This, is the blog for my new kiddos. So introducing, my wonderful 2nd grade cherubs...
*again, all names and settings have been changed to protect confidentiality.
I first met, Conner- who, was recently adopted. He has the most amazing new Mom and Dad. His mother put him up for foster care at 5 and he bounced around to foster care family to foster care family before being adopted. His new parents are so overjoyed and intelligent and are just angels for adopting a child in need at the age of 7, giving him some security and a place to call home for the first time. So Connor, the champ that he is, has already been through so much in his life. He resorts to some toddler like tantrums bc that is how he has learned to communicate he was upset. No one has yet taught him how to communicate effectively. He tries so hard to follow my rules and expectations in class, and has such a hard time trying to follow the rules bc no one else in the room is/can. He is often my little one who will shout out an annoyed, "Uggghh Cooome onnnn, Leo, you have to raise your hand," Connor knows the rights of what is fair and knows that if he has to wait to answer, everyone else should. I have to learn to teach him how to communicate with the boys as a leader, so that they dont get mad at him and he can make lasting friendships later in life. But he tries and he is just such a doll with his shaggy blonde hair, huge dimples, skater shoes, jeans and shirts that are usually a bright striped red. He could be a character in a kid's book.
Next, Joshua- comes strolling thru my door. A tiny, speedy Puerto Rican boy that wears his huge timberlands, huge smile, and ed hardy-like tees. Recently, he has started medication. I am not an advocate for medications by any means, but this was a child that could truly benefit. Josh could not attend for more than 30 sec intervals, so he could barely attend to learn the strategies for attention. His recent chemical change has opened up a whole new world for him. He can soak in his surroundings, relax and really listen to things. He has been zipping through his preK-1st grade years so fast and overstimulated. As a new second grade man, he is slowing down a little and now has to learn how to play the school game. The playing field has been leveled a bit. He can start to really advance and finally learn his letters, numbers, start to blend, and I hope by the end of the year, he can be a beginner reader!! It is my goal for him this year, and we are aiming high, but I really believe we can do it! I really want to restore self confidence and a love for learning in him.
With another great smiling face, coming in the door next is Mario.- Mario, appropriately named, has a love for Super Mario Bros and Yoshi. He has autism and is best communicating video games. I do my best to make the references and we bond over a love for mario kart. Mario, I am still figuring him out and how to connect with him. I can't get him to do his independent reading work. Even things I design for him to be more fun, he sometimes puts up a 'tude. He loves Math, and he's going to be really good at math if the rest of his education experience is kind to him.
Demarcus- the kind boy, comes in quiet and reserved. He has a good momma who just loves him dearly. She sends the best boy she can into school everyday happy. I admire her for this love. Demarcus can always be relied on and is so worried about my safety. He is very matter of fact and defends me to the end when the other boys are being mean to me. Demarcus will always be following the rules, and cries silent tears when the other boys are not. He is one of those kids that after everything I say (d_o_g, now blend it fast, dog.) will always have something to resond (my friend's neighbor's grandma had a dog once and he was brown). His hand goes up every 10 sec, and while still talking and teaching the others, I have to put my one hand up and the other hand pointing down, to remind him that if it isnt about the question of the day (how do we blend?) then he should save it to tell me later. Teaching is about communicating multiple messages to multiple people at the same time.
Lanky and happy Raul- brings more happiness into the mix. He probably listens to me the most, truly loving to learn. Our explorations on deserts this year, he aced it. He really really really works hard to learn what I'm teaching. We connect, because we both love learning. His English is pretty good, and he is a very smart boy for getting through this English world. Unfortunately, he can not remember things very well. He is working so hard on remembering and learning his letters, and by the end of this year, I want him to know all the letters no prob, and definately begin blending the sounds that he knows to make simple words (cat, sat, man). Despite not knowing any numbers on day 1, his math is good and he is progressing nicely, and swiftly into -1, and +2 with the numbers 0-25.
Leo comes in next with more smiles, escorting Billy. Leo, -also Hispanic, has similar learning problems as Connor, so they would be a good reading group. Problem is, they can't stand each other. Leo is just a boy trying to test the rules because he understands its more fun and easier to do his own thing. He doesnt get into too much trouble (reading his library book under his desk, drawing pictures while I'm talking), but just enough bc he knows how to follow the rules and he can really benefit to learn new things. No serious infractions, he's a good kid. And he is kind, buttoning up jackets, getting chairs down, walking down the hall, my little Billy.-
Plagued with muscular dystrophy, Billy is on the smaller side, and his legs make walking up stairs difficult and slow moving. I'm still trying to figure out exactly how much English he knows. He smiles, all day long, except when walking up and down stairs, no joke. He's a beginning reader and, with his speech teacher and I, will hopefully, willingly talk and participate in class. He is slightly naughty, smiling at Joshua because he knows it drives him nuts. Or putting his arms on someone, bc they respond to leave them alone. Unfortunately, he is eliciting negative attention from peers, and I need to teach him to learn how to achieve positive attention (initiating play) with peers. When I tell him to stop, he smiles at me and shakes his head no. He is too stinkin' cute.
So with all this happiness, how is it that things get chaotic in my room...
Thomas comes spinning in. Thomas, is a very very smart young man. He is from a middle-American family, who have him playing baseball, take him to events, and just love him as their only kid. He is reading and doing math on a 2nd grade level. How is he in my classroom? He has some behavior problems and is dangerous to himself and others. I really need to teach him how to be a kind person, and as well as Billy, initiate positive attention and connections with peers. Thomas will for no reason, turn around and stick out his tongue at a classmate. He butts in line, trips peers as they walk by, and push if someone does something he does not like or is "annoying." This is hard behavior to handle in a regular education classroom, considering there are so many kids in them (20-25). But in a special education classroom, where kids are doing all sorts of things that could be deemed "annoying" by other people (tapping pencils, making noises, repeating phrases, talking out), he has plenty of reasons to act out. So, currently, I'm trying to teach him patience and refrain when he is annoyed. Sometimes this backlash of energy comes out at me, so instead of pushing the other kids and punching students (as he did on day 2), he throws desks, coffee, soda, pencils, buckets, balls, stuffed animals, anything else he can reach) at me. He is starting to trust me more, and relax instead of throwing things when he is upset. The trust is coming from his progression into academics and technology. We usually research a topic he found interesting after we read something together. I think this is gonna be one of those kids that will stick with me forever like Hayikan. If I can teach him how to control his anger, he can get himself back in regular education and go on to college, no problem. Hopefully, my master's degree will pay off on this kid. He fits the methodology to a "T."
Besides, Thomas stirring up the other kids, I started the year with my 10th kiddo, Tyson. Tyson has already moved on to a new school for kids with behavior needs. No worries, he gave me a couple months of personal growth and learning time. Beyond being a funny and creative little boy, he was explosively angry. His mom was trying the best that she could. She really tried to fight for his rights as an emotional and behavioral disordered child. He taught some of my other kids how to really throw a temper tantrum. Shoving over desks, running in corners, throwing electric pencil sharpeners, I had a safety walkie-talkie and evacuation policies at my finger tips. I wasted no time in calling for help when he began the beginning stages of the acting out cycle, bc in 10 sec it would be worse. The simplest demands could throw him off (Put you pencils down, it's time to line up for lunch). He was only calm during physical safety restraints. I thank my school for helping me get him more help so quickly, but mostly his mom gave it her all and jumped through the hoops to get him into this public service faster. I hope that he gets the help that he needs.
So every morning, my 9 kiddos, stroll through my door. Hoping to achieve positive attitudes at all times, I resort to the book that my momma used for me. In high school, my mom re-gave me the book, "The Little Engine that Could" to tell me that I can do anything, to help me conquer whatever teen drama it was at the moment. That moment stuck with me, as I relay the message to my students, that they can. They just have to know that they can. Attitude is everything.
Cheers!