The Safety Plan

One week out from our official winter break (really Christmas break but there is that separation of church and state thing) and we have, since very early in the school year, a behavior therapist that will do on one counseling sessions with our scholars plus group behavior sessions with them.  So here is an updated list of the adults that I work with on a daily basis.

BigB2 - principal
LittleBigB - vice principal
Gnu - the teacher
Me - the instructional assistant
Hill'sGirl - behavior therapist
MJ - our brand spanking new behavior therapist
FBG - behavior specialist

While I'm at it, I might was well list the scholars as we have a new part time scholar.

Knapper - 4th grade
MiniJ - 4th grade
Uh-Uh-Uh - 4th grade
Big House - 4th grade
Tourette - 3rd grade
S&T - 3rd grade
Grr! - 3nd grade
Huey - 2nd grade
Whale - grade uncertain, maybe 3rd grade. 

Whale is from one of our life skills classes and joins us twice a day.  In the morning he arrives at 9:00am and does his morning work (usually an easy assignment to get the brain started) and then returns to his classroom.  He returns around 1:00pm and joins us for our math block.  So far he has fit in real well and there have been no issues.  Hopefully, saying what I just said, I didn't just jinx myself.

Where should I begin?  I have two choices, the safety plan or the blonde Grinch.  I'm going to save the blonde Grinch until later just so you can once again get a feel for the quality of the person that occupies the front of the classroom.

From the moment he takes the first step off the bus in the morning until he puts his foot back on the first step of the bus to go home after school there has to be an adult with him.  The adult that is with him during lunch is Gnu.  The adult that is with at all the other times of the school day is me.  When he walks through the cafeteria tray line to get his breakfast, I walk with him.  If he needs to go to the bathroom I go with him.  No, I don't go into the bathroom with him.  I stand immediately outside the door.  If he wants to go to the library I go with him.  If he needs to go to the computer lab I go with him.  When he is outside at recess, this is the real danger zone, I stay within fifteen feet of him all the time.  Why is this happening?  A safety plan was put in place, not to keep this scholar safe, but to keep another scholar safe.

For the better part of three school years now Gnu and our behavior therapists and behavior specialists have worked with this scholar on his behavior.  Progress has been made, lots of progress.  No longer do this scholar erupt with anger and start tipping over tables, desks, and chairs.  No longer does this scholar start fights with his classmates over something stupid.  His behavior has progressed to the point that at the start of the school year this scholar was sent back into a general education classroom.  Unfortunately, because adults failed to do their jobs, this scholar returned to our classroom.  That's progress, real progress, except for one area, this scholar's mouth.  From his arrival nearly three years ago, this scholar has been well versed in obscenities, well versed in shouting out total nonsense, well versed in opening his mouth and saying something totally stupid without thinking.  Well, he opened his mouth and now we have this safety plan.

What actually took place is a bit sketchy as it happened on a morning bus.  When Gnu and I heard about the incident I believe we both knew that this was something our scholar would do but we hoped for the best.  Unfortunately, the best didn't work out.  When confronted about the incident, our scholar tried to defend himself by saying this other student was talking about his mother and threated to slap him.  As this incident was talking place on the bus this other scholar took out a cell phone and started recording our scholar.  With this happening, our scholar, who speaks first and thinks later, told this scholar and I'm paraphrasing, "why don't you suck my d...."  With a video in hand, this other scholar shows the video to a parental unit, the parental unit brings up the matter with the BigB2 and the end result is a safety plan to keep the two scholars separated.  Interestingly, our scholar was never suspended for his actions and I believe I know why.  Since this incident, this other scholar has started irritating Big House who is on the same bus.  Fortunately, Big House kept his mouth shut, walked away, and told an adult.  The adult then relayed this information to the BigB2.  The other day FBG and I were discussing the Big House incident.  He informed me that this same other student has an additional target, one of our Latino scholars.  Although you can't refute a video, I'm feeling confident in saying we haven't heard the rest of the story and who are the real victims. 

Academically, we are continuing our discussion about Queen Victoria, the Industrial Revolution,  Charles Dickens, and Dickens's story, A Christmas Carol.  With all of this going on Gnu decided that is was time for the scholars to write a letter to Santa Claus that she will tie together with A Christmas Carol.  When Gnu announced this assignment the scholars were pretty excited about writing to Santa Claus.  To assist the scholars in their letter writing Gnu handed out a worksheet the scholars could use to keep their thoughts organized.  The first step was to write down what you wanted for Christmas.  After each scholar wrote down what they wanted Gnu told them they had to list three reasons, with examples, as to why Santa Claus should bring them what they wanted.  This threw the scholar for bit of a loop as they didn't understand why they had to list any reasons as you don't need reasons, you just tell Santa Claus what you want.  Despite the confusion on the part of the scholars Gnu added one more item to the list of things the scholars had to have in their letter.  Once Gnu got everyone settled down she told them that they needed to write an opening statement to Santa that will act as a hook to get his attention so he'll keep reading your letter.  In order to get her point across, Gnu used herself as an example.  Dear Santa Claus, I live in a house that is too small.  The house only has one bathroom and in a few months I am going to have a baby so I'll need a second bathroom.  So Santa Claus, I'd like a new house for Christmas, one that has two bathrooms.

For two days Gnu worked with the scholars on their letter to Santa Claus.  One by one the scholars had to bring their worksheet organizer up to Gnu for a progress update.  When the blonde Grinch reviewed the scholars worksheets she rejected a lot of what they wrote and sent them back to their desks to start again.  With the scholars getting frustrated, they started to head for my desk for assistance.  When the blonde Grinch saw the scholars heading in my direction she said, "Schultz, you can't help them with spelling, sentence structure or ideas.  This is their project and they need to do it themselves.  Do not help them!" 

A couple days later, Gnu stands up and says, "I'm going to be Santa Claus, who has finished their letter to Santa Claus."  If my memory serves me correctly, S&T walked up first.  When he handed his letter to her she starting reading and then said to him, "this is boring.  I've read a million letters like this one.  You need to give me better reasons as to why I should give you a billion dollars for Christmas."  Dejected, S&T's head dropped down and then she took out her pencil, had S&T sit right next to her, and she helped him for over a half hour with the assignment.  Seven more times the blonde Grinch read a letter to Santa Claus.  Seven more times the blonde Grinch nitpicked them on their letter.  Seven more times the blonde Grinch picked up their spirits by helping them with the assignment.  Some time next week all eight letters to Santa Claus will be written.  Some time next week eight scholars, ranging from the second to the fourth grade, will have written the longest, best organized letter in their life.  The blonde Grinch beat them up about their letter.  Gnu, one of the finest, most caring teachers I've worked with pickup up their spirits so that they can be proud of the letter they wrote to Santa Claus.  For the umpteenth time, you again know why I keep doing what I do.

That's it.  Another blog completed.  We have five more school days before our winter break.  Both Gnu and I are not looking forward to next week as the closer we get to our winter break the harder it will be to keep the scholars focused on academics.  Hopefully we are both wrong and the week will pass uneventfully.  Thanks again for your return visit to read a blog written by an old guy that has a view from the back of a classroom.