As a general education teacher I always found class dynamics fascinating. If you're a teacher or work in a school or camp you know that when Johnny is absent the class feels completely different. You know that when Sally moved in the class felt completely different. One child can completely change the way a classroom runs; for better or worse things change.
In SDC, this is also true. Just like in general education, one child can make a big difference. What is different in special education is that it feels much more extreme. When you have students with multiple different disabilities and needs in the same classroom, they can feed off each other in a way that is unique. It is much more intense than two students in a gen. ed setting with ADD getting each other overly excited and distracted.
When it is a good day, it is a great day. When it is a bad day, it is the worst day imaginable. Once one student starts screaming, it triggers another. Then another student start flapping because they are completely over stimulated and everyone else is just watching the adults to see what they will do; because spelling or math just isn't going to happen once the train leaves the station. It's like one child is adding coal to the engine, but they can't get the train going forward at full speed ahead on their own. Everyone is impacted, everyone has a reaction. When that train is moving a second can feel like an hour. Eventually the train slows down and stops. Everyone is calm. Learning continues. Somedays, the good days the train doesn't leave the station or is a local train going across town (usually this means someone is missing, it makes a difference). Other days, it is a bullet train going from Tokyo to Kyoto at top speeds.
Everyday is different. Each child deserves a fresh start each day. Even if it was the most difficult day and you don't know if you can give a child a clean slate, tomorrow is always different.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Find the Positives
The first full week is now behind me. I am still getting to know my students and they are still getting to know me. This includes trying to test the boundaries and see how I will respond to them. I am realizing that this year more than any other will test me. It is like being a first year teacher all over again.
What is different is I have a lot of strategies. I know a lot more about teaching than when I started. I know about Differentiated Instruction, Responsive Classroom, PBiS, Daily 5, Mindfulness. I have put them all into practice before and I will put them into practice again. Everything I learned that made me a good teacher in general education will help me in special education.
What I am finding is helping the most is Responsive Classroom, PBiS and Mindfulness practices. These practices are helpful for ME. It helps ME focus on the positives. It helps ME reserve judgement. It helps ME think about how I will respond to a screaming child before reacting and snapping at them. It helps ME realize the reason they are upset really doesn't have to do with me or the task I am asking them to complete. It helps ME notice the child refusing to do work is hungry, thirsty, tired or misses a parent that is not at home.
That is why they yell, that is why they refuse. It isn't because of me. They have needs that haven't been met. I can see it because I am taking the time to get to know them. I can see it because I am reserving judgement. I can see it because I care. I understand that if you are hungry or sad math isn't important. I am learning now more than ever that it is important to meet my students where they are. It is important to know sometimes we have bad days. It is important to look for the positives, every little victory needs to be celebrated with students. It is important to laugh with students and comfort them when they cry. It is important to be gentle and firm at the same time.
Not every day is a bad day. Not every day is a good day. The bad days can be really bad, but it is my job to find the silver lining. I need to find the beautiful moment where that student can be celebrated and I need to find it every day. One of my mentor teachers once told me "You need to love the unlovable." She was right. They make it hard some days, but when you find those moments it gets easier.
What is different is I have a lot of strategies. I know a lot more about teaching than when I started. I know about Differentiated Instruction, Responsive Classroom, PBiS, Daily 5, Mindfulness. I have put them all into practice before and I will put them into practice again. Everything I learned that made me a good teacher in general education will help me in special education.
What I am finding is helping the most is Responsive Classroom, PBiS and Mindfulness practices. These practices are helpful for ME. It helps ME focus on the positives. It helps ME reserve judgement. It helps ME think about how I will respond to a screaming child before reacting and snapping at them. It helps ME realize the reason they are upset really doesn't have to do with me or the task I am asking them to complete. It helps ME notice the child refusing to do work is hungry, thirsty, tired or misses a parent that is not at home.
That is why they yell, that is why they refuse. It isn't because of me. They have needs that haven't been met. I can see it because I am taking the time to get to know them. I can see it because I am reserving judgement. I can see it because I care. I understand that if you are hungry or sad math isn't important. I am learning now more than ever that it is important to meet my students where they are. It is important to know sometimes we have bad days. It is important to look for the positives, every little victory needs to be celebrated with students. It is important to laugh with students and comfort them when they cry. It is important to be gentle and firm at the same time.
Not every day is a bad day. Not every day is a good day. The bad days can be really bad, but it is my job to find the silver lining. I need to find the beautiful moment where that student can be celebrated and I need to find it every day. One of my mentor teachers once told me "You need to love the unlovable." She was right. They make it hard some days, but when you find those moments it gets easier.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Getting Started
This year I have taken on a new challenge.
I am teaching Special Day Class for the first time.
I love teaching and have been teaching at the elementary level for a few years. I started teaching in Vermont, where schools use an inclusion model. I think this experience is one of the main reasons I took on this challenge.
I had an awesome summer and was able to even spend a week in Las Vegas at the SDE Differentiated Instruction conference. I met amazing ed researchers and got a lot of great advice and ideas.
We are two days in to school now and I know this will be a very different year. I am lucky that I work for a great district and I have a lot of support; I know I am going to need it.
The purpose of this blog is to provide a place for reflection and hopefully collaboration. Advice is always welcome! Any words of wisdom as the year begins?
~Katie
 |
| I'm not going to lie, I am a bit of a geek. I got more excited to see some of the speakers than I would if I saw a movie star. |
I love teaching and have been teaching at the elementary level for a few years. I started teaching in Vermont, where schools use an inclusion model. I think this experience is one of the main reasons I took on this challenge.
I had an awesome summer and was able to even spend a week in Las Vegas at the SDE Differentiated Instruction conference. I met amazing ed researchers and got a lot of great advice and ideas.
We are two days in to school now and I know this will be a very different year. I am lucky that I work for a great district and I have a lot of support; I know I am going to need it.
The purpose of this blog is to provide a place for reflection and hopefully collaboration. Advice is always welcome! Any words of wisdom as the year begins?
~Katie
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