One afternoon I was taking some kids to the 7-11 during half-time of the high school football game. Brittany was sitting in the front seat playing with the music on my ipod.
Terrell was sitting in the seat directly behind me. Terrell is 15 years old and pretty badass.
In the rearview mirror I see Terrell gazing out the window and wistfully singing Taylor Swift. "She wears short skirts/I wear t-shirts/She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers."
No one was really paying attention to him and he was singing so quietly I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't seen him in the rearview mirror. I watched him for a few seconds but I think one of the other kids saw me. They turned and said, "Terrell?" He seemed to come out of his Taylor Swift trance and he tried to play it off by screaming the lyrics and dancing around, but we all knew. The kids were all confused but I was dying laughing. They were traumatized.."But...but..how do you know the words?" "Terrell? What's going on?"
He told us he hears it on the radio which is his alarm clock. But we knew. The jig is up, Terrell.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
The New Guy
Here is an excerpt from his Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP):
Summary
Eric…can create a disruption to the learning environment (including calling out, being out of his seat, talking to peers during lessons, making noises) due to a history of ADHD and lead poisoning. When confronted on these disruptive behaviors or given consequences for negative behaviors, he exhibits verbal and/or physical aggression and may also elope from the classroom/building. This reactivity appears to be due to his difficulty regulating emotions, difficulty inhibiting impulses as well as misperceptions about people in his environment. Recently, Eric brought a knife to school, which was determined to be a premeditated act and not the result of the impulsivity associated with ADHD.
Preventing Strategies
Reduce distractions to Eric from the class and vice versa, access to additional academic and behavioral supports in a smaller setting when Eric is unable to complete work within his class.
Teaching Strategies
Eric will learn to link his thoughts with his feelings and behavior
Reinforcement Strategies
Eric can receive special lunches when he achieves goals.
Wtf? Some thoughts here.
1. Thank goodness the knife incident was premeditated and not the result of ADHD! Whew. Crisis averted.
2. How the HELLLLLLLL do you teach someone to “link his thoughts with his feelings and behavior”?
3. Good luck “reducing distractions” when you put him a class that really should have seatbelts on their chairs.
4. Where are these additional academic and behavioral supports? I would like to meet them.
5. Special lunches, eh? Where do these come from? Do I buy them? Is he a puppy?
I would like to thank the Special Education Team for churning out this b.s. and then acting like I should be okay with it. “Oh, he is having problems in class? Well we gave you a BIP. Just look on there.”
Summary
Eric…can create a disruption to the learning environment (including calling out, being out of his seat, talking to peers during lessons, making noises) due to a history of ADHD and lead poisoning. When confronted on these disruptive behaviors or given consequences for negative behaviors, he exhibits verbal and/or physical aggression and may also elope from the classroom/building. This reactivity appears to be due to his difficulty regulating emotions, difficulty inhibiting impulses as well as misperceptions about people in his environment. Recently, Eric brought a knife to school, which was determined to be a premeditated act and not the result of the impulsivity associated with ADHD.
Preventing Strategies
Reduce distractions to Eric from the class and vice versa, access to additional academic and behavioral supports in a smaller setting when Eric is unable to complete work within his class.
Teaching Strategies
Eric will learn to link his thoughts with his feelings and behavior
Reinforcement Strategies
Eric can receive special lunches when he achieves goals.
Wtf? Some thoughts here.
1. Thank goodness the knife incident was premeditated and not the result of ADHD! Whew. Crisis averted.
2. How the HELLLLLLLL do you teach someone to “link his thoughts with his feelings and behavior”?
3. Good luck “reducing distractions” when you put him a class that really should have seatbelts on their chairs.
4. Where are these additional academic and behavioral supports? I would like to meet them.
5. Special lunches, eh? Where do these come from? Do I buy them? Is he a puppy?
I would like to thank the Special Education Team for churning out this b.s. and then acting like I should be okay with it. “Oh, he is having problems in class? Well we gave you a BIP. Just look on there.”
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Great Hoodie Controversy of 2009
So every day for the past month, our morning and afternoon announcements have consisted of this: “Teachers! Students are still wearing hoodies in your classroom! There are to be no hoodies or jackets or anything of that nature on your students. Students should wear their uniform and leave all other things in their lockers. Teachers, I am holding you responsible for the students in your classroom.” She also sends around administrators to go into classrooms and take children’s jackets.
Yesterday, Jonnae was wearing a purple sweater (her uniform color is hunter green) with a hood on it. I told her to take it off. She yelled, she screamed, she moaned and complained. She went to Principal. Principal apparently told her it was okay, she could wear it (but, conveniently, she didn’t tell ME that she could wear it.) So she tries to stroll back into my room. I tried to stop her and she flipped out. Principal was in the hallway. I asked her if Jonnae could wear the hoodie/sweater. She said, “Of course! We never said they couldn’t wear sweaters!” I rolled my eyes and walked away.
I went to her office later. I said, “I need some clarification on this hoodie/sweater rule. What can they wear and what can’t they wear?” She tells me they have always been able to wear sweaters, just not “hoodies…you know? Hoodies.” I said, “Okay, you should probably be clearer with your directions, because it sounds like they can’t wear anything but their uniform. Can they wear any color sweater?” She said, “We decided this already.” (We did??) “They can wear sweaters that are brown, white, black or the school colors.” (The school colors are blue and white? I think.) I said, “But her sweater HAS A HOOD and is PURPLE.” She said, “Ugh! Just let her wear it!!”
1. If they can wear sweaters but not hoodies, that basically is saying that girls can wear jackets and boys can’t. (Do you know any boys who wear cardigans?)
2. Why is it such a big deal if I don’t follow your rules, but I’m the annoying one when I’m trying to get clarification on your dumbass rule?
3. WHO CARES???!!!!!! Sweaters, jackets, hoodies, whatever. The temperature in the building is a crapshoot everyday anyway.
Let’s worry about our real problems? Like the fighting and the complete lack of work ethic. Granted, you can say that if you let the little things slide, you’re going to let the big things slide; but this same Hoodie Nazi is the woman who, during our faculty meeting, said, “Our suspensions are down. I’m not going to suspend somebody for something as simple as cursing you out. That is something you need to deal with.”
So, from now on, you can be in full-out eskimo gear and Miss Vinson will not say anything to you. I tried following the rules. It didn't work.
Yesterday, Jonnae was wearing a purple sweater (her uniform color is hunter green) with a hood on it. I told her to take it off. She yelled, she screamed, she moaned and complained. She went to Principal. Principal apparently told her it was okay, she could wear it (but, conveniently, she didn’t tell ME that she could wear it.) So she tries to stroll back into my room. I tried to stop her and she flipped out. Principal was in the hallway. I asked her if Jonnae could wear the hoodie/sweater. She said, “Of course! We never said they couldn’t wear sweaters!” I rolled my eyes and walked away.
I went to her office later. I said, “I need some clarification on this hoodie/sweater rule. What can they wear and what can’t they wear?” She tells me they have always been able to wear sweaters, just not “hoodies…you know? Hoodies.” I said, “Okay, you should probably be clearer with your directions, because it sounds like they can’t wear anything but their uniform. Can they wear any color sweater?” She said, “We decided this already.” (We did??) “They can wear sweaters that are brown, white, black or the school colors.” (The school colors are blue and white? I think.) I said, “But her sweater HAS A HOOD and is PURPLE.” She said, “Ugh! Just let her wear it!!”
1. If they can wear sweaters but not hoodies, that basically is saying that girls can wear jackets and boys can’t. (Do you know any boys who wear cardigans?)
2. Why is it such a big deal if I don’t follow your rules, but I’m the annoying one when I’m trying to get clarification on your dumbass rule?
3. WHO CARES???!!!!!! Sweaters, jackets, hoodies, whatever. The temperature in the building is a crapshoot everyday anyway.
Let’s worry about our real problems? Like the fighting and the complete lack of work ethic. Granted, you can say that if you let the little things slide, you’re going to let the big things slide; but this same Hoodie Nazi is the woman who, during our faculty meeting, said, “Our suspensions are down. I’m not going to suspend somebody for something as simple as cursing you out. That is something you need to deal with.”
So, from now on, you can be in full-out eskimo gear and Miss Vinson will not say anything to you. I tried following the rules. It didn't work.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Leaving All The Children Behind
So I have a 7th grade class of students in which nine of them read at or below a 3rd grade level. Two of them read on a first grade level. Five of them were previously in a self-contained classroom, but put into the regular education classroom because “they can do the work.”
The special education teacher told me she doesn’t understand how one of these kids could be passing my class because he reads on a first grade level. I told her I have to grade him differently than everyone else because he obviously is not able to do all of the work. She said, “Just fail him and they will send him back.”
Which brings me to Victor. He reads on a 2nd grade level (well, we think. He refused to finish the test, so they just graded the few questions he answered.) He will do a good 10 minutes of work for me and then he’s done for the rest of the day (80 more minutes). He is very pleasant for me, but it is pretty much impossible to get him to do any more work. Even if I sit beside him and try to work him through it. Well, I went to the special education team to tell them that he is not doing well at all in the regular education setting and needs to be back in a classroom which can better accommodate him. I was told that he has, on multiple occasions, threatened to kill his special education teacher. Therefore, “he doesn’t threaten to kill you, so we’re going to keep him in your class.” So, this one, even if he fails every assignment, is with me for the long haul.
Another child in the same class, Dennis, is also on a 3rd grade reading level. He disappeared a few weeks ago because he got suspended. The suspension was for three days, but he’s been gone for a good two weeks. I found out today he has been placed in high school. In the middle of the year. From seventh grade. To high school. He can barely read.
The special education teacher told me she doesn’t understand how one of these kids could be passing my class because he reads on a first grade level. I told her I have to grade him differently than everyone else because he obviously is not able to do all of the work. She said, “Just fail him and they will send him back.”
Which brings me to Victor. He reads on a 2nd grade level (well, we think. He refused to finish the test, so they just graded the few questions he answered.) He will do a good 10 minutes of work for me and then he’s done for the rest of the day (80 more minutes). He is very pleasant for me, but it is pretty much impossible to get him to do any more work. Even if I sit beside him and try to work him through it. Well, I went to the special education team to tell them that he is not doing well at all in the regular education setting and needs to be back in a classroom which can better accommodate him. I was told that he has, on multiple occasions, threatened to kill his special education teacher. Therefore, “he doesn’t threaten to kill you, so we’re going to keep him in your class.” So, this one, even if he fails every assignment, is with me for the long haul.
Another child in the same class, Dennis, is also on a 3rd grade reading level. He disappeared a few weeks ago because he got suspended. The suspension was for three days, but he’s been gone for a good two weeks. I found out today he has been placed in high school. In the middle of the year. From seventh grade. To high school. He can barely read.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Oh, Come ON! (Part Two)
So this didn't happen to me, but it's still so ridiculous I had to share.
Apparently a girl snuck a knife into school the other day. The kids were going to Art class, and about 5 of them told the asst. principal that this girl had a knife. What does this guy do? He walks the students to their next class and tells the teacher, "Watch so-and-so, she has a knife." WTF?
The teacher then SEES the knife. Multiple students in the class SEE the knife. The teacher told me he was just dumbfounded. WHY IS SHE IN CLASS IF EVERYONE KNOWS SHE HAS A KNIFE? And, what do you mean "watch her"? What kind of ridiculous statement is that?
She eventually is taken downstairs, but she has hidden the knife at this point. Since the principal or police officers didn't see it, nothing happens. Nothing at all. Not even detention.
Apparently a girl snuck a knife into school the other day. The kids were going to Art class, and about 5 of them told the asst. principal that this girl had a knife. What does this guy do? He walks the students to their next class and tells the teacher, "Watch so-and-so, she has a knife." WTF?
The teacher then SEES the knife. Multiple students in the class SEE the knife. The teacher told me he was just dumbfounded. WHY IS SHE IN CLASS IF EVERYONE KNOWS SHE HAS A KNIFE? And, what do you mean "watch her"? What kind of ridiculous statement is that?
She eventually is taken downstairs, but she has hidden the knife at this point. Since the principal or police officers didn't see it, nothing happens. Nothing at all. Not even detention.
Oh, Come ON!
There was a fire this morning. Some kid set a bulletin board aflame. It was at 7:25a.m. (Some kids are in the cafeteria for breakfast, but homeroom doesn't start until 7:45) We had to evacuate.
But you know what, whatever. It's not even the fire. That's like the 3rd fire this year, none of them have caused any real damage besides us having to stand outside.
Here's my problem. It's 7:45ish in the morning and you are dropping your child off at school. When you get there, you see 2 firetrucks, one ambulance and 200 people standing in the grass. AND YET YOU STILL DROP THE KID OFF AND DRIVE AWAY? Not even a roll-down-the-window "hey, what's going on?"??! This wasn't just a couple of parents. It happened close to 30 times. At what job would "Sorry I'm five minutes late, but my kid's school was on fire" not count as a legitimate excuse? What would possess someone to push an 11 year old out into 30 degree weather with emergency vehicles without some sort of explanation? What could possibly be going on that is so important?
Or, I guess it could be even worse. Do these parents have some lackadaisical "oh, this happens all the time" attitude?
PEOPLE! GET IT TOGETHER!
But you know what, whatever. It's not even the fire. That's like the 3rd fire this year, none of them have caused any real damage besides us having to stand outside.
Here's my problem. It's 7:45ish in the morning and you are dropping your child off at school. When you get there, you see 2 firetrucks, one ambulance and 200 people standing in the grass. AND YET YOU STILL DROP THE KID OFF AND DRIVE AWAY? Not even a roll-down-the-window "hey, what's going on?"??! This wasn't just a couple of parents. It happened close to 30 times. At what job would "Sorry I'm five minutes late, but my kid's school was on fire" not count as a legitimate excuse? What would possess someone to push an 11 year old out into 30 degree weather with emergency vehicles without some sort of explanation? What could possibly be going on that is so important?
Or, I guess it could be even worse. Do these parents have some lackadaisical "oh, this happens all the time" attitude?
PEOPLE! GET IT TOGETHER!
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