Blood, Sweat, and Tears (mostly figurative)

Crying with frustration, sweating on the playground, and bleeding from paper-cuts AND scissor-cuts is all made worth it when I can end the week the way I did today.  These kiddos have me enchanted :)

During Friday Fun Day today L decided to make everyone "points sheets" and of course, everyone got a ton of check marks and Gold level :) It was the sweetest thing.  Also, while watching "Happy Feet" C said, "He's growed up! Did God make him growed up?" So sweet!

This week has been BY FAR my best with these boys.  It shows that all the hard work (being the bad guy by being consistent with the behavior plan) has proven to be successful.  I know I have so much more to learn and that I have so much growth to make as a teacher, but so far, I think I'm not doing half bad :)

On a darker note, I met with the Gym teacher today before school and feel like I accomplished nothing... Well, I accomplished one thing but seemed to open a whole new can of worms.  I established that L (or any student) is only to be physically restrained when the safety of the student/other students is compromised, and that when L is restrained the situation just escalates.  She said she was glad to know that, and the case was closed.  I DID come to the conclusion that her actions were completely inappropriate, that L was not even touching his peers, and that she has zero patients for anyone who is less than perfect.  She also flat out told me (these are her words), "Laurie, Joni's parapro, is completely worthless and I am going to tell her not to send her anymore."

WHAT!?!???!!!?!?!?!? Who do you think you are? You complain that you don't get any help with "these kids" and that you already have such a difficult time, and then you tell me bluntly that the other parapro is "worthless"? You've got some nerve, lady.  I sure hope you can hold your own because Joni and I won't be taking it easy on you.  If we don't advocate for these kids then nobody will.  Game on.