Rewarding Teaching

Much has happened in my classroom since I wrote a few weeks ago! I now have 22 precious, wonderful babies to love, nourish and educate, with three additional mainstream students that I also monitor and complete paperwork. We began this year with almost half that number of students! I thought it was going to be a boring year. Whoa, was I mistaken! Many of the new students have moved here from other states and cities. Most of them have learning disabilities with a mixture of other special needs. One of the new students is with me for three and half hours a day...most of his day if you include lunch and activity period.

When I think about how I can help these students, I am sometimes overwhelmed with the responsibility. Teaching students with special needs and doing it right is one of the hardest jobs I have ever had. However, it is the most rewarding job I have ever had. Several things that make it easier day to day are the team support on my campus, my paraprofessional and technology.

I cannot speak highly enough of my fellow teachers on my campus. They work with me to help our children with special needs be successful. My main regret is that we do not have enough time to spend together working out additional plans for helping these students. If we did have more time, "Oh, the places we could go!" as Dr. Seuss' says.

The paraprofessional that works in my room is experienced and takes her responsibilities seriously. She puts forth the effort daily to make a difference in the children's lives. It would be impossible to obtain the effective results we obtain in my room without our combined effort.

Another thing that is so beneficial in my classroom is the addition of technology. Good, educational computer software is almost like a second teacher in your room. One of the pieces of software that I use in my classroom for reading and math allows me to create lessons based on the state standards and follow up with testing for mastery. A lifesaver! Other technology in my room is wonderful and I use it, but not near as often as I could if I had more planning time. Time, time, time...how valuable it is! If you could ask teachers what resource they need more, I am sure, we all would say time to plan. I think we could be even more effective if we had more planning time. Griping aside, I am blessed!

Ten days of school until Christmas break...Mrs. Dumdei's Resource room is going to make the most of the season. Lord, help me to keep your Spirit in it and may the students feel your presence through the love, compassion and care that we give them every day!

"Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile." ---Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Medical Missionary (1865-1940)

Oreo Cookie Therapy

I am enjoying my Saturday off...even if I do have to do lesson plans at home this weekend. :) Saturdays are a wonderful time for reflecting on the past week and sorting things through in your mind. I like to read my Bible, read a chapter in a spiritual-type book, exercise and just think. Many times, this is when I get ideas for helping my students at school. I believe the Lord helps me to figure out what they need.

I have another new student and, believe me, I'm trying to figure out what he really needs. He was diagnosed with autism and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. I see more of the ODD than I do the autism. However, he is coming around. We had a very successful day yesterday. I use the Oreo Cookie therapy with him. No, I do not feed him Oreo cookies! It's called the Oreo Cookie therapy because a father/therapist began using it's techniques with his young daughter when she wanted more Oreo cookies than he was willing to feed her. Here is how it works: You tell the student he/she may do (reward) if he/she (works/whatever you want him to do). If he/she does not (work/do whatever you want him to do) then he/she may not (reward). Then you let him make a choice. It is powerful because the student gets to choose, not the adult. I have put it into a visual form (card) for my new student (also a good idea). He can recite it to me by heart now and looks forward to doing the work because he knows he's going to get computer time when he finishes. It is very important to be consistent and follow through with the reward every time. Pretty simple, huh?

I look forward to the week ahead. I have a Special Education Professional Learning Community meeting on Monday. Then, we will make the rest of the week fun with math, reading and writing Thanksgiving activities for the students. We will have Thanksgiving lunch with parents on Thursday, which is always a highlight for the children. Thanksgiving holiday here we come! Yea!

"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it."  Theodore Roosevelt

Germs of Happiness

I've been sick the past two or three weeks. I think I'm getting over this stuff and here it comes again wave after wave. My headache is gone today, so I am claiming this as a sign of wellness returning to shore. Teaching when you are sick is something all teachers have to learn to do. Children are great carriers of germs. We have to teach them continuously to use hand sanitizer, wash their hands and cough into their elbow. When flu season comes around it is even more important that they follow good hygiene habits.

We have spent the last couple of weeks benchmark testing and working daily to see students progress. Keeping a daily and weekly routine, so that my students know what to expect when they walk into the room is crucial. It is particularly important to students like the new one I received this past week. He has attention problems, but is atypical on the autism spectrum. That means that he displays autism type symptoms and behaviors. I noticed several instances yesterday of his sensitivity to noise. He usually handles the murmur of the class well, but flinched at a boy blowing his nose loudly beside him. While reading aloud to the students sitting on the floor, he was extra sensitive to another student sitting too closely to him. He is also extra sensitive to failure. If he makes a mistake on a paper, he thinks he has failed instead of just erasing the answer and changing it and going on. I have such a variety of students this year that it is going to be a very interesting and productive year. Looking forward to great gains!

"Growth itself contains the germ of happiness." ---Pearl S. Buck, author

Falling Into Place

I am enjoying this wonderful fall weather! My two favorite seasons of the year are spring and fall. They are beautiful times of year! You know, you can feel children changing with the seasons also. They settle into their respective routines of school life just like the beautiful fall leaves that fall and settle on the ground for the winter.

Many of my students are now very comfortable with their new teachers and daily schedules. For some, this brings out their true colors. You find out what they are really like. The two new students to my classroom this year have acclimated well to our classroom routines. They are enjoying earning Big Bucks and getting to reap the benefits of their good behavior and work habits, particularly the new student with previous behavior issues. He has improved by leaps and bounds! I am so proud of his change in attitude and performance! We are not having the major acting out issues, nor the disrespectful talk, and he is reaping the benefits. He has been very insightful as to why he is doing better. He realizes that his attitude determines his day. That is profound for this student! I appreciate his grandmother at home and the staff at my school for working together to help him enjoy coming to school.

My goal for the remainder of this school year is to focus on helping each of my students to enjoy coming to school. I look forward to helping them develop more appropriate social skills, better work habits and motivation to excel in their studies. Believe me, that is a huge task with these students! Several of them have been in my class since first grade and are now in the fifth grade. I have seen much growth, but want more. Academic growth is not enough; they must be able to relate well with others. The work is great...the Source of my strength is greater!

"No steam or gas drives anything until it is confined. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined." ---Harry Emerson Fosdick, DD

What Changed?

You are not going to believe this! My new student went one whole week without an office referral or any hole punches on his Tiger card! Now, that's progress! I was congratulating him on doing such a good job with his behavior this week; I asked him what changed. He stopped and thought for a moment and then said, "My attitude." Wow, an insightful kid! He has not been a perfect angel my no means, but he is definitely becoming a better student.

I'm glad this student has done better this week, because I really don't need the extra stress. The year is in full swing now: meetings, paperwork, lesson plans, emails, professional development, you name it. It seems more and more is required of teachers that take away from the time we can spend with students. I refuse to do those things when students are in my classroom, so that means that I have to do them after school or at home at night or on the weekend. I'm working later and taking too much work home. If the real world only knew how hard teachers really work. It is one of the most difficult jobs I have ever had.
It takes your mind, your soul, and your energy to be successful. Thank goodness, I know the source of my strength! That is through Jesus Christ my Savior! He is the one I run to when I feel weak. I rest in Him.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13

Conflict or Stepping Stone?

What a week! I think I'm going to be saying that for awhile now. This school year has started off with a bang...a big bang! My new student with problem behaviors is preventing us from getting the amount of work done that we normally would get done. He disrupts lessons with his lack of willingness to follow teacher directions and do the work required. He has sat in the office at least two days this week, because he was so disruptive in either my or his homeroom teacher's class. We can't teach when he gets that way. This is beginning to put a huge strain on his homeroom teacher.

Yesterday, she became really upset with me and the principal, accusing us of conspiring against her in a matter. Nothing could be further from the truth! This really hurt my feelings, because she is also my friend. I am rarely in tears over an incident at school, but I was yesterday. When a teacher you trust and admire accuses you of conspiring against her, it hurts. However, I knew she was stressed and determined not to let this get between us. We talked about it and the day ended well. She is still my friend and fellow partner in crime to work with this student.

I am tired! Today is rainy...a good day to relax with a book. Monday will be here soon enough. Time to do a little recharging.

"Teachers who inspire realize there will always be rocks in the road ahead of us.  They will be stumbling blocks or stepping stones; it all depends on how we use them."  ~Author Unknown

Ride the Roller Coaster With Me

Have I told you how much I love my job? I love it so much that I take it so seriously. I have prayed for wisdom these past two weeks since I've posted last; wisdom to know what to say and how to nurture and interact with all of my students, but for one hurting student in particular. He is my new student. We have to prove to him that we are not like all other schools and we are not like all other teachers. We truly want to help him be the person God has made him to be. Of course, we don't say that directly in a public school, but isn't that our purpose...to help children become what their creator made in them?

He has tried to establish his aura of authority around himself, not wanting to look weak. Oh, but I see a little boy in him that wants someone to care. I see someone who has a good brain, who can accomplish much more than he has in the past. I see someone who I believe will be a different person by the end of this school year. He has tried looking tough, saying all the things I've heard from children who put up a turtle shell around them to keep out the pain of rejection. The only difference is that I don't reject him. I told him I believe in him. I believe he has great potential, even if we do ride that same roller coaster every day. A roller coaster of deep anger and frustration in the valleys and up to the mountaintop is extreme glee and cooperation. We may be making baby steps in progress, but I do see progress indeed!

This year has become extremely busy very quickly! We have already submitted grades for progress reports and six-week grades are right around the corner. We have had one ARD (Arrival, Review and Dismissal) meeting already and I have another one scheduled for Monday. So...the special education paperwork has begun in earnest!

Speaking of special education...I attended my first Special Education PLC (Professional Learning Community) meeting for this year at the Region VIII Education Service Center yesterday. Our team will have the opportunity throughout the school year to bring back some good information and training for special educators in our school district. There will be many things that we will be able to share with general education teachers, as well. I look forward to taking a greater leadership role in this area and helping to bridge the gap between special education and general education.

Now, for the week to come...

"History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats."
---B. C. Forbes