/suspending him for sure. Maybe the cops will be involved. Its very very tough to know that this is something that is happening in middle school not to mention something happening in my very own class. I am hoping that he did not attempt to sell drugs to any students in my class, but I cannot assume that I really even know this student. Its sad, and scary.
>>Then, I find out Steve (who fell and hit his head yesterday) fainted/passed out in P.E. today and hit the ground hard. They had to go and pick him up in the golf cart, and his mom came and took him to the emergency room. I talked with her after school and he checked out fine, but It was still scary and makes you worried. This student is going on a field trip tomorrow (The snowboarding one) so it makes me nervous, but the doctor said he is fine.
>>Finally, (I have to tell a little background first) I have a Matthew who came to me in January from a continuation school. What this means, is that he was expelled from his last school (which is very very very hard to do with a special education student) They gave him his triennial (which is where you reassess special education students every 3 years to make sure they still qualify for special education services) and he scored very very very low. They had a hard time serving him at this continuation school because of his academic levels, so after he completed some provisions he was able to come back to middle school. (8th grade exactly) We had a hard time getting him motivated to work, and actually be in class. But, after setting deals with him, giving him goals to reach, we had finally gotten to a point where he was being respectful in my class and completing what was asked of him. He was participating in class, playing games with other students, and he even was teaching another student how to tie their shoes. I was really happy. He had been working hard in his history class. Getting work done, and even participating in P.E. Last week, he ditched an entire day of school. People saw him walking to school, but he was absent and when his parents were called to confirm his absence, there did not know where he was. Now, to today, He was fine the first two periods of school in my class. Completed his spelling packet. corrected his mistakes, completed his math pages, then during 3rd period, he was caught with an ounce of marijuana, and a wad of cash. When the vice principal found these items on him he bolted, left the school and he was not found. I am not sure what will happen to this student, but its hard. It's assumed that he was selling the drugs to other students at school (which is why I am guessing they found out that he had that on him). So, we will prob have to go through the process of expelling him/suspending him for sure. Maybe the cops will be involved. Its very very tough to know that this is something that is happening in middle school not to mention something happening in my very own class. I am hoping that he did not attempt to sell drugs to any students in my class, but I cannot assume that I really even know this student. Its sad, and scary.
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