Pain

>>Blogger has been such a pain lately.. Not letting me log in and such. That's why I haven't been blogging. My students have been gems. For a second today I was so frustrated with my 7th graders. I guess I am bias because I have such fun with my 8th graders. They are funny, and sarcastic, and amazing. And sometimes I get frustrated with my 7th graders. I shouldnt lump them all in together, but really they take after each other. They stick together and they are similar. When graduation comes, it is going to be sad. These 8th graders are the first group of students I have had for 3 years (well 2 1/2, but they were always mine) It is going to be rough.

Quote:

Sam: My brother says I am full retarded. But, I am totally not full retarded, I am only part.

--

Nick: Sam, do you have ants in your pants?
Sam: What?? Do I have ASS in my pants?? ASS in my pants? Did you say ASS in my pants?
me: STOP SAYING CUSS WORDS!


>> I am thinking of starting a twitter that I post quotes from my students. It seems like it would be quick and I could do it during school.. Maybe link with my blog? Maybe.. maybe..

I hope I will post before the holidays but if not.. Happy Holidays to all :)

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.

learning

>>One thing I love about being a teacher is the learning aspect. Every year, every month, every second I am learning new strategies, new lessons, new everything that will work with my students. One minute you think you have the best most effective teaching methods. And the next you see something that completely blows you out of the water. I love that. I have recently becoming obsessed with a website called pinterest. It has a whole education section, where people post interesting items related to education. I have found SO much I want to do in my class just in the last few days. Everyday I am printing out file folder games, organization tips, sight word worksheets etc. I have also found about a billion teacher blogs, who instead of complaining all the time, use their blog to share resources and post work sheets that they use. I think I may start doing this. I want to be a productive member of my teaching experience. And although it is only my 2nd year, I think it's time to get it together, figure out what I need for my students and either find it or create it.

>>I had an impossible day today with a certain student, and I finally stood up to his mother regarding a few issues. IT FELT AMAZING. I always tiptoe around parents, but sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe is best for the student, and I finally did! I am so proud of myself.

>>Finally, this has been brought to my attention recently, and I think it needs to be addressed. "witch-aide" is an awful name for my new and really permeant aide. I LOVE HER. She is beyond amazing. A perfect balance of sarcastic humor (that fits in perfectly with me!), toughness, love, creativity, and fun. She is AMAZING. She brings in extra food to share with everyone. She's kind, funny, and just awesome. Her new name needs to be amazaide! I am very happy. I will post a picture of the new bulletin board she made during our half-day week.

>>Another thing I need to touch base with is confidentiality. I know I SHARE a lot of daily happenings, my life, my students life, their disabilities, etc. Every name in my blog has been changed. Most of you know who I am. Know my personal name. But, that is mentioned no where in this blog. The school I work at, even the state I live in is left out specifically so I feel like I can share everything and not feel like I need to leave anything out. I honestly hope I am covering all my basis, but I honestly don't know. If there is something else I should be doing please let me know.

yup

>>So it turns out there was a gas leak. I sat all day in my classroom teaching, etc with a gas leak. Then today I had to teach while they worked on the roof, turned off my heat, and gave me a space heater which my students crowded around to keep warm from turn the first 2 periods. Don't say I am not flexible.

>>I forgot something totally funny (sort of) that happened yesterday because of all the drama. My T.A. asked to study for his history test instead of filing/copying/correcting. So, he is sitting at the table, looking through the book and he is writing stuff on his arm! I called him out about it, and he said something along the lines of, "It's no big deal! It's just like taking notes except on my arm!" I looked at him and said, "so if I call your history teacher they will think this is no big deal?" He proceeded to almost get upset me with when I told him to wash off what was on his arms. I had to sit EVERYONE down and explain to them that I may be young, and we may be close like a family in my classroom but, I still am their teacher, and they still are expected to follow the rules. I could not believe it. WOW.

It has been a while.

>>Things are peaceful. (wait.. should I repeat that?) Things are SO peaceful. My students are good. Witch-aide is good. My students are a little nutty but when I try and look at the funny side of things they make my smile more than frown. Sometimes I need to just take a deep breath, go a little slower and I realize how VERY lucky I am. My little neck of the woods are happy. I am making more friends at work, becoming part of a team. Its glorious! I feel like I belong (now if I only I could get my teaching credential scores, so I ACTUALLY HAVE A CREDENTIAL - that would be awesome)
>>My home-hospital is going well. I am teaching her things she has never learned and I have no experience in these areas, so I am proud of myself. I am proud to see that I am GOOD at teaching and it's not just a fluke that I am good at SDC, I am good with other types of students.
>>Today when I got to school, my classroom was smelly. I assumed that it was old food left in someones desk. Or just smelly P.E. clothes. I plugged in a new air freshener and went about my day. The other SDC class is down the hallway 2 doors down. During 5th the janitor was checking the crawl space to see if something was dead under there because it smelled in all the classrooms. The found an ancient dead turtle and some dead rats/mice (super gross) come 6th period when my principals come up and say that they think it may be a gas leak and my class needs to evacuate to another room for 7th period. The 2 SDC classes (all 13 of the kiddos, 3 aides and 2 teachers) went into another room for 7th period. it was pretty nutty. I kept looking at all those kids, all those things going on and thinking i taught this many kids, plus 5 more last year. I was in control of this many aides, and this many wild ones. I couldn't believe it. How did I survive? no wonder I went nutty most of last year. No wonder I was stressed and going crazy. I AM NOT SURPRISED. I am proud of myself for surviving it all, but I am so thankful for Mr. N (that is what I am going to call the other SDC teacher) I want him to stay forever and forever, because he's a great teacher, he works wel with the kids, but also because he saves my butt all the time by teaching the rambunctious kiddos. He needs to stick around. Anyways, the gas leak caused me to run away from school right when the bell rang because I just did not want to risk it. We will find out tomorrow what is going on.

>>In other news, everyone remember Jamie from last year? My student who was taken away from his mother, stayed in the children's shelter over christmas. Lived with his uncle? and then ended up moving in with his half sister and OTHER uncle a few hours away? Well, I heard from his advocate and apparently he is having a really rough time at his new school and at his new house. He's becoming violent, and agressive and keeps complaining about coming back to my class. His aunt emailed me and has been saying she is going to call to talk about what we did with Jamie and why he was so successful in my class. Why was he so successful? Because we were a family. We cared about those kids like they were OUR kids. especially Jamie. I loved him so much, and I wanted to be able to take care of him. I am concerned and worried and I hope I can still see him being successful and I hope I can be there to help him through it.

>> I know I had more to post, but this is what I can think of for now. I will try and keep up.

Emergency

>>I had a emergency happen yesterday. It is SO hard for me to miss work, because I know how hard it is for my students to have a sub, let alone on a monday morning, let alone without warning. I did it anyways yesterday. Apparently A LOT of stuff happened yesterday that I wasn't aware of, but I am glad I was not. The sub/"witch-aide" just handled it. They dealt with it. And then Witch-aide brought me lunch today. That was beyond unnecessary but really appreciated. I feel cared about, and loved. It was nice to come back to that. But, I will never be absent again without warning. ACK.

>> One of my students got in trouble today because he was telling girls he was going to "rape them". This is in NO WAY okay. He was saying it because he knew it was horrible and awful but he wanted a rise/attention from the girls. I told him mom, and she just said, " oh I don't think he knows what that means" UH! I HOPE NOT. He ended up doing it AGAIN, so he got in major trouble because that is not safe or okay to say. Update on this later when I know more.

Quote:

Sam: AH! It feels liked my bone was removed! wait.. I mean it feels like ants are in the flesh of my leg!

"Witch-Aide"

>>My new aide is fine. She is not fantastic. But, she has been doing fine. She has been doing this for a long time, and so she knows how to be strict, and get work done. She knows how to reward, and pay attention, and just handle things. It is fine. This is not something I am proud of, but of course I need to have a nickname for someone if I am going to blog about her. (hopefully this year will just fly by without issues involving her - but I am not holding my breath). She does this thing with her lips.. where her lips are persued (is that the right word?) and moved to the side. and then she constantly licking her lips. Well yesterday when she went to take the students down to the bus:
Sam: what is wrong with her lips?
Me: What do you mean?
Sam: well they are like black!
Me: I think that is just her lipstick
Sam: well, she shouldn't wear that! It looks creepy and it makes her look like a witch!
Nick: yeah! and with those creepy fingernails! she does look like a witch!
Sam: she should be a witch for halloween! and she can go around saying "I"LL GET YOU MY PRETTY!"
Me: Don't say that you guys! that's not nice.

(But really I am trying so hard not to laugh inside)
So, there we have it Witch-aide.
Things have been okay. I am SO SO SO jaded. It's so crappy. I hate it. I feel like something else will come up to screw me, so I am on my guard. But. I am def better. Definitely better.