Yes I am alive, yes I'm still teaching, yes my kids are still angel monsters, and yes, I just got back internet.

Look for an update tomorrow... promise.

I have a book by Bill Ayers... am I a terrorist too?

Anyways.... I don't mean to get all political, since that's not really the point of this blog... but, this video is hilarious. Pay attention to the old people in the back. (I wish I knew how to upload videos from YouTube directly to the blog.... help please?????)


Today was a beautiful day, and what made it even more beautiful was the fact that I didn't have to work. Summer's back, at least for the weekend, and it's glorious. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Low Point

Today was the first day that I actually screamed at them.  I have to yell on a daily basis to be firm with them, but it's always controlled and concise.  Not this time.

Everyone was making noise, no one was sharing, everyone trying to get my attention at the same time, putting things in their mouths, eating 5 day old marshmallows that were glued to paper as part of a math lesson, breaking things..... and then, the New Girl stood straight up, on the rocking chair.

And I flipped out.  And right at that instant I wanted to scream and cry at the same time.  WHY CAN'T THEY JUST LISTEN TO ME??????

I never want to scream at them again... but it was the end of the day and I was sick of it and just like snapped.  Luckily no one else was in the room with me at the time to witness such an embarrassing loss of control on my part.

Thursday is Yom Kippur, Monday Columbus Day.... Thursday Yom Kippur, Monday Columbus Day.... it's my current mantra.  PLEASE BE GOOD TOMORROW CHILDREN.

Blah....

Hi blog world,

I'm really falling down on my blog duties... I just don't have much to write lately.  Work has become less "shocking" and more routine, so there aren't as many interesting stories to tell.  Things are pretty business as usual.  Right now we're learning about weather and seasons.  Fun fun.

Surprisingly, math is my favorite thing to teach.  Don't ask why... I don't know why.  I had a student the other day say "Miss A, I'm MAD at you."  Very clear and concise emotion-filled sentence for a kid w/ autism.  Then he even explained why he was mad.  I was so happy he was expressing himself with an emotion other than "I'M FINE!" and able to justify why.  I had to tell him that I was sorry he was mad but I was happy that he was telling me how he was feeling.  He just got really confused.

I know they're learning, even if it's not necessarily what I'm teaching.  Example: I did a lesson about clouds, and although they don't remember much about clouds, they remember the concept of big/little, which was a side, small component of the lesson.  So they're learning SOMETHING.  

My best friend comes to town on FRIDAY!  She'll be here for Friday night, all of Saturday, and most of Sunday.  On Saturday, we're going to the Madonna concert at MSG.  I can't believe I'm 22, been a Madonna fan my entire life (before I could talk I think), and yet have never been to a concert.  The time has come... 

PS: Thanks for the advice on the previous post, everyone :)

Need Advice.

So here's the sitch.  The other day, I got a call from my super low funtioning student's "service coordinator".  From what I understand, she's appointed from some agency to oversee all of his related service and educational things... I don't really know.  Anyways, she wants to have a meeting w/ me and his mother to discuss if he should be attending our school.

To be honest, I think he would be better in a more intensive school.  I can't give him the attention and behavior therapy that he needs all day.  He's at a VERY different level than the rest of the students.  BUT, that's not what I'm *supposed* to say.  Because it reflects badly on our school if we're unable to accomodate him.

My principal told me to go with my gut and to just say what I thought during the meeting, but I know she doesn't want me to say it.  The "unit coordinator" at our school is also sitting in on the meeting to give her input and whatever.  She's been in my class for a total of 10 seconds this year, so she can't have much say really.

So the huge moral dilemma is, who am I working for right now?  Am I working for the school or for the student?  My gut instinct in this case is to tell the truth... that I don't think we can meet his needs and that he should be in a separate school.  I don't want to be on my principal's bad side, but the second that I stop doing what's best for the kids is the second I stop really doing my job, right?

Who knows, maybe nothing will even really come of this meeting.  It's going to happen sometime this upcoming week.... so if any veteran teachers out there have any advice as to how to not make my school look bad, but also to get this student the education that he is legally entitled to?  Ideas ideas?