Oh So Much!

I have learned oh so much since taking this new job! I am a paraprofessional at a local high school and work in the rooms with students who have profound cognitive and physical disabilities.

In the morning I have a student who is only a few years younger than I! It is her senior year, but you can continue in the special education program until age 21. While working with her the past month I have learned to push a wheelchair, maneuvering it in and out of doors (both those that stay open and those that don't), learned how to read facial expressions, what areas of physical therapy I can help out with, how to put on a swimsuit without taking off all of the clothing, how to record a switch and how to create "swichable" power-points and learning activities.

In the afternoon I am with a student who is able to walk, but suffers from massive mood swings, among other things. Every day we go out in the community, as one of her goals is assimilation. I have learned to hold my to5nge when others don't understand, to calm her agitations before they become tantrums, to read her facial and body features (she is also nonverbal), and to direct her while giving her the opportunity to make decisions on her own. We also use the switch for her to communicate with others, but I don't often have to use it when it is just her and I (because I am picking up on her various ways of communicating with me).

I wasn't sure I would enjoy this job, but I do. Both of my girls are delightful and challenging. No two days are the same. Even though we are working on the same goals each day, I try to mix it up with different activities and trying to make it fun for them. I really enjoy working with the girls and am looking forward to my continual journey of growth and learning :)

Limeades for Learning

The fast food restaurant SONIC is helping teachers make their dream projects come true! Teachers submit what they need for their classrooms, everyone votes once a day and the ones with the most votes are given funding for their projects~how cool is that! Link a project, vote for teachers and give them the chance to enrich students' lives!!!

Here is the link!

News

I've been reading like crazy lately, but more on that later.

I got a job today! An aide position at a high school in a special education classroom! Full time w/ benefits! Details on things later. Teacher in service this afternoon and tomorrow, school starts Thursday, so everything is happening pretty quickly!

Waiting and Praying

I thought for sure that this was the year I would get a teaching job and have my own classroom in a bigger sense than at Kumon. I've been praying all year and even more fervently all summer. I had 11 interviews for 8 jobs and used an entire box (100 sheets) of resume paper mailing out resumes, letters of recommendation, transcripts etc. I have met many great principals who, as lovingly as they could, told me they have chosen a different candidate. I know for one position I was up against 150 others who also desire to have their own classroom. I think the minimum was 12 for one job. The odds are not favorable. I love children and I love God and I know He has plans for my life. He has given me these talents to use, now I'm just waiting and praying that He allows me to use them in a bigger setting. I long to show children a joy for learning, to show them love and see them succeed.

Attention, all teachers and parents!

It is no secret that starting school in the fall costs money. There are clothes to buy, shoes, pens, pencils, folders, paper and all of the other things that are on the back to school lists. Today I found a great deal and want to share it with you. I went to Office Max.

Office Max is great if you are a teacher because they offer a rewards program that rocks! You register for a Max Perks card and swipe it when you shop (not a credit card, it just keeps a tally of purchases). Working at Kumon counts as a teacher (I think even aides could get benefits because they just require a pay stub for proof). For every $75 you spend (in 3 months time) they will give you a gift certificate for $10. But they also have an ink cartridge recycling program (which is how I get most of my rewards). For every empty ink cartridge you bring in, they give you $3 in gift certificates :) Now you do have to wait until the end of the quarter (3 months) to print the certificate and it does have an expiration, but I'll take a few stipulations if they want to give me free money! Ok, now on to my savings! I got everything below for FREE! Ok, so some of the discount was from Max Perks, so if you don't have any perks built up, you will pay some for this, but I combined coupons and store deals and even without the Perks, it is a great deal, let me show you!

1. I printed these coupons (note, coupons expire 7/30):
which made the Office Max filler paper $.20 each (originally $1.79)
and the SCHOOLIO notebooks $.20 each (originally $.99)
2. The filler paper is currently on the Buy one get one free sale, so 3 of them were free!
So without Perks, the 6 packages of filler paper and 6 notebooks would be $1.80
3. Since I had 3.00 in Perks (just recycled one ink cartridge), I picked up the dry erase board as well for $.99 and the total came out exactly to $3.00 (after tax)-so it was free :)
Disclaimer- I did not take the time to figure out the tax and make it perfect, I knew I was about $1 short, and chose the white board accordingly-it just happened to be spot-on :)

So, do you have an Office Max nearby? Cash in on these great savings!!!

Educational Literature

I recently was given a recommendation to read a book on education. I was mildly surprised that I had not heard of it earlier. I know there are many books written on education, and I do not claim to be familiar with all of them, but I have read many and am familiar with titles of others that exist, even though I have not yet read them. Motivated by my curiosity, I went to the local library's website to see if they had it-negative. Since our library has the amazing resource of being able to borrow books from other libraries, I looked at Bloomington library (which is larger than Normal's) and Illinois State University's (which is larger still, and primarily a teaching school)-negative. The closest place that had a copy of the book was an hour away! So I put in for the hold.

Since then I have received the book, The Schools We Need & Why we Don't Have Them by E.D. Hirsch Jr. and have been reading it. When I ordered the book I was aware it held ideas about education that are not taught in public universities, yet I am still surprised that ISU did not have a single copy of it in six floors, with one exclusively designated for education majors. Our professors taught us to challenge what they say and analyses it, yet this book that contrasts the beliefs is nowhere to be found in the library... interesting.

Now that I have begun reading it I am highly interested in what it has to say. The author backs his opinions by multiple research experiments and observations of children and the education system over time. Hirsch Jr rallies for a core curriculum, something I had not heard of in my four years as a student of elementary education. For those who are unaware of what a core curriculum is, it is a curriculum that is consistent and specific. For example: All fourth graders will be able to identify all 50 states within the United States of America, their capitols as well as major landforms including mountains, rivers that span half of a state or more, etc. A core curriculum is very specific so that all the fourth grade students in the school would be entering fifth grade with the same knowledge. By having a core curriculum, this does away with the information gaps between grade levels (and schools if a core curriculum was administered nation-wide).

I am able to see the value having a core curriculum would hold for a school, district and honestly it would be valuable to be implemented nation-wide. Although a nation-wide mandate would be met with much adversary by many teachers, administrators, parents and citizens. It is completely understandable why. As a teacher who has her diploma and state certificate, I was not educated about this until I took it upon myself to do so. How many other teachers have not seen the studies on this? How many administrators are aware of this. What happens when new information is found in science? Who is going to take the time to construct such rigid guidelines for teachers? There are so many questions to be answered before this can fully be put into place.

I'm sure I will post other thoughts spurred from this book, but I want to first leave you with some questions. I am answering them in the way I believe is true, but I challenge you to think about them for yourself.

I believe there are private schools that have realized this value within the United States and are striving for this. Will it ever happen in the United States of America's public education system? I can't answer that. Do I feel it would be beneficial? Yes. Will it take away teachers' creative license within their classroom? Some, but I feel that a creative teacher is still able to teach within the designated curriculum in creative and unique ways. Will it benefit the students as learners? Yes. Will it allow them to learn more within a given school year? I believe so.

Updates

I know it has been awhile, so here are the updates on how everything is going.

My reading goal is going well. Currently reading Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi. I just started it, but am learning much about the history of the Mississippi River.

The boys I was watching, are doing well. The mother's temporary job ended, so I have a new family now (more on that later). My goals for them were reachable, and many were reached. When I left them, the oldest one had graduated from a sippy cup and both boys were eating at the table. They can now both dress themselves (although each day varied on their willingness to do this). The baby was close to walking when I left him (and is now running, I visited a couple days ago). I was very happy with the progress we made. The oldest has mastered most of the social skills he will need for kindergarten in the fall (at least with his brother, friends may be a different situation).

My new family is a challenge in an entirely different way! I am spending 12 hours a week with them and am enjoying learning what they love to do. They recently moved from Congo, so they speak mostly French, mom speaks less English than the kids. Today we read some easy books (on weather and opposites) in both English and French. The oldest (5) enjoyed sharing the French words with me. They love to sing and dance, so I am looking forward to incorporating that into their learning of English. They also have a 3 month old, who is adorable! Honestly, he is a wonderful baby and only cries when hungry or needing a change.