Post #3

One of the girls in this class has reading time with one of the specialty teachers for the last hour of school after lunch. She struggles a little bit with reading and they have found out that this method helps her so much and she is keeping up to grade level just fine and she isn't falling behind in any other subjects. I believe this to be part of her IEP. She has an agreement between her parents, and both sets of teachers on what is supposed to happen. I haven't really talked to the general ed teacher about the details of this plan but as far as I understand they go over this at least once a year to reevaluate what the student needs.

I do know that when they go over the IEP every year the student likes to be there. She may not understand everything but she does like to be there, which I think is important. I feel like the child needs to be at least a little bit aware of what they will be doing in school before they actually start school.  This student is really excelling in school and progressing really well. This just shows that the laws that have been made for students with, for lack of a better term, special needs are receiving the help that they need to be able to succeed in life and are being given the tools to be able to figure things out by their self once they get older. It is really impressing me!

Post #2

I had the opportunity to work with a student who actually doesn't come to school almost at all. I feel so bad for this girl. To help you better understand her situation, her mother never brings her to school. Before I got to work with her, she had missed 42 consecutive days of school. I don't understand that mentality. She has been tested for the special education program, and she is qualified, but her mother will not sign the papers. I believe the district is prepared to take her to court for this. I'm not sure that's the case, but I think they are close to it. When I started working with this girl, they class was working on a writing assignment and so I was helping her get some ideas down on paper and that poor girl cannot read. She knows what the letters sound like, and she can piece the sounds together, but she can't make the work. It gets really discouraging as a teacher! You want what is best for the students, but when the parents don't care enough to get them a good education, there is nothing else you can do! It's really hard!

As I was working with her I couldn't help but think about the education of the blacks in the south back in the 60's. They probably didn't have the same struggle of their parents not taking them to school, but they for sure didn't receive the same education as the whites. Most of the students could not read and could barely write. It's just really sad to see students still struggling and not getting the attention and help that they need when they need it most.

I hope that some day this students gets the help that she needs. I would hate for her to end up having to work at a fast food restaurant for the rest of her life just to make a decent living. I want her to be successful and right now she is not on that path and it scares me for her.

My 2nd graders

Yesterday I arrived as the students got back from lunch break and right after lunch they came in and we started on a new book. They love it when I read to them. For some reason it is better than when their actual teacher reads to them? Its too funny! They turn into little angels when it's reading time. They color on their white boards or sit and listen. It's awesome!

I have also had some interesting encounters with the kids. One of the students came up to me at the end of the day and he told me that he had figured out that morning how to put his underwear on while he had pants on. . . What even? These kids are too fun!