I'm struggling a bit this year for good stories. I know they are out there just waiting to happen but this year's class is not as funny as I hoped they could be. I'm missing Janie's spark of mischief, Lorenzo's observations and Raymond's smooth moves. There are no crazy fashion choices, pandering for Hot Cheetos or just general silliness that I enjoy. Right now all my new students think my name is "Hey" and my old students are mostly annoyed with the new ones. Part of the problem is that my three new ones do not really speak. If they do, the articulation is so poor you have to sometimes play twenty questions to figure out what they are trying to say. Hopefully, with A LOT of coaching and speech therapy, we can get better speech production. Even Ricky is off his game this year. I'm almost afraid we've tamed his spirit too much. I just wish we could tame his behind into sitting in his seat. I'm going to send his teacher next year the gift of velcro :)  

                This is the downside of Special Ed sometimes. You teach your children the skills they need and the lovely quirks they came with disappear. Isaiah no longer threatens to leave to go get a job. There are no spontaneous American Idol competitions breaking out in the middle of math. We are turning into a regular education class which is full of academics but not as much humor. Right now I am a teacher in search of a laugh.

 

 

 

              Thanks to everyone that wished me well. I am back among the living. I was having dinner with my parents the other night when they reminded me of a school story of mine that happened in my first years of teaching. I had completely forgotten about this until my father brought it up. If you look in the June 2005 archive, I mention a student named Francisco. I still see him from time to time now since he's in class with Miss. Janie at the other school site. He is probably one of my most famous students since everyone still asks me about him. The following story is about him:

              I go out and do yard duty every recess because my students need the extra supervision. Today is no exception. The thing that is different today is that there is a helicopter flying over the school. All of a sudden I see Francisco. He jumps up from the sandbox and looks at the sky. His eyes grow big and he starts to yell "La Migra....La Migra"! Loose translation is " Immigration...Immigration"! He starts to run to look for a place to hide under the sand toys and gets all his classmates to hide with him. I look at all of them, a mixture of white, black and latino, and shake my head. I go over to them and tell them that they are "legal" and can come out.

 

Author's note: This happened any time a plane or helicopter flew over our school and none of my students were illegal immigrants!

 

 

 

               I haven't kept up with the last few blogs because I've been home (after teaching school ) dying with another cold/sinus infection gifted to me by my lovely students and their parents who won't keep them home. I know I've ranted on in previous blogs about having to deal with parents who send sick kids to school. However, due to the selfishness of one or two people, my entire classroom is sick, not just me. I, as a teacher, also have to make the judgement call of how bad do I feel over calling a sub to come in to teach. I know when I am not well I am more short with my students. I'm human. I feel like hell. Balance that with having some stranger come in who knows crap all about special needs and makes my aides do all the work while collecting the pay is not good either. Some days it is a roll of the dice as to what should happen. Other times, like actually being forced off work with the sprained ankle, is the only way I'd rather turn my class over to a total stranger. Maybe that is selfish on my part because who knows how effective I am as a teacher not feeling well. I wouldn't mind if I actually knew a sub that liked special needs kids and wasn't afraid to come to a class like mine. Usually when a sub hears the words "Special Ed", suddenly they aren't available any more to work. Crikey...we don't have cooties and you can't catch mental retardation like a virus. I take that back. We do have cooties :) I'm kidding as I'm sneezing here. Only sometimes do we have cooties. I feel guilty when I do call in sick plus I also know I'm going to come back to some major drama from being gone. It never fails. In my second year of teaching I had developed laryngits so bad that I lost my voice for over two weeks. I don't mean the barking seal kind of voice you sometimes get but actual no voice production at all. I could hardly whisper (which I find out is even worse on your vocal cords than talking). I still would show up to work thinking I could sign my way through teaching or write a giant note on a notepad to hold up. Thank God my aides had some common sense and sent my delirious behind home not to return until I had some kind of vocal production. And, it wasn't until then that I realized how important my vocal cords were to the profession that I do. It was so hard for me not to talk at all to anyone. That's how you torture me. Don't allow me to speak. So...I'm going to return to my position on my couch with my cats around me in some fashion watching the second season of House (I worship at Huge Laurie's feet and wish Dr. House was my doctor even as abraisve as he is) and hope that my face will stop feeling like someone smacked me with a two-by-four.

 

 

 

                       Today I wished I had stayed in bed. I knew it was going to be difficult. I was already tired from spending most of my free time this past week at my mom's helping her take care of my nieces. My sister had an operation which caused her such complications that she ended up in intensive care. Out of respect for her privacy, I won't say what it was for. Let's just say it was elective surgery. Couple that with the fact that I was getting a new student who I saw on Friday at his IEP tearing up the Speech Room and I was less than excited to be at school.

                I get to my classroom and get this phone call from the parent of the other missing student from the beginning of the year. She's mad at me because I won't accept him into my classroom. She had registered him at the other elementary trying to pass him off as a regular Kindergartener. We find this out last Friday as that Kinder teacher came running up to me and my boss saying "I need to talk you about this student. He can't hold a pair of scissors or do anything". I start thinking to myself, "Lady...it's only the third week of school. I bet there are a whole slew of kids that can't hold scissors". Then she says the student's name and I say, "No wonder. He's mine". Now here is what is scary. This poor child has some serious neurological difficulties which would render him having a poor gate when he walked, poor motor and fine motor skills in general, and great speech difficulties. All this woman could go on about was the fact he couldn't use scissors. (As I take deep breath trying not to roll my eyes) Anyway, the mom is mad at me and I explain that she must come register him at the office in person. That is the law and I'm bound by it. She then has the nerve to say to me, "How come nobody told me"? I then explained that we called her house many numerous times before and after school started and that we were told that she no longer lived there. I also told her that the other school should have let her know that she must register him in person. Then she has the nerve to tell me that he's been at the school three weeks already. I retort that's he's only been there three days since the 15th. I saw the enrollment papers at the other school. That shuts her up. Don't **** with me lady. I know what's what. Anyway, after all that do you think she came by and registered her kid? (If you thought yes come here and let me slap you)

               Then as I'm trying to teach another parent just shows up to "observe". Rule number one to  my parents-DON'T JUST SHOW UP! Please call ahead. Arghhhh! Your child is going to fall apart the moment they see you and then want to go home. Worse...you leave and leave me with your precious darling throwing the grand royale of temper tantrums.  Then that throws the rest of my entire class off which is not fair to the children who do not belong to you. And I know I was not exactly the nicest I could have been when I told this mother this morning that she needed to call ahead. I was dealing with a brand new student and other problems this morning without her setting off her kid and the rest of my students. The mother observed for a bit until she realized her child was wrapped around her ankle and didn't want to let go.  Her child then refused to move from the floor and I left him there until he decided to join us. (Aka. death scene boy...that should give you a clue to which student) The mom then went to bitch to the Prinicpal that about what I said to her. He came over later to talk me about this. He said, "Our policy is here the parents can come in". I then said, "Let me tell you my policy. I want to be called in advance because my students fall apart the moment their parents show up. That in turn sets off the rest of my class. It takes me at least an hour to get my kids back on track if at all for the rest of the day. So, you are telling me that it's ok to lose an entire day of teaching to a parent who may have to dial seven numbers to give me a head's up so I can prepare her child"? That shut him up. I said "Right now I'm trying to break behaviors and this mother's child is the biggest offender. She can come observe in a few more weeks". He saw my point. People never think about things like that. My kids are disrupted if they hear rain falling outside let alone a mom/stranger come into my room. Again, if they could handle that type of distraction, they wouldn't be here.  I'm sorry. This is an issue that I will stand my ground on if needed. Apparently everyone found that out today :) 

            One lighter note. It seems that I have had a job promotion and I didn't even know it. Several of the Kindergarteners from the class of the student who has come to me to work on his behavior were telling Mrs. Jackie and Mrs. Maria that Miguel was not behaving again. They said, "He needs to go see the other Prinicipal in Room 1".  

                

                

 

 

                    I am so going to teachers' hell. I just know it especially after the gag I pulled today. I  couldn't help myself. I had seen Miguel  our maintence man going behind our classrooom to work on the AC. I thought nothing of it until my students and I were all seated around a table playing "Memory". I started to hear faint sawing noises through the wall and some of my kids heard it as well. Isaiah says to me, "What's that Miss. B"? I said, "It's the school ghost. He's come back because you all are acting up today".  They had been wild all morning because it was Kalep's birthday. This is when I decided to have a little fun and a little payback for the behavior that had been taking place. I said to Isaiah, "Go knock on the wall and see if the ghost knocks back". Isaiah slowly walks over to the wall and knocks on it softly. There is no answer back. I say, "Oh you must knock a little harder so the ghost hears you". Isaiah knocks a little harder but still no answer. "Again...harder", I say. Isaiah knocks again louder but still no answer. I'm about to give up on this gag when Isaiah's classmates yell at him to knock harder. Isaiah knocks against the wall again this time with all his might. Then about two seconds later, Miguel knocks on the wall from the outside which causes the look of complete horror and screams from my students. Mrs. Maria and I were having to cover our mouths because we are laughing so hard. Now my entire class is afraid that the school ghost is going to come through the wall to get them. I told them that they needed to straighten up and behave nicely so the ghost would go away.

           Apparently I had opened a can of worms with this gag because my students could not stop talking about the school ghost. They actually went out and told other students in other classrooms about the ghost. I did not know this until I was in the teacher's lounge tonight waiting to get into my classroom for Back to School night. The Kindergarten teacher of the student I've had in my class says to me that he's doing so much better. She then said, "I only had one problem with him today. He was crying today because he stays there is a ghost".

 

 

                   Finally, during my sixth year of teaching, my mom comes to visit my classroom. She's never been to visit when the kids are there and she's the ultimate pre-school teacher. She actually teaches at the local community college in Early Childhood Education and I swear there is nobody better. I always forget just how good of a teacher she is until I see her teach. I'm pretty smart but I always feel I know nothing next to her knowledge. This is why I've always considered my mom my biggest mentor as far as my career goes. She came into today to read some stories to my class. She also did a couple of songs as well. My kids just ate it up and actually were charming with their responses.  Isaiah invited my mom to come to his birthday party since he thought she was cool.  You know you rate when you get a birthday invite. We had her stay and play bingo with us since I'm famous for creating children that need a 12 step program for their gambling addiction when they leave my class. She was very impressed at how good the kids were, how they all got the concept of the game and that they were well mannered.  She did ask me what was up with Adrian (who had been the biggest pill again the moment he stepped off the bus) and I said, "This is the one that likes to play dead". My mom said, "Yes, I can see that now" humorously. Adrian was sprawled out across the table face down as if someone had stabbed him in the back during the stories. I didn't bother to help him sit up as that was battle I wasn't willing to fight today. I figured he'd give up eventually since the table was pretty hard and he did.  

 

 

 

 

                          The death scenes have returned with a vengance today from Adrian. Two days off school did not do me any favors with him. It makes me wonder how much he gets away with at home and my guess would be that he runs the show. I had brought out the big box of sand toys I have for the first recess because my students love them. It's also a great way to get some mainstreaming in at recess by inviting other children over to come play us. Things seemed to be going well until the bell rang. Everyone else in my class put the toys away in the box and lined up as they are supposed to do. (I just love them this year) And then there was Adrian who pretended the bell didn't ring and that we didn't exist. Mrs. Maria tried to get him to give up his shovel. Mrs. Jackie tried to get him to give up his shovel. I finally had enough of the nonsense and just swooped in to get the shovel. I tossed it in the box which was met by howls of protests. I then hear shouted from my line of students, "Ooooooh....Adrian is making a bad choice"! I smiled and looked at Adrian who was pretending to die again. He was refusing to come in so I left him in the sandbox while the rest of us walked to class. I thought maybe he might get the hint but I was wrong. I have Mrs. Maria take everyone else to class and I ask Mrs. Jackie to help me. We double team him to his feet and then make him walk to class by me keeping my leg behind him not allowing him to drop to ground. I've already told him that if he drops I'm letting him fall and it will hurt. He finally makes it to the door of my room and goes in. I get inside and there sitting in my class is the student from the other Kindergarten class that was with me last week for bad behavior. I asked why he was there and he thought he was going to hang out with us. I told him that unless I hear from his teacher that he's been doing his work, he can't come visit us. I walk him back to his class which saves me from lecturing everyone else on the sand toys. Amazingly enough Ricky decided to take that task upon himself. I guess he was mad at Adrian too for his behavior and proceeded to imitate me. Ricky stood in front of Adrian pointing to his own face and said, "See this face...this is an angry face". He then said, You have made a bad choice". The kicker came when he said, "If I'm not happy...nobody is going to be happy".  I was just cracking up when my aides told me this because those were my words exactly come back to haunt me. And here I thought nobody ever listened to what I said!

 

 

         Little snipettes of life around Room 1 and beyond.....

 

 

         Isaiah's birthday is next week and apparently he is planning some kind of blow out birthday party for himself. I'm not sure if his mother knows this yet but he's taken to making a guest list which includes me.  He asked me today, "Miss. B. can you ask your mom if it is ok to come to my house for a birthday party"? I just bit my lip and smiled. I said I'd ask. I actually saw my mom tonight and got her permission :)

 

 

         Today during Bingo, Ricky turns to me and says quite seriously, " Miss. B. . .I'm really, really sorry" quite animatedly. I look at him and said "what for"? He had done nothing wrong. Apparently Ricky was preparing a pre-emptive strike in the off-hand chance he should make a bad choice.

 

         It has been reported to me that Janie has been "mooning" other students and faculty at her new school. I can hear Ricky screaming right now, "My Eyes, My Eyes"!

 

          Isaiah's afterschool program came to pick him up as they do everyday after school. Today, Laurel and Hardy were driving the van. They got out of the van to load Isaiah into it and somehow the door to van shut. It was locked. All of a sudden, there we were standing there locked out of the van with the van running. I looked at Isaiah and said, "This could take awhile". I got a wire coat hanger and gave it to the driver. Meanwhile, Isaiah and I sat under the tree and watched the guys break into their own van. It was pretty entertaining. Isaiah busted out some Pop Rock candy he had been hoarding in his backpack and we shared it while discussing the fact that yes he was going to go to his afterschool program once they got the van open. Isaiah kept saying to me, "I think you should call my mom".  I kept saying, "I'm not calling your mom unless she has the key to the van". After a half hour, they managed to open the van and off Isaiah went.

 

 

 

 

                     I don't know how anyone else feels about this but waking up to hear about the massive terror plot that has just been thwarted leaves me with a knot in my stomach. All those feelings of 9/11 resurface again. I was getting ready to go to school when that happened and today I was getting ready to go to school when this latest incident was broadcast. I just remember the anxiety of wondering what was coming next while trying to make the day as normal as possible for my students. Today, it's not like that but uncertainty of what is to come next is. This also happens to go for things happening around school. It seems like all of a sudden I have become some authority on behavior management around this place which is completely untrue. Yes, I've had loads of training and I guess I've had to live it much more than most teachers. However I am baffled as to why nobody can handle their students. Part of me thinks it is because they push so damn hard on academics here from the first day that the poor kids don't get a chance to learn the routine and proceedures. Perhaps if teachers had a little luxury like me to work on behavior the first few weeks of school, I wouldn't have to take in other students to keep other teachers from cracking up.

 

 

 

                          Yesterday I was in the teachers' lounge eating lunch with the other Kindergarten teachers as I do from time to time. Part of me does it to make sure I keep in touch to get some mainstreaming from them and other part of me loves to hear the gossip about the other classes on campus. I feel sort of bad because this year's Kindergarten class is a wild bunch. Each teacher has one or two in their rooms that are driving them insane. I wonder what exactly they are doing because when it comes to behaviors, nobody can beat what I've seen and experienced in the past six years. This one teacher was just at the end of her rope. She switched from teaching a second grade class to Kindergarten and I'm wondering if that was the smartest move since she's sort of up there in age. (I'd say mid to late 60's) Not that you can't teach Kindergarten when you are in your 60's but takes a tremendous amount of energy that most people just don't have. She is diabetic plus she has high blood pressure. And as you all probably know, stress does not help those two things.  She was telling us that when she saw the doctor yesterday, her blood pressure was 193/100. The woman is ready to have a bloody stroke. I offered to take one of the little darlings and "fix" them for her if she needed a break. (Seriously...I am worried she's going to drop dead in her classroom) I didn't think she'd actually take me up on it until she came strolling up to my classroom with her student after the first recess today. I could tell the woman was about to break. I decided to have a little fun with this because there is this slightly sadistic streak in me.

                        We first asked our guest to join us in a little game of memory so I could gage what the behaviors were and what kind of skills were we looking at for this student. He fit in quite well and if he even thought about cheating or going out of turn, my students were all over this kid. It was very amusing. I just love the self-policing. It makes my job that much easier. I hate to say it but he was pretty good. I then decided to put my Master's research to work in the use of physical activity for behavior modification. We had our guest join us in some full out aerobics. Now my class is used to this but this child was not. I knew that going in and I knew that would do the trick. Ten minutes into the exercise, he was begging to go back to class to do his work. By the time we were done, he was worn out. I then told him that if he had to come back today to visit me,  we were going to go running since I had my running shoes with me. Ok, now that is a complete lie because I hate running. I would however have walked him senseless if needed plus I knew he would not be back:).  I then dropped him back off at his classroom and passed on what I had said to him to his teacher. I then said, "I don't think you'll have anymore trouble today". Low and behold I see this student's teacher after school and she says to me, "He did all of his work the rest of the afternoon" as if I had performed some miracle. I just smiled. (Again, the sadist in me)

 

 

 

 

                 I knew the phone call would come. I actually expected it last week however, the phone call came today around 12:30 from Janie's new teacher. Apparently Miss. Janie has been giving her new teacher quite a time. Janie did nothing but roll around on the floor today and then decided to get on the table. She refused to get off for stickers and even candy. Her teacher seemed to feel really frazzled about her behavior. I had to explain what Janie was doing was typical for the type of disability she has. She then asked me how I handled her. I said quite bluntly-"shock the hell out of her and be firm".  This teacher has never worked with Moderate-to-Severe disabilities before. She has only ever taught RSP. The district phased out the RSP program at the school where she was because the intervention classes have kept students out of qualifying for RSP. The district gave her a choice of teaching this class or finding another job. I was never in favor of this person taking this class and I told my boss that. I do believe I said, "They will eat her alive by the first week". Ok. It was the beginning of the second week but I was close. The teacher in question is very soft spoken and very "mothering".  While that is fabulous, in order to get behavior under control, you have to be a lot more direct and consistent the first months of school. You can love all you want later on once you have the behaviors contained.  I told her the bribes that worked with Janie (Hot Cheetos and the loss of priviledges) and hoped she'd find something that worked. I, on the other hand, was amused as all get out by this but also mad that Janie was being a complete brat. I decided to take it upon myself to help this teacher out and to "shock the hell" out of Janie. Whether or not I should interfere in this matter is something I debated with my aides. However, I felt that if Janie's teacher called me to look for answers, I could certainly jump in this time.

 

          Janie's new school gets out a half hour later than mine does so when it was time for my students to leave, I rushed to my car and drove over to Janie's school. I got out and went to Janie's classroom. Janie saw me  and she looked very surprised.  I stood there with my hands on my hips sporting my mean teacher look and said with my best James Earl Jones voice impression, "Come here Miss. Janie". She came over to me and I said to her, "I understand that you have not been making good choices today and not listening to your new teacher". Janie hung her head and said, "Yeah". I then said, "If I have to come over here again because you are not listening, you are going to lose your recess time and not get to do fun projects. Do we understand each other"? Janie says, "Yeah". I then say, "What do you need to go say to your new teacher"? Janie looks puzzled for a moment and I refresh her memory. I say, "You need to tell her you are sorry". Janie walks up to her new teacher and says, "I'm sorry. I won't ever do it again". Her new teacher thanks her and Janie sits back down to work quietly. She knows she's been busted.  Janie's teacher mouths the words "thank you" to me and I smile. I turn around and walk back out the classroom as fast as I entered it to go back to my own school. Meanwhile, I'm laughing all the way back. I'm quite sure that little bit of surprise should go a long way to getting Janie back on track. Some days I just love my job :)

 

 

 

         My title is a little homage to the late comedian Bill Hicks. However, I think I do have an emerging reader in my room. Something happened in the short time Ricky had off from school. His mother found a Leap Frog video on phonics and letter sounds which Ricky could not get enough of during his time away. The amazing thing is that all the material on those videos have embedded themselves into Ricky's memory. All of a sudden Ricky has become this sponge of knowledge. Yesterday he was spelling out four letter words (the proper ones..not the bad ones!).  I had to hold spelling over his head a a behavioral reward to do after lunch. I don't think there will ever be another student as long as I live that I could use spelling as a reward. I almost feel like I fell into some parallel universe at the moment.

       Today we tried arranging some cvc words into a sentence to see if he could read them. Low and behold, he could. I then pulled out a pre-decodeable book with some sight words because I noticed that Ricky is trying to generalize phonics rules to everything. Sight words buck those rules and they just have to be memorized. He had picked up the words for the most part after one go through. I sent home the little book with him and I told to practice reading to his mom so that he could come back to read for the class on Monday. My goal right now is to try to take him as far as we can before we do his triennial IEP in October. The thing that always amazes me is that nobody thinks my students can't learn to read.

 

Side note: Things are finally better as far as the AC problem goes with the new insulation and my knee is fine :)

 

 

        I'm sitting here tonight at my desk in my office which is in my apartment with my knee throbbing. I whacked it hard today on a metal bar under one of my student's table as I was moving in next to them to help with an assignment. It was all I could do not to cuss my head off when I hit it. I know I probably should have filled out an accident report but my classroom is one of the farthest away from the office at my school. I just didn't feel like making the hike. I also didn't want to write on the accident form that the reason I was injured was because I was a total doofus and that clumsy is my true middle name.  It's black and blue (the kneecap) tonight. The thought came to me that I think it was the second day of school last year when I had the chair in my classroom pinch my leg so bad it was black and blue. (The Biting Chair) I sprained my ankle near the same spot as the knee-whacking this summer. What is it about my classroom that makes it so hazzardous to me? I am beginning to think my classroom is cursed. 

 

       Today for fun we played my Bean Bag Toss game to check for some gross motor skills and also social skills as far as taking turns and team building go. The kids love this game. They get a bean bag and I tape out on the floor various lines of distance they can toss the bean bag at a numbered mat for points. The farther back you toss from, the more points the number is worth. The kids are divided into two teams and the team with the most points after three rounds wins. Each child got up and gave it their best shot. I completely forgot about Ricky when setting up this game. He has some serious issues about not being perfect every time he does something. This perfectionist tendency really comes out during game playing. He got up and tossed his bean bag. He did ok but missed landing the bean bag on a number. I say to him, "Nice try, you were very close" thinking a little positive reinforcement would soften the blow. However, that didn't work. He went back to his chair and started to cry. It took me, Mrs. Jackie, Mrs. Patty and Mrs. Maria (she replaces Carmen) to convince Ricky that nobody was mad at him and that he did a good job. Ricky finally settles down and is ok. Then his turn comes up again. I think to myself, "Come God, cut me a little slack today here will ya with this kid".  Ricky starts his self-talk as I call it which is actually very clever. He says, "I need to be brave..yeah..that's it...brave".  He then says, "I need to be brave and show the way". Has this kid been drafted and being sent off to Iraq here? Ricky steps up to the line and tosses the bag. It hangs in the air for what seems like an eternity and finally comes down onto the mat. Only one corner of the square bean bag is inside the square with the number. My normal rules say you have to get two corners in the square for it to count. However, I am not stupid. I call it like I see the whole bean bag in and award Ricky the points.  Everyone cheers and I breathe a sign of relief. The things you have to do to keep the peace!

 

       And to add to all...I am notified that the insulation guy is coming at 6:30 am tomorrow to put the insulation in the ceiling. I would be happy but schol starts at 7:30. Freaking brilliant. Now I get to try to teach class in a supply room while they are making a mess of my classroom. Don't you think and this is just me that they could have waited until AFTER school to do this? 

 

 

First of all....I leave for a day and Windows hijacks my page. Ugh!

 

Welcome back to the Adventures in Room 1 -Season 2

 

Plot: Today we find Miss. B. anxiously awaiting her new group for another year of fun, challenges and days that defy explanation.

 

(That will teach me to wear a small heel to work. This is the first time I've sat down all day with the exception of that small break at lunch. I always forget how much I am on my feet all day when I work......)

 

The cast of regulars return-Kim, Kalep, Ricky, Isaiah, Samuel and Luis. I am happy to see them and they me. I spend the first ten minutes admiring new backpacks and tennis shoes. Everyone looks like they have grown several inches and I wonder where the time has flown already.

 

 Everyone has just settled down to breakfast when my newbie walks in the room. He's so tiny next to everyone else. His name is Adrian and he's very shy. However, he warms up as I have each child come up and say hello to him. He fits in well for the most part and even has some skills that the other children don't. Unfortunately, Adrian meets with the concept of Special Ed. Boot Camp after lunch. I jokingly call the first two months in my room that because it is a bit like the military in that I have to break down bad behaviors. I then build up good behaviors and reinforce those. Apparently Adrian has been able to get away with getting out of work or not doing something he doesn't like by going completely limp and playing dead. He literally rolled his eyes up into his head and let his tongue fall out of his mouth to simulate dying in his chair with great panache at one point. Adrian also hates transitions between activities when it's something he doesn't want do. Believe me, we try to make the transition as fun and as painless as possible by giving plenty of warning time that the activity is going to change so there are no surprises. My first approach at getting him to work was the use of the hand-over-hand technique. This was met with so much resistance that I finally abandoned it because it was annoying me more than him. I decided to get him where it hurts so to speak and use something he could buy into for value. I brought out the big guns-the blocks and the train set. Nobody can resist these two items no matter who you are. I say to all my darling children who have made good choices (i.e. the rest of my entire class) , "You all have made good choices today and I am happy. You may have some free time with the blocks and train set. I'm sorry your classmate Adrian won't be joining you". This is met with squeals of delight and everyone restating, "That's what happens when you make good choices". I smile and think to myself, "Ahhhh...you've taught them well". Meanwhile Adrian is sitting in his chair watching his classmates play while I sit next to him. He starts to get up thinking I'm going to let him play. HAH! Au contraire little one...you have much to learn! I tell him he needs to sit down and that he needs to tell me he's sorry before he goes anywhere since he spent an hour playing dead like an oppossum to try to get out of his work. He sits and sees his classmates having fun. I then see the first sign of victory. His bottom lip begins to quiver a bit and I hear in a tiny voice, "I'm sorry".  I feel bad but it had to be done. I then say, "Thank you...go play now". It may sound harsh but if I had given in at any time during this battle, my year would have been over before it started with reinforced bad behavior. I'm sorry but no five year old is going to gun for the Best Actor Oscar for a Shakespearian tragedy on my watch. 

 

So..Day 1 is over. I have a blister on my foot and a point scored in favor of better choices everywhere. I'm quite sure I have not seen the last of the death scenes to come.