State: live free or die
Country: USA
Member since: Jan 12, 2008
Last logged in: Nov 27, 2008
I get to write this a second time - the first one didn't stick - maybe for good reason. I have been a teacher for thirty years. I have taught in inner cities, suburban areas, and rural communities. I have been a Reading Recovery Specialist, ESL, bilingual, and regular ed. classroom teacher. I have spent 20 years in kindergarten, and 12 of those designing a three and four year old curriculum. There's not much about play dough, or bodily fluids that I don't know. Four years ago Bud and his mom, May, came into my classroom. I have had children on the spectrum for years, more towards the Asperger end, but not someone like Bud. It was love at first sight. I love all my kids - but Bud was someone with whom I felt a connection - as was his mom. Since then, I have gone down this path of autism. Since that year, I have had 6 more children on the very wide range of the spectrum. I am working my hardest to try to "get it" and develop the best program and practices I can within our public school. I am fortunate to have an amazingly supportive special education team at work. I am, however, leaving teaching at the end of this year to pursue my passion. I never did get that Master's degree right out of college, because I was either having children of my own (4 of them), or happily teaching and waiting to see what my passion - my "special purpose" (think Steve Martin) would be. He, Bud - not Steve - walked in my room four years ago...actually, we had it planned that he would walk BY it many times over the summer to see me and the room in a variety of stages until he was ready to cross that threshold for the first time - albeit VERY briefly, and go IN. My passion: I have been attending a variety of workshops for the past two years, and have narrowed myself for the time being to get certified in RDI, as well as go through the SCERTS model in more depth. These two protocols make sense to me at the moment. My goal is to "bring it to the masses" - back to the classrooms to help others "get it"...and to work with these kids - these great kids. That's me - "There are lives I can imagine without children but none of them have the same laughter & noise." (Story People)
Favorite Compositions (0)
Mrs.H.'s Compositions
by Mrs.H. on 02.06.08 - public - 126 visits
As I sit here and compose, I can hear the frozen ice pellets hit the windows. Freezing rain. It's another two hour delay, and contrary to popular belief, teachers do not love it. My situation is fine this year, for the most part. Instead of having 13 children in the AM and 12 in the PM, I have 25 in the PM. For us it's "the more the merrier", and "mas agua en la sopa", but for my "little guys" it means simply disregulation.
I knew it yesterday when the barometer was askew. There are those who like to argue that:
1) Sugar does not make children energetic, and,
2) Children on the spectrum are not affected by the weather....
I'd like to invite those folks into my room on a rainy day-after-Halloween. Pay back....
The situation today is that the routine is, once again due to weather, holidays, vacations, disrupted. Schedules are shot, the weather is making their skin crawl, and there is a general sense of heightened energy surrounding them by the rest of the children.
So - today, I try to make sure the routine is as close to normal as I can. I greet everyone - moms included - with a great big "it's going to be okay, we'll have fun" smile. I circle the wagons, and try to create a classroom of calm, fun, joy to be amongst new friends, and a lot of singing. It feels like those old variety show acts where the plates are spinning wildly, the ball is balanced on your head, and three more juggling in the air.
I must admit - I like the challenge. However, for some of my colleagues, this will be a dismal day - and not just the weather.
Six more weeks of winter - sigh.
Anyone got a plate - I think one of mine just fell.
Comments(2)
carmel66
Posted on Tue, 5 Feb 2008
I often think of that plate spinner - and the crazy music that plays during the show...and I hum "da ya da da da da da da - da ya da da da da da da - daya da da da da da - daya daya daya daya wahaaaa wahhaaaaaaa...."
PebblePolisher
Posted on Tue, 5 Feb 2008
I think I'll just stay here in TEXAS and deal with the weather changing several times in any given day!
