Observed

I know this is PAST overdue, so I apologize. Now to get right into it!

Today was my first formal observation by my Principal for my Tenure process.  I had one scheduled way back in November but, to make a long story short, he cancelled it for something silly, which made me pretty upset. We rescheduled for him to see me today and it was FANTASTIC :)

I have these 9 cubes called Rory's Story Cubes.  Each cube has six pictures on it and you roll the cubes and use them to write/tell a story.  It said it could be a good party game, but I'm using it as a teaching tool :)  The kids seem to really enjoy working together (what? crazy, I know!) to write an elaborately imaginative story.  I will have to type them up and post them some day! Yesterday they wrote a story about the cast of Seseme Street and how they went to jail ;)

While being observed we wrote a crazy story about tents, airplanes, parachutes, turning L into a mouse with a magic wand, and other random things.  C and M were SUPER into it, participating and giving great ideas.  L was very much into doing his own thing, which included humming loudly, playing with the cubes, and picking at his hands (which has become a horrible obsession that he obsesses on for HOURS if I don't intervene).  Any question I asked him directly would have to be asked multiple times before I would receive an answer.  I did the usual proximity control, taking the cubes from him while still engaging C and M, giving him warnings, etc., until I could get him to participate as much as he was willing. Definitely not L's worst, thank goodness! Good thing I'm getting so good at multitasking and keeping my temper under wraps!

This is the email that I received from my Principal soon after:

"Hi Briana,

Thanks for welcoming me into your classroom.  You do a very nice job of instructing your students in an engaging way.  M and C were with you most of the time.  And, you brought L along when he needed it.  Are you available to meet at some point early next week to discuss your lesson in more detail?

G"

Not bad, I guess.

Later, after school, I was sitting in the Social Worker's office venting my anxiety about the two new students I am 99% sure I will be taking on soon when my Principal comes in and tells me that he thinks I deserve a medal for my patience with L.  He said that the humming would have driven him crazy, but that I did a fabulous job of planned ignoring and using the behavior plan while keeping the other boys engaged in the lesson.  :) YES.

Yes, I know that my Principal doesn't know much about Special Education (which is extremely unfortunate) but it felt nice to hear such encouraging words about my behavior management and my teaching skills. 

One observation under the belt :) Phew!