What Am I Watching?!

Adventures in Spec Ed...

No, they’re my shinies!

Meow, meow nuzzle cat.

Yum tater tots, yum.

Forth Classroom…

I was at a community college, panicking over my BA in English.

So I went for an associate’s in medical secretary.

I helped my friend learn her medical terminology, abbreviations, grammar, and anatomy.

I helped another friend learn about computers as we had to take Windows, Excel, and Access.

All three of us struggled comically over transcription.

The Puerto Rican said that the “Puerto Rican” doctor on the recording didn’t sound right.

The Caucasian said, “Where the heck do you find the ‘send’ key?!”

I felt like the smartest person in the room for the first time in my life.

Tired...

No energy

Still rather depressed at times

Creativity.

Second Classroom...

My second classroom…

I taught Japanese studies.

I was twelve-years-old.

I had a whole classroom full of peers that hated me.

I was the ‘weird’ kid who was friends with all the teachers.

Many of my peers left my speech on Japan wanting to visit the country.

It was nerve wracking but wonderful.

Life Changing Moments…

In teaching there are sometimes life changing moments…

One such moment for me was when I first got sucked into teaching ESL.

Another such moment was when I sat in on an ESL kindergarten class…

I met my first little autistic student.

He was non-verbal and hated colors and loud noises.

His fixation was a car…but it was also me…oddly enough.

Direct eye contact and then a hug…

His teacher discouraged it…  It was my first day there and she did not know me.

But I did not mind the hug…

From then on, every time he saw me, he’d rush over to hug me or show me something he worked on in class…

This is how I decided that my next Master’s degree will be in Special Education, one sweet boy who changed my life…

BREAKING NEWS:

Normally I drive just fine but every once and a while I do something stupid, like going too fast during a rainstorm.  This was such a time.  I hit a wet patch and ended up in the grass due to a lovely combination of water, stones, and stupidity (going too fast).  I crashed into a brick column.

I am not someone who has much faith in humanity.

After all, the people directly behind me and in front of me didn’t bat an eye when I acted like a moron and said “hello” to the sign.

Well, my faith was restored today thanks to these fine people:

First a woman stopped.

Then two men (complete strangers) in separate trucks.

Then a couple stopped.  They both got out of their SUV to check on me.

Then a man stopped.

Then another man.

Then another woman.

Then a couple of guys in a big truck.  I missed the name of the company on the side.

Then an older gentleman.

That’s a total of 11 people in about an hour’s time.

Fortunately I was not injured…just slightly embarrassed and not going into work.

Now, this blog is brand new and not even Cheezbot is following me.  I just wanted to share this and acknowledge the kindness of others.  Thank you to those eleven strangers who came to check on me!  I greatly appreciated your concern! <3

Physical Therapy...

Uneven ceiling

Wall colors strange holes in beds

Stretch, ow, strengthen, ow

Depression Battle...

Depression falling.

After so many weeks of pain…

I feel at peace now.

Eleventh Classroom...

It’s been a year…

Still AroAce…

Still a teacher…

Still barely sane…

I went from being a ‘traveling ESL teacher’ to a paraprofessional at a Montessori school. I am not impressed.  Oh sure, Montessori is a wonderful learning philosophy but it is not for everyone.  It is certainly not for a teacher with ADHD that struggles with hyperfocus.  The individualized lessons given are often at the cost of classroom management or vice versa.

The parents who send their kids to a Montessori school do so in lieu of seeking out professional help for their unique or troubled child.  I have TWELVE out of twenty-six students who are either obviously ADHD or obviously Autistic to some degree.  Two have IEPs and the rest are ‘busy kids’ in their parents’ eyes.

This is a challenge that I have no problem with.  I LOVE my students.

BUT I am not thrilled with their parents…

‘I want to focus on this pregnancy’…Yeah, but while you’re doing that you could LAY in bed and work with your son on his letter sounds.

‘My parents are in a motel getting their act together’…AKA, drug addicts.

‘My mom says that this rule is dumb’…Sorry, it’s a SCHOOL rule.  No sweets.

The only thing worse than the parents is how this school is run…

The double standards and obvious favoritism is what REALLY pisses me off.

I do my job, I get yelled at by THREE different people.

Someone else DOESN’T do their job and they get praised…wonderful.

Oh yeah, and we have FOUR Montessori teachers out of FORTY.

Talk to Them...

“I hate it here.  School is too hard.  The playground is different from the one in Pennsylvania.  I don’t like Delaware.  I don’t like living with my grandpa.  I want to live with my mom and dad but they have to fix the house so we can go back.  My brother and sister and I moved down here.  My baby-baby sister is with mom and dad.  I want to go home.”

This ramble is brought to you by a displaced boy in first grade.

Sometimes you just have to listen and not just shove a lesson down their throat.

Not long after this, I sat with him again.  We worked on his reading, which is something he hates.  He still hated Delaware.  He still missed his mom and dad.  But he was more willing to participate and work with me.  He didn’t act up or whine.

Sometimes a chat can make a world of difference.

Even if the effects only lasts two weeks before he goes back to Pennsylvania…