Yee Haw!!

This past week was very, very interesting.

I had Tuesday and Wednesday off of school. Tuesday was Student-led conferences alllllll day long and Wednesday was Veteran's Day. Student-led conferences went well. More parent-and-teacher-led than student in my classroom, but whatever. All the parents that signed up, showed up, so I was happy. Plus, I got a ton of work done around my classroom. Chuck and Joey have adjusted well to the classroom. Chuck has turned into a total show-off and loves to steal the student's attention away, they would stand at the cages for hours if I'd let them. Since this past week was so rainy, Joey got to come out and play at indoor recess, the kids were thrilled.

Mom had another MRI this past week, but I haven't heard the results of it yet. Hopefully, it's good news and the brain swelling has gone down even more to show us how Oscar is doing. We still can't get a good picture of it.

Wedding plans are still nonexistant. I know, I should be all over them like a box of PopRocks, but I just can't seem to get all my work done, clean my house, AND make wedding plans. I think subconsciously I'm waiting for all the drama to subside, which it never will because people thrive on it. But anyway.....

The classroom is going really well. I have more organization going throughout the room and the kids are catching on quickly. Each child has their own color assigned to them, for example, "J" is dark blue. So his name tag, star box, bin, drawer, etc, are all dark blue squares of construction paper (laminated, with velcro, of course!!). Even my little guy who is deaf know all his things. I only say that, because he has no communication with us, nor does he understand very much of what we're telling him. He's learning sign language and BoardMaker picture symbols, but he still has very little language. One day I asked everyone to get their bin and then I sent the various groups to their various spots, and he went and grabbed his bin all by himself. I was floored and he was so proud of himself.

I don't really have any funny stories from this past week, I'm in the process of dealing with some pretty big attitudes with some of my students, so I haven't been catching the funny moments. Friday the 13th hit my classroom pretty hard. I'm convinced my students have lunar and tide charts at home and consult them over breakfast. That's the only way I can explain it. Thankfully, Thanksgiving is coming soon and I'll get to see Schatz!! I made some great friends over the weekend and one of them agreed to do our engagement photos, I cannot even begin to describe my excitement over this. First of all, because she rocks hard core, second of all, because she's a fabulous photographer, third, because I really wanted to get photos done. :-D

Can't wait for this week, it'll be fun!!

Calm, Peace, and Quiet

Today was amazing. Up until lunchtime we had no fighting, no arguing, no biting, no floor-licking, learning, attentiveness, and wonder.

Then lunchtime came and all hell broke loose.

But for those first 4 hours....my kids LEARNED!! And I got normal teacher-stuff done! Like sending e-mails to important people who send me nasty e-mails that read "I asked you to respond 34 days ago and this is your FINAL WARNING. I SWEAR." And file all those papers that have been piling up on my desk, which was awesome. I found out afterschool the workshop I forgot I had signed up for required me to bring "one set of graded tests" (insert giggles) and "a gradebook or set of class grades from the last grading period" (begin laughing). See, my kids don't take tests. Well, I lied. They haven't taken tests YET. Because I have 9 different students learning 9 different things. And therefore, I have 9 different assessments. I also started in this room 4 weeks before the end of the grading period, so their grades were *ahem* less academic than most. Heck, I didn't get squat from the old teacher and it took me 3 freakin weeks to figure out what level these kids were at, so shoot me! The parents didn't care, all they care about is their IEP progress reports anyway, so whatever.

This workshop should be interesting. I'm kind of excited. I learned long ago I break every rule anyway, I never fit into any norm unless I'm at a workshop specifically for special education (which they never give). Heck, for awhile I was convinced I wasn't really a teacher, but the paychecks keep on coming, so I didn't say anything.

See, since I'm not a "typical grade level" teacher, I am consistantly left off of important things, like the FluMist schedule, the dental/vision/hearing screening schedule, etc. All things I get yelled at for not going to, yet I need to take my time to e-mail back saying "you left my kids off again.......when can we show up?" One of these days, I'm just gonna show up when I darn well please and watch their faces. That would be hilarious, only to me of course, but hilarious none-the-less.

In other news, I found some killer deals at the mall and got a couple of new shirts, which inspired me to clean out my closet and rid myself of all those clothes I never wear anymore. So liberating!!! It was hard though, do any of you ever go through the "oh, but I might just wear it....." or holding onto something "just in case"? Yeah, I had to really fight that urge.

Just like right now I'm fighting the urge to write my lesson plans.





still fighting...





still fighting...........





*raises white flag slowly* fine.

*sighs*

I'm starting to get frustrated at my job. I currently have 2 teachers assistants and one personal care assistant for one of my students. Only, that student is about to not be in my class anymore, so the PCA is about to leave too.

Only, she's really the only one who a) does any work in the classroom and b) is actually good at her job.

Don't get me wrong. TA#1 is a great learner, wants to do well, and listens to what I say and how I want it done. TA#2, *sighs* all I can say is box of rocks. (as in: dumb as a box of rocks, only that's really mean, so I just say box of rocks and leave the dumb part out).

I would really love to drop TA2 and have PCA stay forever, it'd be better for the kids, better for everyone, but I can't just flat out get her fired. I have to give her a chance. I have written out my "visions for the classroom" and hope that helps, but I swear, if she comes up to me tomorrow and tells me how bad my student's poop smelled up the bathroom I will snap. Poop smells. Kids who poop smell. Kids on antibiotics who poop smell. GET. OVER. IT.

(sorry for the abundent use of the word poop)

Teacher's Union

Stuff is happening that made me make the final decision, I joined a union.

I was never, ever really pro or con unions. I really just never understood them. Anytime I asked people "what's your PURPOSE???" I'd get one of two answers. Either, blahblahblah historyhistoryhistory. Or, blahblahblahblahblah and they'd lose me.

I know I'm young, but I'm not that dumb and I really just never got it. So at the beginning of the year when they were all diving around for "fresh meat" I narrowed it down to two I was "kinda interested in" and then promptly forgot about it. When reps came from each union, one was really sweet and one was obnoxious, so that made my final decision for me. Then I promptly forgot about it again.

Until today.

Today I came home, dug out the packet, and mailed my check.

Wish I could say more, I know all 1.5 readers out there are dying to hear, but you all know the rules, confidentiality.

In brighter news, I have now written a total of 7 IEPs (or iEPs as I like to call them, makes me feel better about it) and held a total of 11 iEP meetings (a few were just addendums, so I didn't have to rewrite them). I'm getting pretty good at them if I do say so myself. Today's meeting only took 30 minutes!! Start to finish!! That's a HUGE improvement over my very first iEP meeting, which took a grand total of 3 hours. I still groan thinking about it. But today's was quick and dirty. I was in, explained it all, answered every question, and was out. My kids didn't even realize I was gone, they were too busy learnin'. :)

How I survived the week....

I barely did. I got in trouble a lot. It wasn't fun. :(

But this weekend perked up. I got home from school on Friday (teacher workday!) and took a loooong nap without realizing it. Apparently I also got mad at Schatz for "breathing too loud".....right......exactly.

Then I drove up to Schatz's family's place as his little sister had a band parade early Saturday morning, so I wanted to get to the city the night before. Saturday morning dawned bright and early, complete with storm clouds and that awful misty mist. I dressed up at Pippy Longstocking for the parade (her band chose to wear halloween costumes) and the proceeded to get mistake for one of the students by all the other band moms. Let me make a note.....Little Sister is in middle school. So these parents mistook me (22, almost 23) for a 12 year old. Right. I was like, "um, no, her older brother is my fiance, I'm a teacher. Thanks though!!!"

I guess it was the pigtails.

Dear Bloggy World, I am not dead

For the few followers I had, most of you are probably gone by now, moved on to much cooler, younger teacher blogs with prettier headers.

Whatever, we all know I can't work my blog to save my life.

Anyway, wanna know whats been going on? Where to start....

Mom's health: So far, the news from the doctors has been good. Oscar (the tumor) is still there, still the same size, but not growing. The last several MRI's have been "normal" from a brain tumor point of view. We (as a family) notice little things that make mom a little different (from the old mom) but overall, considering she had brain surgery 4 months ago.......I'm completely in awe of medicine right now.

Chuck and Joey: The two little "rodents" (as Schatz calls them) just moved today, into my classroom!!! I am super excited. They completely freaked out with the level of noise that 12 students can make and all the movement and.....well.......yeah, let's leave it at that. Afterschool I was catching up on paperwork and everytime they'd make noises I'd freak out. I'm really not used to them being there and used to a totally silent classroom afterschool. That being said, I really miss them at home. :( It's lonely here! But considering I spend about 678% of my time in my classroom, I think I'll adjust.

My classroom: So I can't remember if I posted or not about my new job. So,

I got a new job!!!

Hooray!! I'm now a teacher in a self-contained classroom (severe and profound/multiple and severe) at the same school I've been teaching in all year. The principal offered me the position after it opened up a mere 6 weeks into the year and I came in guns blazing. Well, without the blazing guns part. The program was a hot mess, it was in need of structure and structure, and, well, basically some structure. I spent an entire weekend at school redoing the classroom and now I'm slowly restructuring the curriculum to fully challenge each student. I built dividers out of PVC piping and shower curtains to give each student a "cubbyhole" at their desk. Basically, it's a way for them to be completely removed from distractions long enough to get some work done. It mostly works. I also divided them into groups based on their IEP goals and abilities (The Hippos, the Monkey's, and the Lions) and we rotate through the whole day. And I neeeevvvvveeeerrrr give them an extra long recess just to give myself a few more minutes peace.

Cuz I'm such an amazing teacher I'd neeeevvvvveeeeerrrrr want to do that.

I've already received several letters from my students telling me how amazing I am and how wonderful of a teacher I am and all that wonderful stuff. My desk is already covered in pictures they want to give me. All they needed was to know that someone loves them and cares about them, which I do.

Oh, and Daddy had his retirement ceremony last weekend, after 30 years in the Air Force, he's done and off to civilian jobs. w00tw00t!!! Haha. The best part of that long weekend for me was seeing Schatz and having everyone refer to him as "my fiance". :) My sister appointed herself as my maid of honor and literally cornered Schatz and I and badgered us for almost an hour to brainstorm ideas for the wedding. Not that I'm complaining, I'm kinda busy restructuring an entire program, kinda glad she's taking the reigns, I just found it hilarious. Hmmm, what details to leak......the colors are going to be light blue and chocolate brown and it'll be a June wedding. Oh, and I am insisting on a bouncy house at the reception and being my wedding, I'll get what I want (love you Schatz!!!). If I had a choice, I want a Crayola Bouncy House (it looks like a giant crayon!!!), but if that's not available, I'll settle for a castle. :)

And with that, I have to get my tush moving on these lesson plans, they ain't gonna write themselves!!!!




One question....can someone please explain the phrase "What can I do you for?" I don't understand what it is, but I just cannot STAND that phrase. I guess because it sounds dirty to me.....

The Bible

When I became I teacher, I got a really, really bad case of Teacher Envy. I would walk into perfectly organized classrooms that were cute and fun and the kids were having a blast playing all these neat games that weren't homemade by Ally (therefore....sketchy looking) and wonder, how in the WORLD did she do it???

Then I found my answer. The Mailbox.

The Mailbox is the teachers version of the bible. And if it weren't sacreligious, I'd give up God's version in favor of the much more colorful one with tear-out games and freakin' awesome classroom ideas. (just kidding God! I love you!)

Two weekends ago I made 25 tasks to put in my centers and my kids stopped complaining they were bored in class. And now that I'm moving from resource to self-contained, I can use the magazines and books to their full extent. Life is a little strange when you don't have your own classroom, I am really excited to get my own.

My only wish is that The Mailbox would come out with a special education magazine. Right now I use kindergarten and first grade and just make it my own, but if they could have tips and ideas and all that fun stuff for a classroom fill with children with much different needs, oh, I'd be in heaven.