Advocate

I've been very bad about updating every day... I think of things to blog every day, but once I get home I seem to just shut down.  I can't get anything accomplished once I leave the school building. Ugh.

Monday: First day with L trying a time-released med at lunch time.  Seemed to be a typical day.  L surprised me at Library.  He put a cushion next to HIS cushion, picked out a book (David Gets in Trouble; for some reason my kids are OBSESSED with David, but can't seem to learn anything from him ;)), and read to me the entire time we were in the Library :) Priceless.

Tuesday: We had a staff meeting every other Tuesday and this one was particularly interesting.  Most of the time was set aside to schedule Parent/Teacher Conferences for early November, and teachers try to coordinate families that have more than one student in the building so that they don't have to come multiple days or wait hours between. Well... I felt like we were all bidding on stocks or  bidding on items at an auction!  I also realized just how low Special Ed ranks within the building, which was a sad discovery.  I was ignored by a couple of teachers when trying to coordinate because we sit together for the conferences for my kiddos.  M's Gen Ed teacher actually looked me in the eyes twice and walked away before I could finally make her sit with me and figure out a time. Ugh.

Also, day 2 on L's time-released meds = HUGE success! :) It was perfect.

Wednesday: We started decorating for Halloween Wednesday by hanging up giant skeletons that we cut out and put together.  We also hung giant hairy spiders from the ceiling (by we I mean Mr. G hung them because I didn't want to touch them hehehe).  One was hung right beside M's desk and just as my parapro (Mr. G) walked out of the classroom the spider beside M decided to drop from the ceiling.  I was Specially Educated this day in realizing that even elementary BOYS sound like little girls when they scream ;) I almost fell over laughing!

The bad part of this day also Specially Educated me.  My kiddos are combined with the kiddos in Joni's room for CI for Gym class.  At the beginning of the year we were STOKED about the new Gym teacher because she seemed to be so excited to be working with our kiddos.  Well... ever since that first week, she thinks it is funny to mimic and complain about all of the Special Ed kiddos (in front of Joni and I, to boot), claiming that she gets no help but... she always has TWO parapros with her each time she has a Special Ed class, and I KNOW that some of the Gen Ed kiddos can be just as big of stinkers as mine. Let's get to the point: Yesterday L was not following directions and being a little squirrely (typical for Gym, wouldn't you think?), and she gets so hot-headed and fed up so quickly that she asked Joni's parapro to hold L still (physically restrain him) to make him stop. COMPLETELY inappropriate.  I tried to be a big girl about it and let the Principal know that there was a minor issue that I needed to talk with the Gym teacher about and he kind of backed away from the situation, saying to let him know what she said after I talked to her.... so much for being supported.  At least he wasn't lying when he told me he didn't know how to deal with "kids like mine".

Also, a car two houses down from Joni's was shot 12 times the night before this, so this was the story of the day. Crazy!

Thursday: As soon as I got out of my car today Joni was dragging one of our secretaries, Buffy, outside to see the BULLET HOLE in her van! So of course I came to look, too.  The big joke now is that Joni is so "hardcore" ;)

Again, L had an amazing day. Second day in a row with all of them making Gold Level!  Knock on wood... it's been a great week for my kiddos!





To wind this down, I was Specially Educated this week in realizing that I am going to have to be an even bigger advocate for these kiddos than I already am.  I am going to have to stand up for myself and for them not only for their futures, but for mine as a teacher.  I'm saddened to see that in the year 2011 my staff is still so closed-minded to Special Education.  I'm making a vow to try my BEST to make a difference to this staff and any staff I have the pleasure to work with.  I will do my best to Specially Educate those around me to realize the wonders of working with students with Special Needs.  The battle begins.