A Blog Post that May Explain Some Things.

I was just on facebook and one of the Mother's of my former students posted the link to this blog by Regie Hamm.  Regie is a songwriter and happened to win a contest for the show American Idol.  His song was chosen and was sung by the winner, David Cook.

Regie is also a Father.  A Father with an adopted daughter with Angelman Syndrome.  Angelman Syndrome is caused by a chromosomal abnormality.  I have worked with or taught at least 8 children with Angelman Syndrome and they are some of my favorite people :).  People with AS typically do not speak (there are variations of the syndrome and there are people who do speak) and most do not walk.

This is a link to a blogpost written by Regie.  I think it might be a very good description of what a lot of families who have children with significant disabilities go through.

How's Your Daughter

Just Something to Make You Smile!

http://www.upworthy.com/a-flash-mob-that-did-way-more-than-just-confuse-and-startle-the-people-around-it?c=upw1

Gritting My Teeth

I am psyching myself up for the new school year.  I have lost most of my students to the big pond of elementary school and have only two 3 year olds left in my class to start with.  I am pretty sure, though, that my class will fill up pretty quickly.  I can have up to 7 preschoolers with 2 full time para professionals.

Last year I got a new "room mate".  Let's just say it became quite an acrimonious relationship.  My room mate does not really like sharing her room and I was told quite plainly that a typical early childhood special education class (hers) should not have to share with an early childhood special education class for students with multiple disabilities.  Sigh :(..  Granted we do need a lot more space for our class since we have more equipment and children with mobility and sensory issues.  However, some of the concessions I need are in order to make my students safe and give them the opportunity to meet their goals.

By the end of the year, I was so tired of the whole thing :( and my assumption is that I will be back in the same situation next year.  This year, though, I will be asking for more.  I need space for common core vocabulary to be put up where my students always have visual access to it.  This is a new concept for my classroom, but something I am really buying into.  At the end of the year I tried using "common core mats" (just pieces of heavily laminated paper with the words, "more", "my turn", "help" and "done"on them), and saw dramatic results in just 3 weeks with a few of my students.  I want to go bigger and bolder right from the get go this year. 

I don't expect this to go down well.  Wish me luck :).

Whoopie! I hit the Jackpot :)

What I Bought from an Online Yard Sale!

    I just posted this picture on Facebook,

Do you see all that?  Button pushing, bead popping, block stacking, small motor manipulation heaven!  And all for $25.00.  There is no way you can get that much "stuff" with the money given to you each year for your classroom, especially since you have to buy it from catalogs :(.  It can take you up to 7 years to sufficiently build up the things needed in a classroom like mine, never mind the very specific items needed for specific students.  This doesn't count things like paper and paint, special brushes and scissors. 

I also spend money perusing the dollar store for craft ideas, and the grocery stores for adapted style forks, spoons, cups and bowls.  It seems like the newest craze has been to make these items for "regular" (pardon the term) babies much more like the adapted items I might find in special needs catalogs, but much cheaper.  I do searches online for "honey bear cups" (if you don't what they are, please ask me:) and have found them for about $8.00 a piece, if I really look.  Luckily, some people at school are bringing me their used honey bear containers and by adding some fish tank tubing, I can make my own (thanks A.M., you know who you are :).

I also ask my parents for paper towels, tissues and wipes for bums and faces.  Especially in the winter, little faces get chapped from runny noses and the cold and the wipes make it much easier to wipe them gently.  My parents have always been good about complying when asked.

So next time you are cleaning out your playroom, think about any special education teachers you might know.  Most of us would be happy to take some of your old stuff off of your hands.

Summer Days

Summer has begun....

     As usual you start the summer out with all sorts of plans and projects to accomplish, then you get to the end of June and start to panic because so few of these things have been done! 

I did though, have a wonderful time surprising my middle child, Krista with a visit from her little sister (this made her cry:)for her 30th birthday.  I came along to do some house cleaning for her while they all went out to a family day at her husband's place of work and then stayed to babysit while the girls went out for a little bit of retail therapy, poor me :).   Then later that afternoon, my husband joined us with an ice cream cake (a family favorite) and we all went out to Bone Fish Grill for a birthday dinner.  Holly spent the night with her sister and then came back to our house the next night to spend the evening and night with us.  A bonus for us!  We made watermelon martinis and ate Pepperidge Farms cookies out on the deck watching the fireflies and chatting. Ahh :).

Chris has been able to spend the whole week off with me.  We got a little pool time and have been to the movies at the Alamo to see "World War Z".  It was a much better movie than I was expecting!
Saturday I am going to a birthday party for one of my former students.  I had him from his last summer of preschool until the fourth grade.  Now he is turning 13.  I can't wait to see him and get one of his very famous (for those of us who know him) smiles and hugs :

So no, I haven't gotten a whole lot of stuff done around here, but all in all, summer has been pretty terrific so far.  Of course once I finally get my tooth situation straightened out, I am sure I will be much better.

Oh..... and on the weekend of the 13th, I am getting my new puppy :).

Kickstarter campaign worth looking at...

Just a quick post to bring attention to a kickstarter campaign for a product to help those of us who deal with drool on a regular basis.  These are shirts which take the place of bibs, which we know are not always appropriate.


http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kligman/shirts-to-drool-over-literally

As asked, I got this info from a great blog named, "Single dad, disabled daughter".

Lisa 

The Rewards that have Accrued

A couple of days ago I was perusing facebook and saw a photo posted by the Mom of one of my former students.  Evidently she held a get together with a bunch of other kids with special needs and their parents.  One of the Moms contacted me to let me know how big my former students have gotten.

I commented back to her and then there was some friendly back and forthing about why I had not been invited (:)), who I needed to visit, who had me first, yadda, yadda.

I enjoyed seeing the picture and being included in the dialogue.  I was talking about this with my husband and realized that as much as I love these children, one of the things I have not thought much about is how much I enjoy their parents. None of them are the same, they all have their strengths and weaknesses, some have family support, some don't.  Some of them I talked to almost every single day, some I rarely spoke to,except during IEP times.  I am not a very outgoing individual, but by teaching and caring about their children, I feel connected to their worlds. 

I teach for selfish reasons, I enjoy it.  Another professional I recently told me that I was too attached to my former students.  I disagree.  Even teaching preschool, I am responsible for my students four hours a day, five days a week.  I teach them many of the same things we all teach our children, communication, socialization, emotional and daily living skills.  How do you teach well without caring and when do you cut that off?

I wish I could post their picture, but that is not my right. Instead I will include a picture of my poor doggie, Oz.  He went to the vet expecting the best (he loves people and other dogs) and got 4 shots for his trouble :(.