3

>>Three days left. Tomorrow is our last full day really, Wednesday are picnics, and thursday is a half day with graduation at night. Jamie's uncle who has custody came into class this morning to full me in with the plan, but also to express how amazing I am. He said how he def. could not have survived this year without me, and I have been amazing. He asked me if this was a new career for me, and I said yes it's my first year, and he made a comment about how easy it must be for me to get emotionally attached. I care a lot about Jamie, and we have been through way to much this year, but I felt like it was cheapened when he made that comment. (does that make sense?) LIke, oh, if I had been a teacher long, maybe I would have gone to court with him while he was getting taken away from his mom? Or maybe I wouldnt have taken him out so many times when he was at the children's shelter over christmas vacation? I'm not sure what he meant. But, it meant a lot for him to acknowledge how much we've done and helped with jamie this year. He said that Jamie may not be coming back this year, which is really really sad for me, but prob for the best. I do not know what to think.

Quotes:

Sam: (while looking through the yearbook) I don't really like that girl. I just wanna fix her face.
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Carl: I swear he has a swat sign on his wall (he meant swastika)
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Aide: Why would you cheat at this game! You cant grab whatever card you want! You have to take the top...
Carl: (while he is taking out his phone) Hold on.. let me record this.

4

>>4 days left. Grades are in (completely). Every single IEP signed and submitted. This weekend will be spent updating IEP goals, and burning end of the year DVDs for my kiddos. My students are so wild, and crazy, and inappropriate. How to make them understand that sometimes I dont want to hear about their girl problems, or private thoughts? I try to express to them that my classroom is safe place. They can talk with me about stuff that they possibly cant talk with their parents about. I really do not mind giving them social help, because a lot of them don't have the social graces that other kids do. Who else is going to be there to explain to them how to talk with girls? and not act awkward? That is part of the job of being a special education teacher right? Not just teaching them academics, but teaching them how be successful in the real world?

>>I was recently asked to take on a home-hospital case. Did I mention this? Home-hospital students are students that are too medically fragile to attend school, so they receive school in their home. I have not met the student yet, but she is a 5 year old baby girl. I am excited to learn, and scared because I have never done this before and I hope I can handle it.

Quotes:
(one of my students was drawing a pirate ship)
Zed: You get to be on my crew! You do too (aide)!
Aide: I dont want a job! I just wanna eat!
Me: Maybe she could be the taste tester?
Paul: Thats way too dangerous!
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(discussing snot and picking your nose)
Jamie: I never pick my nose, not since I was a kid and my snot went down my throat into my stomach and then down there (points at crotch area) and then sprayed out! it was all gooey!

Quote from tuesday:

Jamie: I know a guy that lost a finger foot!
Me: You mean a toe?

5

>>5 days left.
This post will be quick, because I am being lazy and reading even though I have grades to do. I have finished with all my IEP's for the year. I have completed my transition to high school meetings, (almost) my grades, and turning in my students permission slips for end of the year picnics. I have received my first evaluation, and also yelled at an aide today. Its been a wonderful wonderful year. I'm afraid for it to end.

>>My students are getting this new found stigma about being in special ed. They do not want to be seen with me, around me, or for other students to know I am their teacher. This does not bug me, because I KNOW when they are in my classroom it is a whole different world. They feel safe, respected, smart, and loved.

>>I found out today that Jamie, is probably moving with his aunt/uncle in the bay area. This makes me sad. The amount of work I have put into that kid, let alone spending a whole year trying to make him understand how much we love and care about him. How much he has dealt with this year. and just how much I like having him around. I am sad. I am sad, and I will miss him. I want him to stay, but I keep thinking that this move will be better for him. I just... I am being selfish because I wanted to be there for him, and I wanted to see how great he became.

8 days

>>Things have been very calm around the classroom. We are winding down. The kids are a little antsy, but things have gone well. I have two more meetings and then I am done! We only have 8 days left, and really only 4 are working days. I'm excited but sad that school is coming to an end.

Quotes:

(while talking about Justin Beiber)
Sam: I sort of don't hate his music, I just hate his face.
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Aide: Are you a cone head.. from the planet,.... uhm.. what planet were they from?
Frank: Eqypt?
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Sam: I accidently smokes a cigarette when this asian guy on his bike said to me "come on smoke this!"
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(when referring to above)
Aide: How did it make you feel?
Sam: Popular.
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Sam: Then another time, this other asian guy rode up and said here pee in this and showed me a cup and I just ran away.
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Marcus: (Hands Sam a cup) Here I already peed in this cup. See it's black! (He's african american)

Girls/ 11 days

>> There are only 11 days left of school. Because there are only 11 days left of school, my students are having the most impossible time focusing. Even though they are still required (mostly by me) to complete work. They tend to find every excuse to NOT do work, and to chatterbox it up with everyone else. The topic of discussion lately has been girls. Let me first begin this discussion with special education students cannot handle girls. Well, actually middle school boys cannot handle girls. I know it is difficult for many of my students because they are AWARE that they are in special education, and they hate it! I do not take offense to it because nobody wants to be different, let alone in middle school when things are so hard. Students hate to be seen walking into my classroom, walking with me, being pulled out, etc. But, anytime a middle school girl comes into our classroom my studnents cannot function. they get giddy, or quiet, or weird. They either talk too little, or not enough, or refuse to do anything. I am perfectly honest with my students about how, it is fine having Grace as the only girl in our class because if we had anymore these boys wouldnt get anything done. So today while one on one reading with students, two girls came in to get cards signed for another teacher. Jaime completely shut down and asked if we could wait to read until they left. Then he said,

Jamie: Can I go flirt with them? Can I? Can I go flirt with them?
Me: What? What are you talking about?
Jamie: Come on, can I go flirt with them?
Me: Okay, sure, lets see your best moves!
Jamie: wait.. uhm.. nevermind.

>>Now, because spring is in the air, the topic of discussion amongst everyone is Sam. Sam likes some girl, and on friday (when Sam was absent) Marcus told the girl Sam liked her. (Don't ask me why I am privileged to all this info) Sam was at first very mad at Marcus, but then, he found out the girl likes him back. He is so stressed out because he just does not know what to do.

Sam: She likes me too. But I want to tell her we should be friends first. Because I am definitly not ready for a relationship. Do you think she'd be okay with that? I have a feeling shes going to tell me "wait! no! lets be boyfriend and girlfriend" What do I do then?

>>It's a whole mess and it causes everyone to not concentrate. Then, to top it all off Phillip brings in a rose for Grace today. Then asks her to marry him. Sam proceeds to say "No! Not like that! do it like this!" and shows him how to get down on one knee and ask her to marry him. Phillip does this. Grace takes the flower but says no.


WOW spring.

12 days

>> I am attempted to remember the last time I blogged was. We have 12 days of school left. I continue to tell my students that if we can make it through the next 8 days we will be in fun mode. (They are very excited) I have scheduled all my IEP's to make it through the end of the year (Two IEPS left, and one transition meeting) I have two teacher parties, one SPED meeting, a picnic day, and then a half day and I will have made it through my first year of teaching.

>>Sam was absent on friday. He proceeded to tell us numerous times throughout the day today, that when the school called to see why he was sick, he was the one who picked up the phone, said he was his dad, and said Sam was out sick. He was so proud of himself, but he had a major meltdown when I told him I was going to tell the principal on him. (I didnt.)

>>I know.. boring post. Thats pretty much how today is. Boring.