Bodily fluids

I know, I know...two times in three days...nothing to get too excited about.

It's Wednesday, I am procrastinating writing my lesson plans for next week and there is a lot on my mind...so here we go...

I have a little girl in my class whose adopted mother works at the school as sub sometimes. I didn't know the story about this family until a few weeks ago...the parents are 'grandparent age' but really, that doesn't mean anything around here. Plenty of my kids are raised by grandparents. However, this students' father wanted to come in and meet my assistant and I today after school. He hears about us so much at home and wanted to meet us. Well, this was more than just a typical "hi, nice to meet you." He ranted and raved about how wonderful we are doing with her and how amazing it is to see her progress. She is not your ordinary student. She is a special education student who is taken from my room during language and math time to work with the SPED teachers, but the majority of her day is with us. She is a crack baby. Her mother was so high on crack-cocaine when she was in labor that the doctor was FURIOUS with her. They told me he wasn't just mad, he was outraged. He told her that as soon as she delivered this baby, she was going straight to jail. This little girl lived with a grandmother until she passed away and was then adopted by her current parents, who are members of her extended family. They were told that she would never be able to talk. She would never be able to learn. Never say never. She passed first quarter, and although she is not passing this quarter...she has progressed tremendously. In fact, she is about in the middle of my class for knowing her letters and sounds and at the top of my class for sight words. Granted, little to none of this is from me. Her mother works with her each and everynight on ALL skills we are doing. How awful did I feel today after they left...I yelled at her more than once today about hitting other kids. She sees other kids do it, so she mocks them. This is a girl who is RARELY not smiling, even if she's being yelled at. She is adorable. She is smart. She says the greatest things that remind you how innocent little kids can be. She doesn't deserve this.

Okay, done being a sentimental sally. So far this week I have had throw up, a tooth pulled and a bloody nose in my class. Pretty good considering it is November and this was the first of all three in my room. You'd be surprised how many kids lost teeth after a sugar-filled halloween weekend. But I'm thankful that it took so long for each of those things to happen. My kids were pretty unruly today...however, my program director came in for a short observation and they actually calmed down for the time he was there, which is a definite first. He was in three weeks ago and each day since then we go over how to act when visitors are in our room....they seriously go out of control when other people are in the room. Ahhh...the joys of kindergarten.

I spent a couple of hours yesterday off campus (GASP) observing in the next town from us. It's another school in our district and everyone knows one another. Well, the two kindergarten teachers are both TFA. One is a 2rd year, one is a 3rd year. I have heard amazing things about both of them. It was good to go watch other classes...however, I'm pretty sure I could have spent the entire day there watching each subject. The only major differences are that their classes have 13-14 kids whereas my school has 22-23 in each class this year. That makes management MUCH different. Oh well....the more observations the better.

Better get back to work...10 days 'till departure!