Repeat....Repeat...Repeat

“Please follow my instructions. Bob, please follow my instructions. Bob, you need to do your work. Just sitting there is not an option. I will write a referral. You need to do your work….” And on and on it went.
One of my student’s, who shall be known as Bob, is emotionally disturbed, daddy in Jail, and who knows what crap going on at home. His favorite thing to do, come to CM, say “I wanna go back to class” go to class and say, “ I wanna go to CM”. Then, if we try to make him work, its “I don’t wanna work. I don’t wanna do this.” I spent 30 minutes today getting him to do work that should have taken 5. I still don’t know how I got through to him that it was a better option to do this. Perhaps it was the threat of the referral combined with effusive praise anytime he answered a problem. I don’t know.
That is one thing about kids, especially kids in the poverty level income bracket. If you criticize them, they don’t connect that as the result of a poor choice. They think you are just hatin on them. So you have to praise them a lot so they can see you aren’t just “The Man” out to get them. Otherwise, you are tuned out.

Thanksgiving

Oh, I love the school year schedule! We just came off of a 5 day weekend and boy did we need it! The kids came back calmer, the teachers don't look as frazzled, and all in all we are doing well. I'm not enjoying getting up early again, but hey, I would have gotten bored at home eventually.
Plus, when I came back, I had a big surprise. I actually missed these kids! Even my "problem" children. I'm getting to know them, and I guess I'm getting attached to them a bit. Who woulda thunk it?

Stuck

Well, I think I finally figured out why I have been so frustrated lately with work. This whole week, I have been looking at the kids and asking myself, what the heck? When are they going to calm down and act normal? When will they quit just being rude little twits? And then, one of the student's I actually have had a chance to work with hugged me. Now this kiddo, she has some problems. She gets into fights alot, and she spends alot of time in SAC (In School Suspension). But she is a sweet kid. You can just see her background coming through. No one's taught her how to interact appropriatly. That's why I am so frustrated. In my posistion, I don't get the chance to get to know most of these kids. I'm just the mean aid who gets in their hair all the time.
So, I'm going to try to put out feelers for moving to an ABU (Adaptive Behavior Unit), or a Lifeskills (for very low level students) classroom. ABU would be crazy, but I'd have a relationship with the kids. What the heck is the point of this anyway, if I don't have that?

This Week

Wow, it's been awhile since I've updated. Didn't mean to leave it on that rant for so long. This post will be more of a summary of the week than a specific topic.
On Tuesday, I was feeling rather sleep deprived, and amazingly enough, that put me in a rather good mood. Student J, who always comes in here with an attitude, well, I had the hardest time not laughing while helping him. I never realized how funny these kids are. Student J kept asking the "computer lady" what she did, and telling her teachers who had broken computers. Maybe it's just me, but for Mr. Juevenile Delinquent to be givnig her a list of broken computers, well that is irony.
Yesterday wasn't so fun. I heard the teacher next door, who has no discipline, yell "Just shut up" at her kids. Next thing I know she's crying and her worst offenders are trying to comfort her. Well, it ends up with two admins, including the principal. Well, they kinda yell at the kids, and the student teachers start teaching, and eventually the admins leave. Now it's just me, and two student teachers. This class had just made their teacher cry, and your leaving a paraprofessional in charge? I mean I could handle it, but still. What am I, a shit handler? But those kids, man, they are on my watch list. Especially student X. His behavior is pretty extreme, and he knows the line. He knows how far he can push without getting in trouble. Though he'd better be careful with me. I am determined he will learn to behave appropriatly or go to S.O.S.

Put your clothes on!

Ok, let me warn you, today was rough, so this will be a rant.

People, were you disciplined by your parents? Do you believe in spanking your children? Do you teach your children to obey instructions?
If you answered no to any of the above, your to stupid to be parents. Please, end the polluting of the gene pool and keep it in your pants. No, not even use condoms, they aren't full proof enough. With you, we just can't take any chances. Cause not only are you an idiot, your kids will be twice as bad.
Many of the kids I dealt with today came from this lazy sludgish area of the gene pool. Kids who, when their principal tells them to do something, they just yell at her. Hell, these kids aren't smart enough to know self preservation.
I love having a 12 year old snot yelling at me that it's too cold outside when his sweatshirt is bunched up around his neck with the arms hanging down front and back.
It's like, ok dumbass, if you put your clothes on, it won't be so damn cold.
And it's not the kids fault. There parents never should have been aloud to breed. I truly believe there should be some divine genetic thing that makes you sterile if your an idiot.
ok. /rant off.

Quote of the Day

Man, and I was surprised she looked good, because teachers are the ugliest people ever!

(Junior highers are not known for their tact.)

I miss those kids?

What am I thinking. Student T was a pain in the ass. He wasn't sped, but just came to CM I think to drive us crazy. He would sing wordlessly and off key at the top of his lungs. But he moved, and I"m sad.
Now Student N says he may go back to California. Now, N is a very pacifistic, whiny, avoiding student. But I don't want him to go to California. He'll be lost there.
Do I actually care about these kids?

Quote of the Morning

"Well if she gets him, I'm not going to talk to her anymore, and there will be consequences."
( 3 student's were talking in the hall, apparently about how one girl was going to fight with another girl if girl 2 took girl 1's man. Funny how she talks like the teachers, saying there will be consequences, when referring to fighting.)