>>I could begin each one of my posts with "this week was crazyyyy". I am trying to just admit to myself that my job is crazy. Being a teacher is crazy, but teaching special education is crazyyyy. Everyday is different. Every student is different. This week we had a different schedule EVERY SINGLE DAY of the week. Monday was regular. Tuesday was intervention day. Wednesday intervention day. Thursday assembly (periods went: assembly, 2, 4, 5, 3, 6, 7). Friday was a minimum day (periods went: 1, 2, 3, 6, 4, 5, 7) My students have difficulties learning when they don't know what is coming next, or where they are supposed to go next. To top it all off, my 6 hour aide was absent wednesday - friday. We survived. Kids were nuts. Adults were nuts. So what did I do? One night I cried (this first time this year!) and next day I just laughed. I embraced it. I HAVE to.
>>Apparently Philip thinks our new I.A. looks like a judge of America's Got Talent. Phillip LOVES that show. He could talk about that ALL DAY LONG. He knows the acts, what they do, what their names are etc. He thinks that the new I.A. looks like Pierce, so while playing UNO we finally figured how why he had been calling him Pierce since he got here. I asked Philip about the winner, and he told me the name (I don't remember) and then I asked "well what act did he do?"
Phillip: He danced. He danced on a pole! He is going to vegas. He won. and Dances on a pole.
Me: He dances with a pole?
Phillip: I want to dance on a pole. I want to go to vegas and dane on pole.
Me: No, Phillip thats dangerous.
Philip: No. Miss __. I can do it! It not dangerous. I dance on pole.
Me: Phillip. Okay, but thats for adults. So you can't do that.
Phililp: No. I do it. I dance on pole.
John: Philip, thats what girls do! They dance with poles.
Phillip: I can do it! I'll be good at it!
We attempted to end the conversation there.. HA!.
>>Also, Sam gave a girl his phone number. He came in yesterday morning and wanted to tell me something important, but I had to promise I would not tell any of the other kids. He pulled me outside and explained, how the girl he liked last year, helped him figure out his cell phone number and write it down on a piece of paper for her. He was SO excited. I'm glad he shared it :)
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Better
>>Many things happened between now and yesterday that completely made me feel better.
1. numerous teachers at my school are feeling the exact same way. Overwhelmed and very "april-ish" (that will make sense to many teachers I am sure)
2. I talked with my loving mama. Who states and her and my aunt (who are both teachers) laughed at my blog from last night because they are feeling so similar.
3. Finally, I came home to a clean reorganized house. My boyfriend did this. AMAZING.
all three of these things make me a happy better feeling teacher.
THANK YOU ALL : )
1. numerous teachers at my school are feeling the exact same way. Overwhelmed and very "april-ish" (that will make sense to many teachers I am sure)
2. I talked with my loving mama. Who states and her and my aunt (who are both teachers) laughed at my blog from last night because they are feeling so similar.
3. Finally, I came home to a clean reorganized house. My boyfriend did this. AMAZING.
all three of these things make me a happy better feeling teacher.
THANK YOU ALL : )
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
exhaustion
>>Exhaustion is setting in. I am taking on too much. Everyone says that your first year of teaching is when you can barely survive, and you are over whelmed, figuring out life, etc, etc. Right now, I am taking on too much.
I have 9 students.
I also have 1 RSP student for math, and 3 of the other SDC teachers students for math different periods (which means I have to grade them even though their teachers are suppling work),
I work 3 days a week after school for 2 hours with my home -hospital student,
I am on the Positive Behavior Supports committee, and through that my job as working with wrap around requires me to attend meetings with students are need help outside of school between family, life, friends, etc.,
I am on another committee called sunshine that helps provide staff members with treats during birthdays, marriages, staff meetings, etc.
we have department meetings at least twice a month with out Special education department.
I have 5 triennial IEP's and 1 initial which means that student needs to be completely reassessed and reports need to be written.
And finally I have to complete BTSA (two versions) which is required for all new teachers in order to clear your credential. This requires MORE meetings, volunteer hours, article reading, etc, etc, etc.
>>THIS IS TOO MUCH. Lot's of this stuff is required so I can't get out of it. I am falling behind on essential things. Losing items. Forgetting papers. THIS IS NOT ME. Then I get home by 5:15 - 5:30 eat dinner and then I want to sleep. I need to breath, and handle it, but it's daunting. I need to make lists, check things off, one by one, but right now the amount is over whelming. Then, I forget to do something and it puts me right back down where I started. So, I will go and finish grades (because progress reports are due friday). I will attempt to begin testing a student tomorrow. I will send home assessment plans, and finish Monday IEP's. I will take my students to the assembly tomorrow, deal with a substitute for one of my I.A.'s attempt to allow other people to help me accomplish what I know will get done.
>>In other news, I almost cried today at school, for some stupid reason. Phillip was drinking his gatorade outside the classroom (I worry about messes and spills). When I went to check outside, he was just gone. I searched THE ENTIRE SCHOOL. Ran around the hallways, had students check the bathrooms, checked the office, spare rooms, bushes. Then, he was just there. I was so so so so frustrated. I could not express to him how much he scared me and he did not even understand. I was so frustrated (I know, i said that already) and he just acted like it was nothing. I know he did not understand.
>> Breathe.. Breathe.. Make list.. check things off... get through it. .. adapt.. breathe..
I have 9 students.
I also have 1 RSP student for math, and 3 of the other SDC teachers students for math different periods (which means I have to grade them even though their teachers are suppling work),
I work 3 days a week after school for 2 hours with my home -hospital student,
I am on the Positive Behavior Supports committee, and through that my job as working with wrap around requires me to attend meetings with students are need help outside of school between family, life, friends, etc.,
I am on another committee called sunshine that helps provide staff members with treats during birthdays, marriages, staff meetings, etc.
we have department meetings at least twice a month with out Special education department.
I have 5 triennial IEP's and 1 initial which means that student needs to be completely reassessed and reports need to be written.
And finally I have to complete BTSA (two versions) which is required for all new teachers in order to clear your credential. This requires MORE meetings, volunteer hours, article reading, etc, etc, etc.
>>THIS IS TOO MUCH. Lot's of this stuff is required so I can't get out of it. I am falling behind on essential things. Losing items. Forgetting papers. THIS IS NOT ME. Then I get home by 5:15 - 5:30 eat dinner and then I want to sleep. I need to breath, and handle it, but it's daunting. I need to make lists, check things off, one by one, but right now the amount is over whelming. Then, I forget to do something and it puts me right back down where I started. So, I will go and finish grades (because progress reports are due friday). I will attempt to begin testing a student tomorrow. I will send home assessment plans, and finish Monday IEP's. I will take my students to the assembly tomorrow, deal with a substitute for one of my I.A.'s attempt to allow other people to help me accomplish what I know will get done.
>>In other news, I almost cried today at school, for some stupid reason. Phillip was drinking his gatorade outside the classroom (I worry about messes and spills). When I went to check outside, he was just gone. I searched THE ENTIRE SCHOOL. Ran around the hallways, had students check the bathrooms, checked the office, spare rooms, bushes. Then, he was just there. I was so so so so frustrated. I could not express to him how much he scared me and he did not even understand. I was so frustrated (I know, i said that already) and he just acted like it was nothing. I know he did not understand.
>> Breathe.. Breathe.. Make list.. check things off... get through it. .. adapt.. breathe..
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
>>Just quotes today:
Frank: Do we really get free time today?
Me: Yes, if you finished all your work and were well behaved, you get free time.
Frank: you should get ping pong in here!
Me: Ping pong?
Sam: No! I pool table!
Me: Where would I put that? Just get rid of all the desks and put in a pool table?
Sam: Sure!
Phillip: How about a hot tub!
Eddie: Yeah, I have 20 dollars, i'll get you to help out!
Me: 20 dollars? that's a small fraction of how much it's going to cost.
--
HA! I wish we could set up all that stuff in my classroom!
Frank: Do we really get free time today?
Me: Yes, if you finished all your work and were well behaved, you get free time.
Frank: you should get ping pong in here!
Me: Ping pong?
Sam: No! I pool table!
Me: Where would I put that? Just get rid of all the desks and put in a pool table?
Sam: Sure!
Phillip: How about a hot tub!
Eddie: Yeah, I have 20 dollars, i'll get you to help out!
Me: 20 dollars? that's a small fraction of how much it's going to cost.
--
HA! I wish we could set up all that stuff in my classroom!
Monday, September 12, 2011
quotes:
Phillip: Don't worry. I am not a zombie.
--
(reading a story where a dog gets a bath)
Phillip: Shag is in the hot tub, relaxing
--
Eddie: Hey, when we have our ice cream float party, can you bring pop rocks to put on top?
Me: What?
Nick: Do you know how to make a bomb?
Me: what what!?
--
(reading a story where a dog gets a bath)
Phillip: Shag is in the hot tub, relaxing
--
Eddie: Hey, when we have our ice cream float party, can you bring pop rocks to put on top?
Me: What?
Nick: Do you know how to make a bomb?
Me: what what!?
Saturday, September 10, 2011
>>I am starting to get back into the swing of blogging every once in a while, and also to write down the funny things my students say so that I can post them here for everyone to laugh at. Yesterday I took my students to "special person's day" at our county fair. It was WAY TOO HOT. but I am proud to say we survived. Having only half as many kiddos as last year, makes things amazing. We all had a great time, and we came back to class and got to play some card games. It was really nice.
Quotes:
(While drawing pictures of animal habitats for science)
Phillip: I drew a zebra. and a alligator. alligator eats the zebra. I'll call the news about it!
--
Eddie: I met someone who knows our president! you know the one who lives in sacramento?
Me: You mean the governor?
Eddie: yea the one that says "I'll be there next time or whatever?"
Me: You mean "I'll be back?"
--
Sam: You should get a tattoo! You know it should say "I'm a teacher!" You know and it could have that Uncle sam pointing too!
--
Quotes:
(While drawing pictures of animal habitats for science)
Phillip: I drew a zebra. and a alligator. alligator eats the zebra. I'll call the news about it!
--
Eddie: I met someone who knows our president! you know the one who lives in sacramento?
Me: You mean the governor?
Eddie: yea the one that says "I'll be there next time or whatever?"
Me: You mean "I'll be back?"
--
Sam: You should get a tattoo! You know it should say "I'm a teacher!" You know and it could have that Uncle sam pointing too!
--
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Look!
>>Two posts in a row, I AM SO IMPRESSED. Since the room and students are getting into the swing of things, I am feeling calmer and happier. I am still exhausted when I come home (especially because I pretty much work 2 jobs), but having only 9 students is AMAZING. I cannot say that enough. I am trying to relax with things in my classroom like sending my students into general education classes, and always working VERY VERY VERY hard on our work. I still think pushing into general education classes is important. VERY important. Without this, my students would not get exposure to important things like history, science, P.E, electives and such. BUT, (and a very important but) every student is different. Some students get A LOT from being social in other classes. They are able to sit through a lecture, follow along while other students are reading, even read out loud in class. Other students are not at this level. They cannot read, they cannot follow along. THey have difficulties taking notes. So, in these cases it is better to pull these students out, and teach them science they CAN understand. I had to learn that each grade level/student is on a case by case basis and sometimes these things work out better than others.
>>The other aspect is sitting through each period and getting a lot of work done. During language arts, math and reading (these are the periods I have my students) I really focused on them learning how to sit and work. Following teacher directions, and being able to sit and work until the period was over. Reading, math worksheets, flash cards, sight words. There was never a free moment and I SAW PROGRESS. But, as my students become lower leveled, there needs to be more of a focus on social skills, functional skills, and just how to be a productive member of a classroom. These students need to learn how to not interrupt during a conversation. How to keep your hands to yourself. How to raise your hand, sit quietly, and get along with others. How to cook, read a recipe, take the bus, file, push in your chair, say hello, how to answer how are you. What is appropriate to share with friends, adults, strangers. Every year my class changes depending on my students, and this year its VERY different. My focus has to change. and that is difficult. I felt like after getting my first full year finished I would be prepared, but I have to be adaptable. I have to realize that next year I may have students who need to be pushed with their academics, who can handle being pushed into regular education classes, but right now my class is not like that. It's a good realization, but its difficult just the same.
>>The first wednesday of every month our library has a book sale that I take my students to, which we did today. While looking at the movies one of my students looks at a movie and goes:
Student: YOU DONT WANT TO WATCH THAT! it's all about old people kissing!
>>The other aspect is sitting through each period and getting a lot of work done. During language arts, math and reading (these are the periods I have my students) I really focused on them learning how to sit and work. Following teacher directions, and being able to sit and work until the period was over. Reading, math worksheets, flash cards, sight words. There was never a free moment and I SAW PROGRESS. But, as my students become lower leveled, there needs to be more of a focus on social skills, functional skills, and just how to be a productive member of a classroom. These students need to learn how to not interrupt during a conversation. How to keep your hands to yourself. How to raise your hand, sit quietly, and get along with others. How to cook, read a recipe, take the bus, file, push in your chair, say hello, how to answer how are you. What is appropriate to share with friends, adults, strangers. Every year my class changes depending on my students, and this year its VERY different. My focus has to change. and that is difficult. I felt like after getting my first full year finished I would be prepared, but I have to be adaptable. I have to realize that next year I may have students who need to be pushed with their academics, who can handle being pushed into regular education classes, but right now my class is not like that. It's a good realization, but its difficult just the same.
>>The first wednesday of every month our library has a book sale that I take my students to, which we did today. While looking at the movies one of my students looks at a movie and goes:
Student: YOU DONT WANT TO WATCH THAT! it's all about old people kissing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)