Just wondering

At the end of the day a fellow staff member sends an email of a picture to the team.

Subject:  I just wanted to share what a student did to  me today...

Body: So you understand why I made the decision I did.

(staff attached picture of arm) Picture is of a bruise on her forearm.

And really why do you have to be so criptic?

My initial thoughts:
Do you want some sympathy?
Are you wanting brownie points?
Do you want to start a cat fight?
Really what do you want??

Word on the street is that she quit because she got hurt at work. Umm...

Okay - not saying what the student did was right, cause he wasn't. But what did you do to cause said reaction. Just wondering...  You're going to let a middle schooler win over a bruise? Really??

My twisted sense of humor says this:

Cool I got a bruise from a student. Goes with the theme of the year. Gives me bragging rights for a while. :) Then would promptly write the student up.

It might be...

It might be a long week, when after finishing a conversation you close your eyes and start walking and walk right into a wall. Bang your head not once but twice.

It might be a long week when you spend more time in the deans office or meetings than teaching.

When it takes over a week to put up a new bulletin board, you got issues.

When it takes at least three blog posts to update the week - it may have been a long week.

When you start to get on your own nerves it may have been a long week.

When your parents notice your stress level, it may have been a long week.

It might have been a long week when you have to send an email to the entire staff asking where you left your portable stool because quite frankly you don't remember where you left it.

It might be a long week when you send out an email about going over ISTEP Materials and you find out that you didn't put what date you wanted to meet.

• in my defense I knew in my head when I wanted to meet.

I love parents

A student of mine decided to steal a set of headphones, and an IPhone out of a backpack. He kindly returned the headphones but took the phone. He decided that it would be best to give the phone to a friend. This friend then destroys and looses the phone. The best part.. they discuss this in text message how the phone was destroyed and lost...

Mom comes in upset at me... Why?

I hadn't followed up with her about counseling (Mom - I completed the in house referral. therapist will get to you)

Why are you suspending him? What he did was wrong but you still have to teach him (I don't know.. he stole a phone and worked with someone to destroy it)

. Why didn't anyone tell me. (You changed your number, left the old number voice mail with your name on it and didn't tell the front office to change it. Besides your son was told)

But he as ADHD and theft is part of that. (But, you don't go into a backpack, get two items, put one back, give item to friend and discuss with friend what happened to the said item through texts. That's not lack of inpulse)

But he's ODD and he chose to be defiant. (I choose to respectfully disagree. Your key word there is chose. This who incident was too planned to be a result of ODD. Sorry)


In a different situation. Going through setting up an expulsion hearing for another student who isn't mine. Through this we have daughter impersonating mom, mom being a drama queen and involving everyone she can but doesn't have the time to meet with us for the hearing.

Today parent called me to make sure I got her fax. I had. Mom told me that her daughter needs a consequence but she needs to be back in school with restrictions. Expulsion is to harsh. The district she works for as a teacher has those steps. Well Mom we don't have that option but thanks for asking.

This is the same parent that

•  told the dean she can't attend the expulsion because she is a teacher doing ISTEP next week. Cause you know I'm not doing that. 
•  told the dean to go ahead and expel her daughter because she needs a consequence and she is tired of her behavior
• called the dean and said we can't expel her daughter because she has bipolar and we knew that when she was at our school in 7th grade. 
• Sorry I've slept since then and I don't remember
• She doesn't show signs in school
• Oh she doesn't have an IEP and has never been tested from her previous school.. 

When I got done talking with parent she said that she could no longer talk because she had an important phone call coming in on the other line.

What just happened...

This really happened today...

End of the day had a staff member come to me and say hey did you hear that K got suspended today?

No - but she is a high schooler so I'm not surprised that I haven't heard about it. Haven't talked with the dean in a few hours. I will figure it out.

Went to check my email... and have an email already from the parent asking me if I had heard that K had been suspended for being rude to her teacher. She's upset that no one told her or the building therapist. (keep in mind mom is telling me she got suspended but yeah she doesn't know) Then tells me that she is calling the DOE because she is tired of this mess and everyone was yelling at her including my boss. Cause you know this triggers her and causes her to regress which is unacceptable.  Mom also tells me that she is an autistic... (umm no Mom she's not)

Okay Mom have fun with that one... My response.. Nope hadn't heard she had been suspended. (as my Pinocchio nose grows)

So I go and talk with the Dean to find what landmine I'm walking into. Turns out that. it was the director that started this whole mess. He had walked by classroom where student was and heard loud voices and walked in. He started to correct students and tell the teacher what he needed to do. (In the teacher's defense it wasn't that big of a deal, it was a loud conversation nothing more) At which point the Dean walks by, sticks his head in and the Director tells the dean which students need to be taken out. He points to above student and loudly says she needs to go, which sets her off to the point that the dean has to get in between the two of them.

Dean takes all three students down to his office... students calmed down and were like really it's not what he says. Director walks in and Dean asks what he wants done and Director says suspend them all for disrespecting me.  So the dean does the paperwork though he doesn't agree with it and notifies the parents.

So - after I responded to the parent about not knowing about the suspension I get a second email telling me:

Yes and its protocol K can't be left at home by herself under no circumstances I'm so tired of people overstepping her boundaries 

I didn't respond... 

What went through my head.... 

Ummm.. I don't have a protocol that she can't stay at home by herself... Not my domain.  Crossing boundaries... umm maybe but I think your going a bit far.. okay.. 

Forwarded the first email to my director since she said she was going to the DOE (have fun). 

Bosses response: I didn't scream at her. Dean had to go after her. I don't know what happened after that... BULL CRAP. 

Just checked my email... 

Got an email from my Director that was sent to Mom..

I hope this emails find you well. Mr. A has tried to reach you today to inform you about the situation however he couldn't reach you and he has sent you an email.

When we meet next week I can explain you in detail what has happened exactly. 

If she can't stay at home and you have no one to take care of her, we can definitely help you with the situation. We have in school suspension and she can do her class work in the room with a supervisor. 

Since I'll be in Ohio tomorrow, I won't be able to meet you in person. However, Ms.D and Mr.A can assist you with the procedure. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. 

 

See those tire tracks on my back...yeah that's from the bus going over me.. 

 

And what about the other two students who are suspended OSS??? 

 

I emailed the Dean and said:

 

I have no response other than WTF!!!!

Rough Day

I would like to tell you that this adventure is all laughs and giggles and rainbows. Honestly, I can tell you it's not. It's a lot of hard work, sweat, stress and a whole bunch of tears.

There are days you have to laugh because if not, well quite frankly you may cry trying. Today was one of those days. I don't where to start with the day or even how to start or better yet that I even want to start.

Today is one of those days that quite frankly you get beaten by the job. Doesn't happen often folks, but it does happen. You sit in your office at the end of the day wondering what just happened and you have no idea. Anxiety and stress are so high that who knows where to start... You don't know if your more upset with staff, students or yourself.

Teaching is hard.. oh so very hard... don't let anyone tell you it's not. Rewarding yes.... easy... hell no.

Stepping away...

You know when...

You know when you are tired when the black circles under the eyes can no longer be hidden...

You know your a tired special ed teacher when:

BB: Hey Ms. D. Why do you always look so tired every time I see you.
Me: Cause I am
Another teacher: See they have her running around here taking care of everything and she's extra special so she doesn't have time to rest.
Me: Sure - I will go with that...
BB: Well okay then...

Yes the student may qualify for captain obvious some days.

Happy Wednesday!

Morning starts with manifestation meeting - therapist says that the IEP wasn't implemented because she wasn't notified. Nope sorry it was followed... your just not part of the IEP. Can't save them all.

Then mom drops the bombshell that both sons have a pending court case coming up for theft. Why? They were conned by another teen to steal something from a store downtown. Mom - here's your sign and the writing on the wall.

Told one of the deans today that I was no longer opening emails from him... Why? They require more manifestations and expulsion hearings. I ain't got time for that.

A student who we haven't seen since Nov 20 showed up today all smiles and happy. Dad said she will be going to an online school now. Cause yes this will solve all the problems...

Dad told a staff member that he didn't think that his daughter was autistic and that his daughter didn't think she was autistic either. Why? Because he asked her if she thought she was.

Reading Material

Last week I was speaking with a teacher friend of mine about books we would recommend to new teachers.

This really got me thinking. The books that I would have recommended first hand 13 years ago are not the same books that I would recommend today. Not to say that those books are bad because their not. They truly have their place and still have a go to for me

13 years ago I would have said you have to have:

The First 100 Days by Harry Wong
Tools for Teaching by Fred Jones

Again both fantastic books but after some time, I think there other books that are just as important if not more so than those two. Though I do recommend you having them, as they are both are on my book shelf.

Where would I start today? What would I recommend to a first year teacher? Here you go:

A Child Called It - by Dave Pelzer

A Framework For Understanding Poverty by Ruby Pain

Teaching With Love and Logic: Taking Control of the Classroom by Jim Fay and David Funk.
on a side note if you have an opportunity to take a class on this I highly recommend it.

Happy Reading!

Wait, you wrote what?

I can honestly say that I have worked with some great parents along my way these last 13 years. That's not to say that I haven't had my fair share of parents who gave me grief along the way. But I can say I have been lucky. Then there are those parents that just crack me up.

I am in the process of testing a student for a disability, autism specifically. Mom has consented... though she says that sped labels just mask school system failures. I thought that would be the end of my entertainment with her nope.

I had her fill out some behavior rating scales. Here is some of her comments to questions that were asked:

List sports your child most likes to participate in - 

Bike Riding - Below average - he outgrew bike

Has your child had any academic problems in school?

Yes - (please describe) Too many to list here

Please describe the best things about your child:

Smart, Considerate, Self Possessed

Parent has to choose from 0 Never to 4 Very Frequently

not understand why others don't like him or her

How would I know?

Do you have any other concerns about your child? 
None that decent role models/ functional school system wouldn't solve

What strengths does your child have?
My kid is awesome.

On the last form the parent is given a list of behaviors and they have to rate their frequency of doing the behavior as one of the following:

Is not able
Never when needed
Sometimes when needed
Always when needed

Then there is a bubble that they can mark if they make a comment. Here are the statements that she was to rate with the comments she had...

Places local phone calls - doesn't get the opportunity too

Carries enough money to make small purchases for example  -  doesn't get the chance (but she marked always when needed)

Walks alone to friend's houses in the neighborhood - walks to store not friends (she marked always when needed and this followed the above statement)

Carries personal identification when traveling to nearby places in the community (always when needed, and she guessed on this one) why would he? this is ridiculous

Finds and uses a pay phone  If you  could find a pay phone I'd be shocked.

Takes people on trips to nearby places, for example takes a younger child to the park   no one to do this with/ for

Reads classified ads for purchases or services (marked always) How old is this survey

Looks at pictures or reads books or magazines during free time-  online not physical

Ties his/ her own shoes: Knows the "right" way but insists on doing it his own way.

Gets out of bed on time by himself/herself Just recently started setting own alarm and getting ready for school himself

Works on one home or school activity for at least 15 min - home not school (despite early in survey she noted he refused to do certain types of chores such as sweeping)

Controls anger when another person breaks the rules in games and other fun activities  frustration not anger

Shows sympathy for others when they are sad or upset (she marked never) Who on earth does that? Perhaps this survey was created for a person who has difficulty understanding social cues and interacting with others

My first thought on last one.. DOH!!! Ummm.. we are testing for autism... .and social cues and peer interactions are HALLMARK traits.. I think we may have figured out Mom as well..

One last...

The last section is based on work.  The directions state

Complete the Work skill area if the individual being rated holds a part time or full time job.

Mom started to fill out that section which is common as you get into the habit of filling out the survey - many people have done it no big deal..

She gets halfway through - crosses out what she has.. underlines  individual being rated holds a part time or full time job. and writes above it no job... Thanks Mom!

It also amazes me looking at this, how many things mom guessed on. I just find it interesting..

All in a days work.

Its been a week

This week has been a rather busy week.

Many of my students have been making poor decisions. At one point I even asked one of my students about it:

Me: Did I miss the crazy memo?
CT: Nope
Me: Crazy meeting?
CT: Nope
Me: Well what ever I missed that you all discussed I want it taken back. NOW!!! I can't do this!
CT: Laughs
Me: Run boy run!

Me and another staff member before going into what we knew was going to be a long and stressful meeting...

Me: We must say our prayers before going in
Staff: yes which would you like
Me: Dear Lord, I know you find this funny right now, but really it's not you can stop any time
Staff: yes that is a good one

Dean walks up a few minutes later and we say we have said our prayers - he makes the sign of the cross.
Love my staff!

When the deans say they have cops coming in a few minutes, your first question is what the hell did my kids do now?
Deans - not your kids
Me- Oh thank God!! Sorry for you but I'm happy it's not me......

Signs it's going to be a long week on Tuesday - your convinced a student of yours is high on something but you can't prove it and she won't tell you what she's taken.

I enjoy collaborating with fellow staff members - just now when they want to make it a complain fest.

When a completely insane parent of yours does a better job of subbing than the subs that are brought in - it may be time to throw in the towel.

When admin doesn't want said parent cause well she's crazy but loves the sub from the day before who had NO control because she taught in another country and was modifying the lesson - its going to be a long rest of the year.

And by modifying the assignment I mean they were to write about themselves:
What do you like to do?
What is your favorite color?
What do you like to do with your friends?

And the students were supposed to be working on an ISTEP writing prompt. Details.

Where?

It is 8:15 on a Thursday night... Where might you find your favorite SPED teacher?

Sitting at her computer getting ready to start in on work for a second round :) Cause she loves her job so much!

In all fairness I did leave work at 4:45.

Went straight to church meeting at 5:30 - lasted an hour. Left there to go to Super Target for ink for home printer cause I know I would be working tonight.

Went to drive through at one restaurant but really didn't want to wait in a long line, so went to another and headed home for the night.

So in all fairness I have only been home 30 min.

My goal is to do another blog post tonight.. We shall see

Bad form all around

If you are a parent wondering if your behavior for a conference is in bad form might I offer some things not to do...

• email your child's teacher saying you don't know if it will be a phone conference or an in person conference to then have your child rat you out saying that you didn't have to work that day. 
• email your child's teacher 2 hours before conference saying you need to push back the meeting 30 min and you may be late and wonder if that's okay. 
• when agreed upon meeting is now at 1:30 and by 3:15 you still aren't there - you might be in bad form. 
• when you call up to the school at 3:30 to have your kids up front to be picked up by you - I recommend you tread lightly
• when you rush into school 5 min later complaining you have no time, classes and papers and make no mention of your child's conference that you missed... meeting me in a dark alley may be a blessing... just saying

 Sometimes when parents say that they are going to pull their student out of your school, they think it's a threat. Honestly sometimes it's really not. Sometimes we are silently chatting... "Do it!" Also   we will throw you the form and ask you to sign it and we will fill out the rest. We promise to be honest!

It may be in bad form to tell me to email you something you signed because that is where you keep your child's IEP stuff and then turn around and tell me that you don't check your email that often when you think I have done something wrong.

It may be in bad form if you tell the school not to call you about your child's behavior (throwing of chairs) because you are dealing with a medical issue. The medical issue: pregnancy.

It may be in bad for if you tell teachers that you don't know what to do for your son because it's not your problem as you are taking care of 3 other children at home at the moment.

Students - it may be in bad form to hit the principal even if he was trying get you into another room.

Principal- it may be in bad form to touch an upset student. Its worse form to say in front of him 10 days pending expulsion. It will only make him more mad. It will infuriate your staff if after the whole incident is over, you say that the child has no consequence and he can come back to school on Monday.  (cause him being in the office madder than a hornet wasn't the first time today)

Principal - it may be in bad form for to ask your SPED staff to help fill in for Friday night school when they have just been through a horrific week and two of them are hobbling as they walk out of the building with one getting x-rays on her way home.  We love our jobs really, but sometimes there is not enough money for us to stay an extra three hours.

One might think that it is just parents students and staff that entertain me. Believe it or not the general public sometimes entertains me just as much if not more. We have conferences tomorrow (yes on a Saturday, no I'm not happy but I digress) and I am remembered a story from I want to say about 2 years ago when we were doing our annual showcase (end of the year event kids demo what they know) The story goes something like this

A man walks into the building and up to the table that I am sitting at. He appears to be interested in what we are doing asks me about the school and the even that we are doing. You know all of the right questions. Finally he says that he's really not interested in the event, he stopped in because he saw that we were a school and open. See he and his friends, all in a band, were passing though town and stopped. He came in because he thought that since we were a school we would have showers in the locker room that he and his band mates could use as they were passing through.  Nope sorry we don't.

Eh?

I really have no words for today... I really just don't.

Never a good day when you wake up 15 min before you supposed to leave for work.

The thought to call in tired crosses your mind... then you realize that you don't have time for that... for the rest of the week... a sad moment...

When you see things in writing that probably should be in writing... that's never a good thing.

When by 9 am you have to explain to your boss that you have to admit what is written in writing or face a trip to the DOE... not a way to continue the day.

When you have to listen to an explanation that it is inconvenient that a child was suspended (not that they support what the child did) - I don't feel sorry for you.

When you are told that you didn't give a parent enough notice for a conference.. Umm... called you last week and sent home conference notice Monday for Wed. Not my problem you don't check your email and your kids don't give you what I send home.

Also getting upset which of your kids names I put on the envelope and which one I send it home with does not bode well for you. Again - the child it was for was suspended couldn't give it to him... I'm not that good.

When you get all happy that it's Thursday and you have time to catch a breath, and then get your bubble busted that it's only Wednesday... You have just earned McDonald's for lunch (and you swore that off)

You text your best friend saying I know we are supposed to get together at some point tonight but lets be real... I'd rather be be asleep by 9pm. Can't do that if we hang out... and she completely understands!

When staff are upset at you because a student walks out of class because he has use of a chill pass in his IEP.... you might be a sped teacher...

My response - No he can not walk out of class that is NOT part of the deal. Call if he needs a chill. If he walks out of a class... give him a consequence. Duh..

Staff: You mean that we can punish SPED kids... yes... yes you can.. I get that most of my kids respond to me because they know I will hold them accountable... but they need to be accountable to you as well. I won't be around for ever.

When you can not only entertain your hair dresser with stories from work but she and the hair dresser next to her actually look forward to your insane stories from work.. we have success...

You are encouraged by said hair dressers to write the book because the stories need to be heard is excellent! They do agree that it would need to be in science fiction because really, this can't be made up and really no one would believe half of this anyway. Lets be real here. 

On a side note Cat fights in email are great - cat fights in person - even better!

Dear parents - when you want to transfer your student to my school.. be honest about why they are in a self contained classroom. When I have to read about behavior that is getting worse as of a week ago -it's not going to go well. I do have the power to put you on a wait list forever. Don't try me... 

Parents - I get that not all students may fit at certain schools. Please though be honest - I know when you are looking at other schools. Don't tell me that you don't what direction to go when your husband tells me what schools you are looking for.

Also why would you want to go to a school out of district that you have to provide transportation for vs the high school in your home school that is closer that you can get a bus. Oh wait home high school is too big. (other schools: one has a reputation for violence and the other has a massive amount of steps... not good if you have CP.

Random

When you are called on the walkie talkie 3 times and called out in the hallway that your appointment is here, each time explaining that you are in the middle of something you might be a special ed teacher. ( On the last occurrence I looked at the student and said I made that clear the first 3 times right? Student: Yep)

When you are called on the walkie talkie at 8:15 that someone is here to test (students don't enter the building for a good 10 min) and the only come back is the obvious - they will have to wait - you may be a special ed teacher.

When you give a teacher a student input form to fill out, and the teachers response is that child is so low that it will be hard to fill out for him... you might be a special ed teacher.  (Student identified as a student with a specific learning disability today)

When a parent starts arguing about test results being invalid before you even start discussing them you might be a special ed teacher.

When you have to tell an already pissed off parent that her child doesn't qualify despite her thinking he has an IQ issue you might be a special ed teacher.

When a group of teachers agree that when one of your kiddos walks out of class they will serve an after school detention because you gave them a chill out pass - you might be a special ed teacher.

When parent asks to change a conference time an hour before conference when you have your part time contracted school psych there for the day... you might be a sped teacher.

You might be a sped teacher when a parent says they don't want a phone conference because they would be to far away from you.

When a parent says they will be 15 min late to a conference, you plan accordingly and then they show up on time at the first time and your scrambling because your now not prepared.... you might be a sped teacher.

When a grandparent through speaker phone tells you that their grandson is not special education material - you might be a special ed teacher at an initial conference.

When a parent asks you what does a specific learning disability in reading means - you might be a sped teacher. (No the obvious answer is not have you not been paying attention the last 30 min going over an explanation of test results that supports you saying your child has problems)

When a parent says they know that their child has problems, you offer an IEP after testing they respond by saying they need to research a specific learning disability in reading and special education and they need to pray about what to do - you might be a special education teacher

When a teacher tells you that you need to write a behavior plan for a student up for expulsion and that child has a behavior plan that teachers have had access to all year - you might be a special ed teacher.

When a teacher walks out of a classroom to go and talk to the principal about him not writing a hall pass for two students and asks you to cover her class - you might be a special education teacher.

Email from a teacher - J walked out of class. Anyone know where she is? Response: She's standing out of  your classroom.

Take away a rubix cube from a student so that he will do his work. Response: You have no right to take that away from me. Then refuses to work for the remainder of the period, finally walking out of class.

When a student calls classmates assholes and then throws a chair - you might be a speical ed teacher.

Stopped in the hallway telling me that I need to check my voicemail because my 10:30 meeting needs me to call them. She wanted to make sure I called her so she got sent to my voice mail. This 5 min before I am supposed to start a day of conferences.

Call parent - Wants to know if she can reschedule because the state is coming to check out the daycare today and she just found out. My response - Nope. Due today and this is my only day with the school psych in the building.

Offered said parent a phone conference. Her response - no I don't want to be that far away from you guys. I will work something out. Thanks - I know you would see it my way.

When asked to call a parent who applied with a special ed student enrolling with anxiety so bad that office staff  noticed.. you know that this will never end well.

Parent ended up calling me because you know I have been eating bon bons in my office. Student has been in self contained classroom for the last year and a half due to anxiety and behavior. Mom wants him away from that environment -so a college prep school is a good option - Mom says the anxiety has been under control for a year but he couldn't handle going back to his home school. Mom said the school was biased against him and didn't want him... uh huh... She wants Gallahue to start before he starts at our school... uh huh.. finally says so your school isn't a good fit for him. You said it mom not me. Then it was well should we wait til fourth grade...