A week in Review...sort of....

So, the first week back after a terrific weekend is typically followed by drama. I don't know why that is, but it is. Fortunately for me, most of it was pretty good. I think this year at school is different because I've got a couple boys who require so much BEHAVIOR interventions that I'm drained by the end of each day. Hence, I sit here, thankful for a couple days off... I thought you might like a bit of a re-cap:

Monday was pretty normal. I guess normal is a relative term this year. But, overall, it wasn't bad.

Tuesday was really cool, as I was able to get Dusty a part-part-time aide. Yeah, it was really cool. I had prayed a lot because Dusty required more of me than I can physically give, and I want him to be able to make gains academically. It's clear that the more I work with him, he was simply managed the past few years, with behavior the main topic. So, for him to be learning academics is a new thing, I think. He's far behind his peers, so I'm working hard with him. So, the time he isn't with me, he will be with an aide part of the time. And yes, you did read it right, he has a part-part-time aide. The guy working with Dusty is able to give him a little over an hour each day, so while it's not even a half day, I feel blessed to have it. It has freed me up to do some things with my fourth graders, and has made the regular educator's job a bit easier. Yippee skippee! Only pitfall to it all is that now all the third grade teachers feel their special education students should have an aide. :-) Well, hey, so I opened a can of worms. At least Dusty is getting the help he needs!

Wednesday was BY FAR my most stressful day of the week. It was picture day. Typically picture day isn't a big thing. They get almost everyone done before lunch, so it doesn't really affect me except for the fact my students don't stay on regular schedule that day. However, this year was different.

I have recess duty on Wednesdays, and when I went to eat lunch before the duty, as usual, noone was in the break room. Well, that's partly true. A para was in there, but I'll spare ya that story. It's not worth typing.

So noone was in the lounge and then I was told by a teacher that entered the lounge, that fourth and fifth grades (the two grades I have duty with) hadn't even eaten lunch yet. My first thought was "that's not good." I went ahead and ate. I knew it was going to be a long afternoon.

I went out for recess. Third grade had just entered the playground. And, well, extremely long story cut a bit short...I was outside for an hour and a half while classes ate and took pictures. I didn't mind. I mean, I'm a team player. And, it was a nice day out...and I was enjoying watching the kids...until...

A little boy, who I will call urinator, did just that on the playground. Yeah, first time in my 8 years of teaching that I had a kid urinate out on the playground, on purpose. He was sent in with a referral, and I thought it was over.

Then a fourth grader came up crying with his hand over his eye. Turns out john-boy kicked a kid in the eye on purpose. Yes, he was on playground equipment when it happened, but it's true. He was also sent in with a referral.

Fortunately, the two boys sent in are the ones that cause the most problems, so the rest of recess was easy. It was a day I will never forget. Urinating on the playground? All I kept thinking the rest of that day was, "You've got to be kidding me!"

Thursday was boring compared to that. Although Dusty was sick and crying and puny. I felt for him. He was without his ADHD meds, and had a cold, and was just feeling bad. I held him for a long time. He struck a kid on purpose because he wanted to be sent home. Well, give it to the kid, he may be autistic, but he's not stupid. He had to stay at school though, so his plan didn't completely work...

Today had highs and lows. Dusty was sent to school after taking his SLEEPING medication, not his ADHD meds, so he slept the first hour and a half of the day. I called his Mom, who got agrivated at me for inquiring about the meds, stating that I was not believing her. Partly true, the kid was sleeping in the Autism room due to lack of the correct meds, but, hey, somewhere in her little mind it was okay to send her kid to school after his NIGHTTIME meds. Just more to add to the documentation log...

The kids were pretty good overall though. I didn't have a whole lot of drama. I did send one kid to time-out, but it was resolved fairly quickly. So that was cool. And my favorite part of the day was when we were all reading a book about animals, and the kids were REALLY into it. This is the first year of a new reading series and the district purchased brand-new books for my kids on their reading levels, so that's been cool.

I guess I've written a chapter by now, so I shall let you go.

Thanks for reading!

Have a great day, whatever you may be doing!