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

Where Did That Week Go?

Last week seemed to fly by! That's what happens when the year gets going full speed ahead. My mornings are filled to the max. I have four math groups within the first one and a half hours. I also have a social skills group and a reading group during that time. The remainder of the morning is filled with two more reading groups and two language groups. By the time I do 3rd grade recess duty and eat lunch, I only have time for one or two more reading and language groups in the afternoon. My conference/planning period is also in the afternoon.

My new student with anger issues had a really good week until Friday morning. He didn't want to finish out some work one of the staff members had him do and couldn't get his anger under control. Actually, he had difficulty with two staff members that day about not wanting to finish work according to teacher expectations. I ended up taking him to the counselor for some conversation about anger management. He came back in ready to work and was happy as a lark the rest of the day. I'm so thankful that staff members in our school work together to help children be successful.

I'm looking forward to starting Writing Workshop this week with my Language students. We made mailboxes out of shoe boxes and decorated them last week. We will use these to write encouraging notes to one another about things we have written. I am going to use the wonderful book by Cynthia Rylant, The Relatives Came, to have students think and write about memorable or happy experiences in their lives. I really think Language will become my favorite subject to teach this year. In the past, I have dreaded it like the plague!

Have a wonderful week!

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." ---Henry Ford