Saturday, September 1, 2018
It's not hot. It's not humid. I haven't heard anything further about mold. The expenditure was $50,000 I was told. There was an additional expense to hire a huge crane. The project was delayed a few days until the school was empty but the air conditioning works again. It was a compressor problem. A big compressor problem. So big that if it broke free of the cables holding it when it was being placed on the roof of the school it would have crashed through the ceiling and into the cafeteria.
I broke one of my long standing rules, don't tell anyone in my school about this blog, for the second time. The first time I broke my rule was when I worked with Gnu. Although doing so didn't cause me any drama I chose not to mention the blog to Knewer during the last school year. With the start of year seven, and working with my sixth teacher, I had no intention of telling T4 about this blog. For reasons that totally escape me right now, I mentioned the blog to T4 one day. Caught a little off guard when T4 said, "can I read it," I gave her the link. I'm not certain how many of the posts T4 read but I know this for sure, she read Stupid Mistake or Human Error.
Sunday, September 2, 2018
Every morning the scholars in T4's classroom start out the day with a morning writing prompt. The writing prompt includes the following: Last night I did..., I'm in a good mood today because..., I'm in a bad mood today because..., I'm reading..., and then anything else you want to write about. On just about every morning I participate in the activity. When I've completed my writing prompt I get to move to the front of the classroom, sit on the hexagon, and read what I wrote. In one of my morning writing prompts I mentioned to the scholars that I wrote a letter over the weekend and then turned toward T4 to see her reaction. There wasn't much of a reaction but she knew what I was talking about. Later in the day I asked T4 if she read my last blog post. Paraphrasing, "yes, it's all about my life." That evening, while sharing a meal with my part time editor, part time consultant and full time spouse I mentioned T4's comment, "it's all about my life." My part time editor, part time consultant, and full time spouse laughed and said, "of course it is, it's her classroom."
As we move forward through the school year please keep this in mind. I don't make this stuff up and "it's all about my life." Most important, it's not all about T4's life but the life of every teacher so if you are one, thank you for all you do, and if you know one, please treat them as though they walk on water because you will read about the challenges they face daily and they are often huge.
Lets see, what's next. I think I'm going to quote Grr!. As a reminder, Grr! and I occupied the same classroom for four years. He's in the fifth grade now and I occasionally run into him moving through the school. My day was over and I decided to exit the school through the front door and that will lead me right past our school playground (recess) area. As I exited the building I saw the scholars from the secondary emotional handicapped (EH) classroom leaving the playground area and heading towards me to enter the school. As I was walking, for some unknown reason, one of the scholars approaching me, just screamed loudly. As I was walking toward these scholars Grr! stepped out of line and was walking right towards me. Usually he'll just give me a high five and continue on his way. After exchanging high fives Grr! stopped and said, "Mr. Schultz." I stopped, turned around, and said to him, "yes, Grr!" He responded, "did you hear that person scream out loud for no apparent reason?" "Yes," I said. "Mr. Schultz, how does it feel to be in a classroom this year that must feel like paradise?"
I first met OtherT4-M at the hexagon during math. I've learned that if T4 sends a scholar to join me at the hexagon for math it's because the scholar needs help and, more often than not, lots of help. When T4 finished passing out the math worksheet I told OtherT4-M to put his name on his worksheet and then we could get started. I also said the same thing to the other scholars that joined me at the hexagon. When I turned my attention back to OtherT4-M he was staring off into space. I checked his worksheet and saw that he didn't write his name in the upper left corner of the paper. "OtherT4-M, you need to write your name on the worksheet." No response, nothing. So I repeated the instruction. Still nothing but a blank stare like I didn't even exist. Frustrated, I sat up and looked over in T4's direction, made eye contact with her, shook my head from left to right and I then got the same response from her.
I've been helping scholars long enough now that I think to myself, "this isn't working, what am I doing wrong." The light in my head goes on and I made the adjustment. Using the pointed end of my pencil, rather than my fat finger, I point to the worksheet where it said name and told OtherT4-M to write his name right where I'm pointing the pencil. Bingo! I got a reaction and OtherT4-M started to write his name. As I'm sitting there watching OtherT4-M write his name I sit up again and think to myself, "oh, my God, this scholar is in the fourth grade." As OtherT4-M wrote his name this is what I saw. An alternating between upper case and lower case letters with letters formed like you would see from a kindergarten scholar.
Alright, the name is on the worksheet. Time to move on to the date. Using the same pencil I pointed to where it says date on the worksheet and told OtherT4-M to write down the date. No response. "OtherT4-M, do you know today's date? "No." Rather that have OtherT4-M write out the word August I told him to write the number eight right were I'm pointing my pencil. OtherT4-M starts to form the number eight. First, he makes a circle for the top half of the eight. Then he makes his second circle. The two circles are not connected as the second circle is too low and off to the right.
Although you don't know it there was a fairly long pause from what I just wrote above until I started writing this sentence. There is more to tell about my first encounter with OtherT4-M but I think you got the point and I'm going to stop. Questions are running through my head right now. The same questions that ran through my head the first time I worked with OtherT4-M. The first, and foremost question is, how did this scholar get to the fourth grade with such limited academic skills? Second, given this scholars low academic skills, does he have the cognitive skills to even be in a general education classroom or should he be in a life skills classroom?
As T4 said to me a few days ago after reading my blog, "it's all about my life." It certainly is and you just read about the fifteen minute block of time that I spent with OtherT4-M. You heard it right. Fifteen minutes out of an approximately six and a half hour academic day and this is T4's and OtherT4's life for the remainder of the school year.
Before I call it a day I'm going to leave you with this. There are thirty scholars sitting in T4's classroom during her math block. When she finishes teaching the first thirty scholars, the scholars rotate, and in walks another thirty scholars. The total is sixty scholars and I can tell you this. You just met OtherT4-M and there are easily eight to ten more just like him. At some point in the school year I'm sure you will meet all of them.
"It's all about my life," not just T4's and OtherT4's but every teacher that stands in the front of a classroom on a daily basis. So do me a favor. If you have young scholars in a classroom the next time you meet their teacher bring that teacher a small gift. My first thought was to bring the teacher an apple. And even better gift would be a simple, heartfelt, thank you.
PS - just before I hit he Publish button for this blog I hit the Preview button to get a visual on how the blog looks. Hence, this PS. I forgot to mention that I earned my first sticker and I'm so excited. The sticker is for a morning writing prompt I wrote and a picture of the writing prompt is on the right side of the blog. I don't know if you will actually be able to read my writing prompt but if you can, A.O.of Vino, would have a smile on his face after reading the last paragraph.
I broke one of my long standing rules, don't tell anyone in my school about this blog, for the second time. The first time I broke my rule was when I worked with Gnu. Although doing so didn't cause me any drama I chose not to mention the blog to Knewer during the last school year. With the start of year seven, and working with my sixth teacher, I had no intention of telling T4 about this blog. For reasons that totally escape me right now, I mentioned the blog to T4 one day. Caught a little off guard when T4 said, "can I read it," I gave her the link. I'm not certain how many of the posts T4 read but I know this for sure, she read Stupid Mistake or Human Error.
Sunday, September 2, 2018
Every morning the scholars in T4's classroom start out the day with a morning writing prompt. The writing prompt includes the following: Last night I did..., I'm in a good mood today because..., I'm in a bad mood today because..., I'm reading..., and then anything else you want to write about. On just about every morning I participate in the activity. When I've completed my writing prompt I get to move to the front of the classroom, sit on the hexagon, and read what I wrote. In one of my morning writing prompts I mentioned to the scholars that I wrote a letter over the weekend and then turned toward T4 to see her reaction. There wasn't much of a reaction but she knew what I was talking about. Later in the day I asked T4 if she read my last blog post. Paraphrasing, "yes, it's all about my life." That evening, while sharing a meal with my part time editor, part time consultant and full time spouse I mentioned T4's comment, "it's all about my life." My part time editor, part time consultant, and full time spouse laughed and said, "of course it is, it's her classroom."
As we move forward through the school year please keep this in mind. I don't make this stuff up and "it's all about my life." Most important, it's not all about T4's life but the life of every teacher so if you are one, thank you for all you do, and if you know one, please treat them as though they walk on water because you will read about the challenges they face daily and they are often huge.
Lets see, what's next. I think I'm going to quote Grr!. As a reminder, Grr! and I occupied the same classroom for four years. He's in the fifth grade now and I occasionally run into him moving through the school. My day was over and I decided to exit the school through the front door and that will lead me right past our school playground (recess) area. As I exited the building I saw the scholars from the secondary emotional handicapped (EH) classroom leaving the playground area and heading towards me to enter the school. As I was walking, for some unknown reason, one of the scholars approaching me, just screamed loudly. As I was walking toward these scholars Grr! stepped out of line and was walking right towards me. Usually he'll just give me a high five and continue on his way. After exchanging high fives Grr! stopped and said, "Mr. Schultz." I stopped, turned around, and said to him, "yes, Grr!" He responded, "did you hear that person scream out loud for no apparent reason?" "Yes," I said. "Mr. Schultz, how does it feel to be in a classroom this year that must feel like paradise?"
I first met OtherT4-M at the hexagon during math. I've learned that if T4 sends a scholar to join me at the hexagon for math it's because the scholar needs help and, more often than not, lots of help. When T4 finished passing out the math worksheet I told OtherT4-M to put his name on his worksheet and then we could get started. I also said the same thing to the other scholars that joined me at the hexagon. When I turned my attention back to OtherT4-M he was staring off into space. I checked his worksheet and saw that he didn't write his name in the upper left corner of the paper. "OtherT4-M, you need to write your name on the worksheet." No response, nothing. So I repeated the instruction. Still nothing but a blank stare like I didn't even exist. Frustrated, I sat up and looked over in T4's direction, made eye contact with her, shook my head from left to right and I then got the same response from her.
I've been helping scholars long enough now that I think to myself, "this isn't working, what am I doing wrong." The light in my head goes on and I made the adjustment. Using the pointed end of my pencil, rather than my fat finger, I point to the worksheet where it said name and told OtherT4-M to write his name right where I'm pointing the pencil. Bingo! I got a reaction and OtherT4-M started to write his name. As I'm sitting there watching OtherT4-M write his name I sit up again and think to myself, "oh, my God, this scholar is in the fourth grade." As OtherT4-M wrote his name this is what I saw. An alternating between upper case and lower case letters with letters formed like you would see from a kindergarten scholar.
Alright, the name is on the worksheet. Time to move on to the date. Using the same pencil I pointed to where it says date on the worksheet and told OtherT4-M to write down the date. No response. "OtherT4-M, do you know today's date? "No." Rather that have OtherT4-M write out the word August I told him to write the number eight right were I'm pointing my pencil. OtherT4-M starts to form the number eight. First, he makes a circle for the top half of the eight. Then he makes his second circle. The two circles are not connected as the second circle is too low and off to the right.
Although you don't know it there was a fairly long pause from what I just wrote above until I started writing this sentence. There is more to tell about my first encounter with OtherT4-M but I think you got the point and I'm going to stop. Questions are running through my head right now. The same questions that ran through my head the first time I worked with OtherT4-M. The first, and foremost question is, how did this scholar get to the fourth grade with such limited academic skills? Second, given this scholars low academic skills, does he have the cognitive skills to even be in a general education classroom or should he be in a life skills classroom?
As T4 said to me a few days ago after reading my blog, "it's all about my life." It certainly is and you just read about the fifteen minute block of time that I spent with OtherT4-M. You heard it right. Fifteen minutes out of an approximately six and a half hour academic day and this is T4's and OtherT4's life for the remainder of the school year.
Before I call it a day I'm going to leave you with this. There are thirty scholars sitting in T4's classroom during her math block. When she finishes teaching the first thirty scholars, the scholars rotate, and in walks another thirty scholars. The total is sixty scholars and I can tell you this. You just met OtherT4-M and there are easily eight to ten more just like him. At some point in the school year I'm sure you will meet all of them.
"It's all about my life," not just T4's and OtherT4's but every teacher that stands in the front of a classroom on a daily basis. So do me a favor. If you have young scholars in a classroom the next time you meet their teacher bring that teacher a small gift. My first thought was to bring the teacher an apple. And even better gift would be a simple, heartfelt, thank you.
PS - just before I hit he Publish button for this blog I hit the Preview button to get a visual on how the blog looks. Hence, this PS. I forgot to mention that I earned my first sticker and I'm so excited. The sticker is for a morning writing prompt I wrote and a picture of the writing prompt is on the right side of the blog. I don't know if you will actually be able to read my writing prompt but if you can, A.O.of Vino, would have a smile on his face after reading the last paragraph.
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