Daylight Savings Time

Daylight Savings Time never really seemed to affect me... until this morning.  I think it's the greatest thing on Earth.  If everyday had 25 hours in it, my quality of life would be so much higher.  This morning, on a Sunday, I just naturally woke up at 8:30.  I know Mom, you're shocked.  

I wish I could wake up this early on every weekend day and not feel tired and wanting to go back to bed.  Imagine how productive I could be.....

I'm back!

A huge reason for my absence from blogging?  Stupid Time Warner cable.... I swear, they are ridiculous.  Our internet will go out for like a week at a time, no one comes when they schedule appointments, and it's always just quick fixes.  Like I'm terrified that as I'm writing this it will go out and be gone forever.  ANYWAYS, excuses excuses.

I am constantly exhausted.  I feel like I'm playing a never-ending game of Catch Up and failing miserably.  I don't think I'm failing at my job or anything, but it's just like things are never finished and I can never just relax without thinking about school (work) or school (grad school).  I hate doing stupid grad school stuff when I really need to be lesson planning or getting things ready for the next day.  It's very frustrating, esp. when everything you're doing in those grad school classes are a waste of time or not even applicable to what you need to know.

Work is going pretty well, all things considered.  I feel really lucky to have the co-workers that I do.  It's really easy to collaborate with people and get ideas and things from them.  It's also nice to have a group of teachers who have sort of taken me under their wings... I'm like the baby of the group.  It's still strange to me that I have friends who are 30 who I go out with and stuff.  Strange but very normal all at the same time.  Having these friends at school are great, because it gets you things you need, like SMARTBOARDS!  I'm getting one on Monday... and I'm very excited because I think it will be great for my kids and hopefully I'll be able to do a lot with it.

Halloween was a great day in school.  A teacher planned this huge Halloween party at our school for the autistic and multiple handicapped students.  Only 1 of my students brought in a costume, but luckily the drama teacher had a few extra costumes so we got my kids all dressed up, and they looked amazing!  I wish I could post pictures of them on my blog... family, you'll get pics in an email.  They had so much fun and it was just great to see them having such a great time and just being kids.  A lot of our students don't go trick-or-treating at home, so it's great to be able to do that for them in school.

I also fell in love with a kindergarten student in one of my friend's classes.  He's the most difficult one, but I love him.  I hadn't really interacted with him before Friday (honestly I was scared after hearing the stories...), but on Friday I let him come sit on my lap and he wouldn't get off.  He took my arms and put them around him so tight and just laid back and was so content.  It was so cute, yet so sad.  His teacher said that he likes the embrace so much because she doesn't think that he feels that at home.  Sad sad... maybe I'll have him next year (if I don't keep my kids for the next year).

I swear I'll start writing more.  That's my November goal.  That and to get myself organized.  If you know me at all, you know organization is my weak spot, so I must work on that.  Have a great weekend, everyone!

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?