If you have not seen this movie, you must. It's magical. Cuddling on the couch under the comforter with the hubby was the perfect end to a dreadful day (and that's a LOT of prepositional phrases in one sentence). This movie was just icing on the cake. He must have secretly known that I needed it.
Today Specially Educated me in a different way than I expected.
Dale Specially Educated me by unknowingly knowing just what I needed. A sweet, thoughtful movie that I love. A nice and easy cry. Cuddles. He's a new man to me every day and I love discovering new layers to him.
L Specially Educated me with the knowledge that I hope to NEVER see another booger again in my life after today... GROSS! Poor kiddo has been sick all week and his mom really toyed with the idea of keeping him home again today. I was SO excited to see him this morning! As the day progressed, the Gym teacher (maybe I should call her the Grinch?) alerted everyone she knew how horribly disgusting L is because after he attended gym class with his Gen Ed class, "there were boogers and snot ALL OVER the parachute..." The Music teacher tolerated him for about 5 minutes before sending him back because his fingers never left his nose. Poor sick kiddo. When I would catch him with his finger up his nose I would make him get a tissue. He then proceeded to place the tissue delicately over his finger, put it BACK up his nose, and pull it out slowly so as to make the booger stick to it (sorry, graphic?), stretch between his nose and the tissue, and then he would wiggle the tissue around in hopes to "make it fly out of his nose."
Boys.
At our last staff meeting (to backpedal a bit) R's Gen Ed teacher wondered out loud why he wasn't on her class list since he spends a lot of time in her room, so my principal decided to jump the gun and suggest he be moved to the Resource Room and told me to call the Special Ed Director (SED) to tell him we are thinking in that direction. Immediately the SED shot an email back saying, "When? Why? Who will observe him?" and I just thought UGH... it was an idea. Let's see.
Every Thursday the Special Ed Team for my school meets in my classroom at lunchtime to discuss "issues" with our caseload. Today, the Social Worker suggested that we discuss R (which made me forget what I REALLY wanted to share with the team...) so we did. The Special Ed Program Coordinator (if that's what her title is really called?) said that there is an unspoken rule, according to the SED, that kids on the Basic Room caseload should spend at least half the day in the Basic Classroom. I was completely unaware of this not-rule, and immediately felt like an idiot, and felt like I completely messed up. By following instructions by my immediate boss (the principal) I upset my more distant boss (SED), and was told that I should not have told the SED at all, and that the Special Ed Program Coordinator should have heard it first so as to avoid this fiasco. WELL. I must say, I wish these "unspoken rules" would have been SPOKEN to me, seeing as I'm new and make enough mistakes without being blindsided. Also, we of course had to discuss this "inadequacy" (in my words) in front of the entire team, which embarrassed/frustrated/disheartened me more. After Team I sent out an email to the Special Ed Program Coordinator and R's Gen Ed teacher saying that I apparently messed up, wished that I had been told sooner/in a private setting, and that I intend to fix it and learn to better support R in Gen Ed, whether or not it be in my room as a Quasi-Resource Room Teacher, or support him in the transition into the actual Resource Room.
This Specially Educated me into realizing that rather than step on the toes of administrators, the only appropriate thing to do is squash my OWN toes and bear the stress and frustration.
Today was almost the second day I cried at school. Three times during the day/right after school I teared up but decided to suck it up and deal with it like a big girl.
So... since my life is an occasion, I am stepping up to it and making it as magical as I can. Even though I'm frustrated.
Thank God for my wonderful husband, mentor (Joni), and the Social Worker for taking care of me and letting me be frustrated.
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