Ok, I figure if I expect people to follow my blog, I guess you should know the full story...or at least as much as I can publish without losing my job. :-)
I have been teaching 8th graders for almost 7 years. For the past few years I have taught 7th and 8th graders. Because of No Child Left Behind, I have specialized in Middle Years English. However, you will soon discover via this blog, that I am a horrible speller. I 100% blame this on the whole language movement. because I started Kindergarten already knowing how to read I never learned phonics or spelling. You will discover this as you read the blog. I am also addicted to dot dot dot (...) embrace it, for it is me.
Anyway, back to the background. I am an urban educator. I love teaching the kids everyone else gives up on, and there are plenty of them, this is particularly true in special education. Like everyone else I went to college so I could teach Corky from "Life Goes On" or Radio, or Lenny from "Of Mice and Men". Never did I think I would be teaching the kids from "Dangerous Minds" in my first assignment. But my first year I was assigned the 8th grade self contained special education class in one of our cities worst middle schools.
That year I never cried once. I turned those kids around. These 12 kids (9 boys 3 girls) had chased out 6 teachers in 2 years and ran the halls. I changed them, and made them care. Over the course of a year the school delinquents became contributing members of the school community. From that point forward I knew middle school was my niche. The kids made me mad, frustrated, and proud all at the same time. I was once told it takes a very special person to teach middle school kids, but I learned it takes a very special person to appreciate middle school kids for how special they are.
Fast forward 6 years. From the first assignment to the end of last year I continued to teach my favorites. The geniuses in our district decided to eliminate most middle schools, so by default I ended up in a k-8 school. I had held a leadership role at my school, and had finished my master degree. But sadly I had changed from the teacher I used to be. I had become very disenfranchised with the changes in special education. I loved my kids but often wondered if I still made a difference, if what I did really mattered.
Then I was offered the change I needed. I was given the chance to start over. To see special education in a new light, and in an area that I was really not familiar with-Autistic Support. These kids I am gong to be teaching are unlike any others I have ever taught. For the most part they are non-verbal, not toilet trained, and have limited abilities thus far. But I am going to make it my mission this year to try to change that. As a Mom it killed me to watch the kids in this class. But instead of watching I wondered how I could help, and here we go.
So now world, this is your opportunity to laugh, scream, cry and punch walls with me as I try to decipher the Autistic World and make a difference in the lives of my students. Every day I know I am going to ask myself, "What the eff am I doing?"
**I might consider reaching out to the word and soliciting classroom sponsors. Remember I am in an urban school an most of my students come from families with low socioeconomic status. Maybe you would consider donating items to my classroom, "Feed the Children" style...I will even send you monthly letters :-)
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