My week with the kids...so far
This is bit of a rant/vent post as much as an update
Well, I went to school this afternoon for Willy's IPP (individual program plan) meeting - some might recognize it as an IEP (Individualized Education Program). Anywhoo.. some of the people at the meeting were helpful, but I still got the feeling that ones like the principal and the lead learning Ctr teacher don't think I have a clue when it comes to the boy's strengths and weakness. Though the person from the school board has been very helpful and knows that if there's something I don't like (in their planning) I will speak my mind. Overall, the meeting went smooth and will be forwarding me a draft recommendations of the boy's next set of expectations.
Than I went to see Sharon's teacher next. She's doing well academically, but with Stickboy away she's missing him and the less-than-wonderful kids in her class know this and are trying to take advantage - or so they think. The teacher, has been getting on their cases and has been working with Sharon to help get over her frustrations. While listening to him, I had mentioned that whenever she gets upset she normally draws to help vent. I had suggested that I get her a notepad/journal so she can write down what's bothering her instead of getting upset in class. He liked the idea and didn't see any problem with her having a book to help with her stresses. Earlier this evening, I had given her a journal to write in which has her name inside as well this inscribed on the inside of the front cover:
Sand and Stone
A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE."
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE."
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"
The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND, AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.
....when she read it she started to cry then she replied,
"Is this book the sand or the stone?"
I told her it was both. She was to write the things that bothered her and made her happy.
As for Katlynn, I asked her to get a out of area transfer application from the office. I want her out of that prison that she's attending now. Actually, I'm not the only one, her father before leaving asked me when I was getting her out of there. Bad enough there are video cameras in all the junior high classrooms, and having to be buzzed in and out of the school, a number of students making it hard to learn anything b/c the (substitute) teacher couldn't be bothered to do something about the disruption (even with speaking to her) but the last straw (for me) is about 12 days ago (in the news) it was reported that a staff member (the night custodian) has been placed on leave after sexual assault allegations came to light. This of course is aside from my concerns about travelling to and from school, etc... (there are a number of other concerns, but I don't want to bore anyone).
Well, I went to school this afternoon for Willy's IPP (individual program plan) meeting - some might recognize it as an IEP (Individualized Education Program). Anywhoo.. some of the people at the meeting were helpful, but I still got the feeling that ones like the principal and the lead learning Ctr teacher don't think I have a clue when it comes to the boy's strengths and weakness. Though the person from the school board has been very helpful and knows that if there's something I don't like (in their planning) I will speak my mind. Overall, the meeting went smooth and will be forwarding me a draft recommendations of the boy's next set of expectations.
Than I went to see Sharon's teacher next. She's doing well academically, but with Stickboy away she's missing him and the less-than-wonderful kids in her class know this and are trying to take advantage - or so they think. The teacher, has been getting on their cases and has been working with Sharon to help get over her frustrations. While listening to him, I had mentioned that whenever she gets upset she normally draws to help vent. I had suggested that I get her a notepad/journal so she can write down what's bothering her instead of getting upset in class. He liked the idea and didn't see any problem with her having a book to help with her stresses. Earlier this evening, I had given her a journal to write in which has her name inside as well this inscribed on the inside of the front cover:
Sand and Stone
A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE."
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE."
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"
The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND, AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.
....when she read it she started to cry then she replied,
"Is this book the sand or the stone?"
I told her it was both. She was to write the things that bothered her and made her happy.
As for Katlynn, I asked her to get a out of area transfer application from the office. I want her out of that prison that she's attending now. Actually, I'm not the only one, her father before leaving asked me when I was getting her out of there. Bad enough there are video cameras in all the junior high classrooms, and having to be buzzed in and out of the school, a number of students making it hard to learn anything b/c the (substitute) teacher couldn't be bothered to do something about the disruption (even with speaking to her) but the last straw (for me) is about 12 days ago (in the news) it was reported that a staff member (the night custodian) has been placed on leave after sexual assault allegations came to light. This of course is aside from my concerns about travelling to and from school, etc... (there are a number of other concerns, but I don't want to bore anyone).