One of the Reasons to Be

There are very rewarding aspects to the job of special ed teacher. Getting notes from students is one of them:

I was gone on Monday and Tuesday. When I came back, there were notes on the board written to me from students. "Second best ever"? I love it. I'm so grateful for my job.

Note: I blocked out the name from your view, of course. You know how privacy goes.

It's Time

Lately I've been feeling... emotional. It's the end of the year. Pressure is mounting. At any given moment I'm bursting at the seems with... emotion. Let me elaborate...

Last night James was showing our friend a youtube clip. I watched over his shoulder and at the end... teared.

I think I was touched by thought of all the hard work and dedication it took to achieve their showmanship and strength. Yeah.

Here's the next heartstring tugger Jamsie-boy pulled up:

It was the ending that got me. So triumphant. Those tears started to well up again, but I caught them in time. Close call.

Sooooo.... Yep. It's time for school to be over. It's time.

Continued Story

Story Continues:

Clarissa joins the race full force and of course Joe is noticing, and liking it. Janet, a little stunned, doesn’t know quite what to do. Should she back down? Should she continue the chase? Deep down, she’s smart enough to know how this ends if the current patterns of behavior continue, but at the same time, she still is in the running. After all, just last week Joe did hold her hand. Joe was regularly flirtatious. And what about the great conversations on the phone lasted well over an hour? Ya know what? It Didn’t count. Joe was really interested in Clarissa the whole time.

How did Janet know? The last great phone conversation she had with Joe ended up being a coaching session consisting of her reassuring Joe that Clarissa would definitely say yes if he asked her out and he needs to just ask instead of hanging around all the time. Lame, for Janet. More lameness occurred at the end of the said coaching conversation when I… I mean Janet told Joe that the whole buddy/flirty friend thing would have to end from that point on because she (Janet) didn’t want to be in the middle of things. Joe didn’t get it at first, then after Janet explained it in simple terms, he got it. The “more lameness” part enters here. Right after the conversation ended, as in they hung up the phone, Janet sent him a text of some conversation related info she forgot to tell him. It was nothing big, but it had to be sent and a text sufficed. His response text was “What will I do without you?”. What a stab to the aching, longing girl’s heart. Joe knew Janet liked him. Why would he tug at that girl’s poor heartstrings like that? Joe. Keep your mouth shut Joe. Please? Oh life. What a ride you are.

This story (actually it was pretty much a journal entry) is dramatic and pathetic. I wrote it the other day and have had a good laugh reading it since. I'll say it once again. "Oh, life". And I move forward. It's a good thing I can laugh at such situations. Besides there's no time left for wallowing. My heart is now occupied with other pressing troubles...

One of my girls is due to deliver her baby today, March 31. I don't know what it's like to be a mother but I think about her constantly and worry. How is she going to take care of her baby? She didn't even know how a baby exits the mother's womb, how a baby comes out, how a baby is born until she was shown a video in the nurse's office not too long ago. Is there anything else I can do at this to help prepare her for the dramatic life change that is about to take place at any given moment? She is so sweet and loves babies but what will she do when her baby is screaming with a fever of 100 degrees? Will she remember how to read the label found on the back of a medicine box? We've been practicing the skill for two weeks... but will any of that stick? She has no clue how her world is about to change forever physically, emotionally, mentally, and etc. Oh how she's on my mind and in my heart.

40% and I Love my Job

One of my students cracks me up every day. Okay, almost all of them do. But this one (we'll call him Bob) is one I never ceased to be entertained by. Today we began writing Thank You/Valentine letters for the upcoming holiday. I wrote "Valentine's Day" on the board since it kept coming up. Bob raised his hand, didn't wait for me to acknowledge his need to comment, and blurted out the fact of the matter, when it comes to the name Valentine.

"40% of people in the world have the name Valentine."

Blah haha. I'm still laughing now. I don't know what I'd do without him in class. I skeptically asked him, "Really?". He insisted, "No! I'm serious! I even know like four people!" So I made him tell me how he knew them. "Okay, I only know three" was the admittance. Then he ended with the "Well I heard that somewhere". I love my job for so many reasons, and instances like this is one of them.

Here's another instance for ya:

As a class, in reading, we've been memorizing the preamble from the Declaration of Independence. It's taking awhile, but they're doing it and they are able to explain what it means, mostly. Today when Bob came into class, he had to tell me about the Superbowl. He was so excited. "Did you see the Super Bowl!?" he asked. "Nope," was my reply. He was shocked. Then he let me know that the Declaration was recited at some point during the game. He was so excited and then he proudly announced that he said part of it along with them. If my heart could ever glow like E.T.'s then it would have been at that moment. I wasn't excited that he could say it. I mean, that's great and all that he can memorize it but my heart glowed because he was so pleased. He felt so confident and pleased. It was just one big pleasing moment.

I love my job.

Lunchtime Today

Yesterday I woke up starving and felt that a hot bowl of peaches and cream would do the trick. By the time I made it out to the kitchen, I was late for work. Peaches and Cream? Foregone.

Lunch time came around. Who was so hungry that she was the first one out the door when the bell rang, ahead of the students? That's right. Yours truly and I didn't just buy one greasy, yummy slice of pizza. I bought two. On the way back from the teacher's lounge, glorious food in hand, I hustled my buns in quick-pace mode. Right as I was about 10 yards from the classroom door, a slice of pizza dropped. Pepperoni side down. The face was caked with a thick dirt layer beyond the justification of any 10 second rule.

By the time my prep hour arrived, I was desperate. I'm not exaggerating. I made it to the teacher's lounge with my only cash dollar knowing that there had to be something to fill my gnawing stomach. On top of that, I needed to calm my desperate nerves. I felt peace the moment I saw it. A Kellog's Rice Krispee treat for 70 cents. I shoved the dollar in and hit E... but before I could finish my entry order, change shot out and a pack of Toasted Almonds dropped to the retrieval bin. I stared through the glass at my blue, krispy desire. Not funny. My desperation flooded back. Bitter? No, the almonds were salty and in no way satisfying. I tried not to storm out the door and tear across the campus.

I made it home. I was still so hungry but now with an added side of tire. As I sat at the counter, I relayed my sad story to my mom and sis. During the whole time of relaying the pathetic circumstances, in the back of my head I was trying to find revelation of some genius concoction that could be withdrawn from our empty cupboards. As soon as my sad story ended, I was struck with that desired revelation. My mouth dropped as I saw Las eating some Michaelina's pizza bites. Genius. Heaven's providential dews rested upon me. Food and satisfaction at last! I dashed to the garage freezer. Pizza Bites!!! What was my discovery? I found that freezer stocked with Michaelina's Sallisbuy Steak, Chicken Alfredo, Macaroni Marinara, and some other dreadful Michaelina masterpiece I can't remember the name of. No more pizza bites. I almost started crying.

This morning I was running late again but it didn't matter because I was planning on buying a tasty breakfast burrito at school. I love them with hot sauce. I got there. Stood in the dang student line and with longing eyes requested my delight as soon as I approached the window. The reply? "Monday's, Wednesday's, and Friday's. Tuesdays and Thursdays are french toast." I almost barked at the kid cashier. By "barked" I mean like the kind of a feverish, feral dog lashing out at an innocent pedestrian. It must be that dang, new poodle we got at home. It's rubbing it's canine cooties off on me.

So after this morning sans breakfast burrito, lunchtime came around. I went to the teachers' lounge and ordered two slices of pepperoni pizza, same as yesterday. I wasn't desperate or anything but I was hungry for two. I walked back to class scared to lose my lunch (Please note that by "lose my lunch" I mean drop it, not throw it up). I watched my step and even smiled as I passed the place of dirty doom from the day before. As I rounded the corner, I saw the classroom ahead. I was so close... Would I make it?.... I didn't drop a slice. That's right. Ate a full lunch today and enjoyed every bite. Every bite of the TWO pieces.

The End.

Inappropriate

This week the speech teacher came in to class to work with the students on expressive language. She asked the students to describe Dustin, a senior (This kid cracks me up. I'm so lucky to have him). One of the girls in the class mentioned that he had two shirts on, an undershirt and shirt. Dustin proceeded to explain, in a manner as if he'd been caught doing something wrong, "I'm wearing my undershirt inside out, because it's inappropriate." I can't even tell you how much I enjoy working with that kid. You'd love him too if you knew him.

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Let's talk about Kami. I can't get enough of this girl either. For homework, I gave her a list of eleven words with simple, simple definitions. The assignment was to copy the words and definitions two times. On her assignment I wrote "Copy 2x". I gave examples in class of what those directions implied but somehow she came back the next day with her own interpretation. Here's how it went after I asked the students to place homework on their desks:

"Kami? You didn't do your homework?"

"Miss Dyar! I did it!"

I pointed to the directions trying to explain, "You were supposed to copy it two times."

"Miss Dyar! I did my homework! See!"

She then moved the top sheet aside and revealed a 2 photo copies of the assignment.

"Kami? Where did you make the copies?!"

"I went to the library!"

Needless to say, she definitely got credit for her homework that night.

Undercover

I think I've found my new dream job.

In 5th grade, a D.A.R.E. officer would come to our class and tell really cool stories. My favorite was the one he told about going undercover, posing as a teenager. He dressed up, or rather, down to "hip" clothing and solicited the business of some juvenile selling tickets to a drug party on the corner of a dark street (or something like it). The police showed up to the ticketed festivities that weekend in more undercover garb. Once they were in, crashing procedures took place and the D.A.R.E. officer was shot in the face. Well, maybe he wasn't shot in the face. Maybe they just caught a couple of guys as they flushed goods down the toilet. I honestly don't remember the end of the story. The reason for remembrance of the other details is because I was so impressed that he could pass as a teenager when he was clearly such an old guy (probably mid to late 20's). Such a sneaky feat. What a guy.

Here I am, 26 and on the job for about two weeks at the high school as a teacher. Let me relate some encounters I've had:

1. The first day I have keys- It's morning and I'm standing at the main academic building fumbling around, looking for the right 1 out of 5 keys to open the locked doors. I desperately need to make some copies and all I can think about is how cold it is and would the home made snuggie my mom made me for Christmas be too unprofessional to wear around outside? The doors are locked but students are everywhere since it's about 15 minutes before the bell is supposed to ring (I must inform you that students are not aloud into that building until the bell rings. No exceptions.). So anyway. I'm there, fumbling and one of the security guards starts yelling at me "Hey. What are you doing?". "Um, I just need to make some copies." He then proceeded to remind me "You know you're not allowed in the building before school." I then had to convince him I was a teacher because I didn't have my i.d. on me. Sort of embarrassing.

2. I take some of my kids to the library- We had some stuff to do. We walked in and stood by the desk. I looked a little lost since I'd never been in there before. The librarian addressed the group (3 of us) and inquired, "Do you guys have a pass from your teacher?" I let her know pretty quick that I was the teacher. "Oh! Ha ha!" was her reply. Call me a student again? I don't think so.

3. I ruined my sticker parking pass- So I went to the bookstore to get a new one. Despues me saying "Hi" all cheerful-like, the parking pass lady responded all crochedy-like "Yes?" I was a little afraid. The counter is on a semi-elevated stand so her towering over me was a little scary. "Um, I ruined my parking pass so I need to get a new one" was my reply. She rudely informed me "That will be five dollars." She talked to me like I was so dumb, as if she couldn't believe I was making her say it. "Okay," was my timid reply. There was an awkward silent pause as she stared me down while I fumbled for my wallet. I reached to hand her the money, which she didn't move to accept. Her slow-spoken, condescending query followed, "Do you have your student i.d.? Are you over 18?" "Um, I'm a teacher." After such a meek reply she drew in a breath, shocked. She was so embarrassed and apologetic, and nice from then on. The other lady who works there tried to make her feel better and told her she thought I was a student too. Really? Come on people.

4. I went to the nurse's office- This morning afforded me some dire need for Motrin. I asked the nurse for some and she just stared at me for a few seconds. "Are you a student?" At least she hesitated to ask, right?

So there you have it. I look like a student. This can be taken in many ways as a good or bad thing. I'm going to stick on the good side and possibly put in an application at the police department. Maybe I can be a cool undercover, future D.A.R.E guy. Right. I could have some serious fun with the business, as long as I don't get shot in the head! : )

As a side note, the poll is a little lacking. I'm lovin the votes that are up. Many blessings to you who have submitted. VOTE. As another side note, some good stories are cooking up. There are some pretty funny experiences had as a teacher. Definitely one of the most recent happenings will be posted soon. As another side note, it would be pretty cool if there were some more votes at the poll on the sidebar. It's the one with the weird face above it. VOTE!

Pencils Ticonderoga Style

I really love writing with the Ticonderoga Beginners pencils. They're fat, making them more comfortable to grip. Ticonderoga is a quality brand too. You can feel the difference when you right (Thanks Boo for the intro of those priceless tools to our family). Love it. I found some on Amazon. It's cheaper to buy in bulk and I'm a cheap person, so naturally I went the cheapskate route. Too often this cheapness costs me more than it's supposed to for a cheap person. I ended up paying 20 bucks and got a lifetime supply of these:

Actually, I got 6 boxes of 12 (72 total). I know, such a deal. That's only 27 cents per pencil. Don't be misled by the picture. They're fat, but not too fat like those cheapy ones from the dollar store. Here let me show you by comparison to a "regular" one:

Sorry the quality of photo is so poor. I'm still stuck using the camera on my cell phone. Pathetic, but it is what it is. Here's a picture of its pencil shaving, a beautiful flower:

followed by a close up:

Why oh why am I taking pictures and even writing a post like this? I'll tell you why. I love these pencils. Or is it because I'm avoiding grading tons of papers, specifically the six paragraph reports on the water cycle? I don't know. Actually, I do. Both reasons are valid and ya know what? As soon as I'm done with this post I'm gettin in my p.j.s and going to bed. I'm so tired. So so tired. Over and out.

Tis the season...

So two years ago this time while James and I were at D.I., a wondrous rack of Halloween costumes popped out at us. James was feeling the festive spirit so he chose a costume to adorn himself in. May I present...

...the young man in all "Hallowed" glory. So yeah. Happy Halloween to you!

As for the student teaching, I'm in a regular 4th grade class. I miss my other students so so so so much but I really like this group of 4th graders. Oh the strings that tug at the heart.

Today I caught a student talking about me to his seat partner. After he said "If you look at her eyes, they sparkle at you" he realized I was standing right by him and heard everything. He was so embarrassed. What a crack up. Anyway, I think it's the nicest compliment I've ever received from a kid (besides the time when Brock, while soaring through the air on the swings yelled out, "Miss Erica! I love you more than my pet dog!"). Good times. Maybe more stories to come. Who knows? I don't. I don't have time to think about bloggy kinds of things. I'm thinking about 42 students. I'm swamped but loving it. Lovin' it.

Busy Busy Busy and no pictures for the post

I've been doing a little student teaching lately. O.K. I've been doing a lot of student teaching lately. I'm currently in a MIMD (Mild Mental Disability) 4-6 grade class with 10 students. I have one week left then I'll switch to a 4th grade regular ed class for 8 additional weeks. I love the students and my mentor teachers. I feel like I've had more kaffofles than successes in the classroom but I'm learning tons. Now that I think about it, I guess I can chalk the kaffofles up as successes if I've learned from them. Hopefully I have.

About two weeks before school started I panicked about having outrageous behaviors. I had outlandish fears like I'd have a heart attack or I'd freeze in the middle of a lesson and not be able to speak or move a muscle. I was afraid every student would run around the room in utter chaos with myself spinning in circles watching it happen, incapable of interfering. Valid fears? You'd think "no" but I assure you that I was 99% convinced something like that would happen. KNOCK ON WOOD! The students are ideal. KNOCK ON WOOD! I care so much for each one. They are so important to me, and I haven't had a heart attack yet.

I want to share all sorts of quotes that the students have said during the day but I'm afraid that part of that heartwarming and humor is magnitudinally lessened for you the reader without knowing those who spoke those classic sentiments. I'll share a few anyway (of course names are changed)...

Bernard to me (6th grade): I love other teachers more than you.

Interpretation: I love you more than other teachers.

Bernard to the next teacher right after talking to me: I love other teachers more than you.

On a comprehension test the other day one of the q and a's went like this:

Q- Why did fans appreciate DiMaggio (Joe)?

Bernard's A- Because he died he cared about his baseball team and the manager missed him and the team missed him.

Ha ha! I love this kid. He tells me every day I'm pretty and look nice. He then proceeds to tell the same thing to all the other aides and teachers around. He says it with so much cheese that I have to try not to crack up. This is an almost daily occurrence.

Here's another student

Me to Felicity (4th grade): Do you know you're so great?

Felicity: Yeah!

Me: How do you know?

Felicity: My mom gives me lots of kisses every day.

Me to Felicity: You did such a great job!

Felicity: Smokin!

Me: What?

Felicity (shaking her hands like they're hot): Smokin!

Ha ha ha ha! I taught them "Smokin" a couple weeks ago. I said it when a small group did well on something. They all gasped and said "ooooh" in disbelief! They thought I was referring to cigarettes. I explained the true meaning then quickly moved on. I never thought they'd remember it but I guess you never can be sure.

In conclusion, will there be more blog posts? Maybe but not likely. I've got some smokin deals at the thrift stores that I'd love to share but life is way to busy present such quality finds. I guess for now, student teaching it is. I'll leave you with a summary of my life right now, Only one word is necessary... Smokin!