Irritations, Accommodations and Celebrations

Apparently is it starting and I know just when it started.  About a week ago I became the proud owner of my very own Medicare card and it appears that once you have one brain failure starts.  In my last post I talked about firsts for the year and I  realized earlier today (Sunday) that I forgot one.  It's probably the biggest first of the school year and I even wrote it down on a note card so I wouldn't forget it.  Despite my best effort with the note card the note card was rendered pretty much useless if you pile a bunch of other stuff on top of it and can't find it.  I guess you can right this off as a human error.  Last week for the first time a test was administered to all four scholars.  It was a vocabulary test that required the correct spelling of the word plus knowing the definition of the word.  The results were a little disappointing but I'm good with that if for no other reason than all four scholars took the test without a lot of whining.

Irritations

There are two.  One is pretty trivial but the other one bugs me.  This is my third year as a paid employee of the school.  For three consecutive years my name has been spelled wrong.  In some instances the first name is spelled wrong.  In another instance my last name was spelled wrong.  The worst case scenario is both of my names are spelled wrong.  One final comment on spelling my name.  On the wall right outside the classroom the name of the teacher and the name of the instructional assistant is posted for all to see.  Guess which name is spelled wrong?  Here is my other irritation and as reminder this is my third year in this classroom. We occasionally have guests from the school system central office walk into the classroom.  They stop just  inside the door so as not to interrupt the classroom and when doing so they are with six feet of me. You'd think that they would at least look at me or acknowledge my presence.  No, they don't say a word to me and wait to speak with the teacher.  I spent thirty four years working for a management services company in the service industry.  For many years I was in a leadership position and I figured out something real quick as a leader.  If you want to succeed you are dependent on a lot of people doing their job real well. If you want people to do their job then you better take time to recognize them as individuals and thank them for doing what they do.  From my view at the back of the room that doesn't happen when guests from the school system arrive as I'm pretty much ignored.  As I sit here thinking about it it's kind of sad.  I view myself as an obstacle remover for both the teacher and the scholars. If the teacher is overwhelmed with the minutia of worthless crap that needs to be completed and posted in a classroom I'll do it.  If a scholar is struggling academically I'll part my medicare card carrying backside on the floor right next to them and help.  Why? Because it's my job and I like my job.  So I'm being guardedly optimistic that maybe one day these guests well actually take the time to introduce themselves to me and say thanks for doing what you do.   Those are my two irritations.  One is trivial and the other one bugs me.  I'll let you decide which is which.

Accommodations

Earlier this week I was asked a question and I didn't have a response.  For those of you that know me very well that doesn't happen very often.  The question had to do with scholar accommodations that are allowed to help them academically.  Gnu walker over to my desk and said why do Yo! and The Collector have an accommodation that states they can use a calculator?  I kind of shrug my shoulders and said I"m not sure. She goes on to say if they can us a calculator for multiplication then why do I even bother teaching multiplication facts?  She continues and says to me do you know that when taking tests you can read the problem to them, especially if it's a story problem?  If someone can read the problem to the scholar when do they expect the scholar to actually learn how to read?  Sensing some frustration I say I don't know but it bothers me that these accommodations are allowed.  I go on to say our scholars have emotional disabilities and not intelligence disabilities so why these accommodations exist is an unknown to me.  She then said to me they may have an accommodation to use a calculator but I'll determine when they can use it.  If we are doing daily math sheets we'll use pencil and paper but during tests they can use the calculator.  I like that attitude.  I smile at her and say sounds good to me.  Let's get to work.

Celebrations

I'm thinking I need to provide some background information before I proceed as a person that is not part of the staff this year will be talked about.  I'll do my best to keep it brief.  PhD(?)Sparty was a behavior therapist at our school last year.  She left and return to her home state.  While here last year she had an intern named IvyL.  IvyL took PhD(?)Sparty's position this school year.  When I stated this blog last March I needed to come up with fictitious names for the scholars and staff members.  I chose PhD Sparty initially but realized that the PhD was just a goal and not reality so I added the question mark to come up with PhD(?)Sparty as a name.  I sure hope that doesn't have everyone confused.

Ok, let's continue.  IvyL walked into the room one morning and said to me that PhD(?)Sparty is requesting that the question mark be removed from her name as she was accepted as a PhD candidate.  I tell IvyL to tell PhD(?)Sparty nice try as the idea is to complete the PhD requirements.  Being technologically challenged I'm a bit surprised when IvyL pulls out her cell phone and speaks into it saying Schultz said nice try.  Hmmm! That is all you have to do these days to send a message?  I guess I better update from my flip top phone. Later that evening I thought about my friend being accepted as a PhD candidate and realized that this was a pretty big deal as you just don't walk into a university and say I want to earn a PhD.  So I've decided for the very first time to change someone's name and you are going to see it for the very first time right now, PhD(*)Sparty.  There, when you complete the degree requirements give me a call and I'll drop the asterisk. I know, that is so wrong.  By the way I spoke with PhD(*)Sparty earlier in the week and she told me when she got the news that she was accepted she got very emotional to include tears.  As she should because getting accepted is a huge accomplished.   So to my very special  friend I say congratulations.

One final comment and then I'm out.  On Tuesday of this week a new scholar arrived in the classroom.  I've decided to call him The King.  Please also note that The King arrived with a mentor that spends the entire day with him in our classroom.  I'm going to call the mentor Rapper.  It's going to get interesting.  Details to follow.

Thanks again for reading my blog.