Just another Manic Monday...

So...I had this big long post giving everyone an overview on my kiddos to post on my birthday, but one of my lovely little ones, Hayikan, decided to wish me "a dumb birthday you old ugly hag, because I hate you and your heart." I can't lie, it got to me and thus worked my weekend to try and get over the emotion of being attacked by a 9 yr old on the recess playground.

But nonetheless, before I can enter you into the reality of my classroom, its important to start my first post, giving you a who's who of my class.

My graduated, newly certified-self moved her booty to Delaware to embark on adulthood. Living near my boyfriend, Pat, and Philadelphia <3, things all fell into place. I live in a little cottage guest house near a beautiful park in a wonderful part of town. It's truly a blessing to walk the dog (Pat's originally, but adopted as my own), Riley through the neighborhood and check out all the beautiful architecture of the homes around me.

Starkly contrasted, I work in a poorer part of town as a 3rd grade special education teacher. Keep in mind as I narrate my days all my kids are between 8-9. The homes my kids are from are sad and allow me to appreciate everything I have on a daily basis. My kids deal daily with the emotions that go along with drugs, abuse, illegally living in AMerica, homelessness, rape, poverty (none can afford the 75cent daily cost to eat at school) and multiple personalities. We had epic snow fall this past winter and most of my kids did not have winter coats, and did not play in the snow (or if they did, the most they had for the 8 degree weather were jeans, tennis shoes and old sweatshirts).

My school is wonderful in dealing with all these issues, because well, I'm just one teacher in a building with over 30 classrooms (preK-5th) and every kid here has a sad story. We have lots of funds to buy kids curriculum, clothing, snacks, and bus tokens.

All names of people for the sake of confidentiality have been changed.

I currently have just 6 kids in my classroom (9 if you count the three personalities of Hayikan).

Hayikan: Perhaps my most consuming child, Hayikan has three personas that fight with him all day long. He tries desperately to win the battle but is very angry when "his other friends in his head" win. My most exhausting child, he is the one I've put the most effort with. He also suffers from severe OCD and will shout nonstop for hours the same phrase. I leave my days with expressions such as "I have to go to the bathroom," "I hate you," "I dont wanna go outside," "I hate homework," ringing in my ears. To paint the picture further, it is at an earsplitting volume and I just have to teach over it. This last week, it was recorded that he screamed "I'm itchy," 102 times in a span of 45 minutes. He is still learning his letters and reverses all of his numbers, but with all that is going on in his head he is slowly able to learn. Hayikan is actually every intelligent and if his intellect wasnt focused on death or murder things would be a lot less creepy.
We work with Mom to try and get him outside help but the state makes it difficult if you yourself have difficulty with reading, organizing, and schedules. Dad is in jail, while Hayikan believes he is just hanging out at Grandma's. he once asked me if there were men with guns on my street and whether or not I was allowed to play outside. Personally, I believe a lot of his issues stem from his home environment, gun shots, drugs, but I have to continue to believe that Mom is doing the best job that she knows how.

Eduardo: The oldest of 5 with a 21 year old mother, Eduardo is my sunshine and my comedian. He is believed to be an illegal immigrant who was conceived under horrific circumstances. Mom was taken advantage of by her brother 8 years ago (as a 12 yr old). This has taught me that even good can happen from bad, because Eduardo draws me a picture everyday and is just an absolute wonderful little boy! This year, he has excelled leaps and bounds! He came in this year knowing no English and very little Spanish. Through this year, he has picked up so much, to the point, his mother has cried bc he no longer speaks Spanish. It was a bitter sweet excellence because I've helped him learn so much about the English world around him, he can no longer communicate with his Spanish-only speaking mother.

Maria: Also speaking little English, Maria can get herself around the classroom just fine. You actaully have to watch it because she has sticky fingers and can have a box of Kleenexes, Eduardo's glasses and all my pens in her book bag in 10 seconds. Maria is down syndrome and as sassy as they come, dressing in pink from head to toe and teasing my dad about his hair when he visited. She is one of my stronger readers and keeps me on my feet all day (shes my new workout plan).

Glen: My highest functioning child, I hope to see Glen in a regular education classroom in the near future. he can spell better that I can, do Math on grade level, and read with amazing intonation. He's about as big as me with a happy round face. Unfortunately, he forgets to pull up his pants before leaving the bathroom, tries to eat salads with spoons, and spills his milk daily. His mother is wonderful and has been a helpful lady in my many ways in my classroom.

Kenan: Kenan, also referred to as my mini-Kanye West, flirts with a room brightening smile. Although Kenan began my year by launching a shoe at my head, he needs a ton of teacher attention and most all my behavior strategies from my Master's program work with hiim (can't say the same for Hayikan). He is very typical attention getting emotional behavior disturbance. He can flick me off one minutes and tehn ask me to tie his shoe the next, whever gets my attention first (of course I try to give it only for the positive). he's working on his letetrs and simple math but he gets an A+ in street skills.

Javier: Javier holds my whole classroom together. when Hayikan is yelling at me most minutes, Glen gets upset and cries often. But Javier and his kind heart has picked this up and will say "Look at me Glen!!" and dance like a goofball, while I handle to situation. Eduardo will join in with an on key monkey impression, working together to keep Glen calm. I love them for it. The kindness of children still exists. Javier would be in a regular school if he was actually in school more.

Heaven, Jason, Manuel, and Jalel are no longer in my classroom. Heaven and Jason went to a school that focuesses more on functional and live skills and both are doing well in their current placements. Jason's absence has allowed a lot of my kdis to progress. he was non-verbal, jumped on a trampoline all day long for sensory, and screamed over and over again. Although I miss him, my brain has time to think.
Manuel was believed homeless and has been in 5 different schools as a kid that bounces from one couch to the next.
Jalel was a handful, violent, and the cause of a school lockdown. He was arrested twice and removed from campus in an ambulance for out of control behavior. Jalel was the most terrifying and the cause of a lot of tears. I hope the best for him because he really was a nice kid most of the time. He has since moved to his 9th school.

The days are never boring and its hard not to sound dramatic when a good day is only one kid told me they hated me. But there are moments of happiness and enjoyment. I've got my yoga studio, my new friends, and my boyfriend to thank for my sanity.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day Weekend! Thank you thank you thank you to all the wonderful mothers I know that raised wonderful students.

Love you all. Cheers.