LJ Idol Exhibit A Entry...Week 1....Crazy
When Jake B. was a little guy, he had a 1:1 school aide go with him everywhere but the bathroom. He could do that, but his helper(s) hovered outside the boys' room door just in case. Jake made peculiar sounds and motions, had a flair for the dramatic and loved old sci if movies. He could tell you all about The Man From Planet X, The Forbidden Planet and The Day The Earth Stood Still, but he had no real friends with whom to share his expertise. Jake never looked people in the eye.
In junior high Jake B. still had his school aides go with him to class, and they would help him with note-taking and staying focused for most of the bell. He used to think it was funny to hide his classmates' pencils or papers if they got out of their seat for a moment. It was a phase that lasted all year, and he would fiendishly laugh when Kevin M. would come back to his desk and look in all directions for the pen he knew he'd left in the crevice at the top of his desk. Jake took a long time to learn how to show an appropriate sense of humor at appropriate times. At the end of the day, if he'd finished his work and had no behavior incidents, Jake was allowed to look at his picture books of famous space ships, aliens and futuristic gadgets. Jake still made unexpected sounds and often retreated into his own fantasy world during his break time or whenever life felt overwhelming and he became sensory over-loaded.
Now Jake is in high school. He's close to six feet tall and wears a Star Wars t-shirt with a Storm Trooper's head blocked in four colors to look like an Andy Warhol design. His black hair hangs over one eye, but he can look at you directly and appropriately convey his needs and wants. He now proudly carries around a paperback book about classic science fiction films. At the end of the day he is allowed to lay down on the floor in the back of his class, and that's better than when he is too fascinated by the inner workings of the door hinge.
"I'm doing fine, Mrs. S!" He reminds me several times. A few other kids in class look over as if he's making that up. Their looks seem to say, " Dude, you're crazy"' but I know he's not. In fact, Jake B. might be the sanest kid in the room today. He has finished his math sequencing assignment before anyone else and explains to me on what page I can see which photos in his book. He no longer takes objects from others and tells me proudly that its not good to take someone's stuff.
Jake B. has done a lot of growing up. He's a good kid. I'm not sure what his plan will be for next year, but for today, I know that he is focused, able to learn and happy to do so. He enjoys sharing his passion with everyone, and there's nothing crazy about that.
Everything's jake for today. AW
In junior high Jake B. still had his school aides go with him to class, and they would help him with note-taking and staying focused for most of the bell. He used to think it was funny to hide his classmates' pencils or papers if they got out of their seat for a moment. It was a phase that lasted all year, and he would fiendishly laugh when Kevin M. would come back to his desk and look in all directions for the pen he knew he'd left in the crevice at the top of his desk. Jake took a long time to learn how to show an appropriate sense of humor at appropriate times. At the end of the day, if he'd finished his work and had no behavior incidents, Jake was allowed to look at his picture books of famous space ships, aliens and futuristic gadgets. Jake still made unexpected sounds and often retreated into his own fantasy world during his break time or whenever life felt overwhelming and he became sensory over-loaded.
Now Jake is in high school. He's close to six feet tall and wears a Star Wars t-shirt with a Storm Trooper's head blocked in four colors to look like an Andy Warhol design. His black hair hangs over one eye, but he can look at you directly and appropriately convey his needs and wants. He now proudly carries around a paperback book about classic science fiction films. At the end of the day he is allowed to lay down on the floor in the back of his class, and that's better than when he is too fascinated by the inner workings of the door hinge.
"I'm doing fine, Mrs. S!" He reminds me several times. A few other kids in class look over as if he's making that up. Their looks seem to say, " Dude, you're crazy"' but I know he's not. In fact, Jake B. might be the sanest kid in the room today. He has finished his math sequencing assignment before anyone else and explains to me on what page I can see which photos in his book. He no longer takes objects from others and tells me proudly that its not good to take someone's stuff.
Jake B. has done a lot of growing up. He's a good kid. I'm not sure what his plan will be for next year, but for today, I know that he is focused, able to learn and happy to do so. He enjoys sharing his passion with everyone, and there's nothing crazy about that.
Everything's jake for today. AW