Our Direct Instruction Lesson Plans are done, WebQuests are done, and fieldwork observations are done... We are in the second half of the semester and barreling straight towards December! I feel like if I blink or pause for a breath it's going to be January! Time is going just as quickly in my professional life as well... In just TWO more weeks, the teacher I'd replaced (so she could take her maternity leave) will make her grand return back into the classroom. I've worked daily on student's goals, updated IEP's, completed progress notes, and will hold parent-teacher conferences my last week on the job. I've been frustrated beyond belief when my non-verbal preschooler has been throwing tantrums all day long because he's never been in a school setting before and doesn't want to transition from free play (it's a half day program, so only two and a half hours for each session, but believe me it feels like ALL DAY sometimes!). I've also had my heart swell when greeting my students getting off the bus in the morning and I get "I Love You's" and students gripping my thighs in a group hug that practically knocks me off my feet!
When reflecting on the last several weeks, it makes the most sense to look back on my time spent at the preschool and my impact there. Because even though it's a preschool curriculum and classroom, there is still plenty of planning and preparation that needs to be taken care of. (And let's not forget paperwork!! It is a special ed environment, so there's files upon files of logs, notes, etc. that need to be kept track of!)
My students cover a wide range of what they know and remember. There's definitely a pretty wide gap between the youngest students (who've recently turned 3) and my 4 year old students, several who will be ready for Kindergarden soon! It can certainly be a challenge to plan projects and activities for the classroom.... Even something as simple as an art project that requires ripping tissue paper into pieces can pose a challenge! It apparently takes a fair amount of coordination and arm strength to rip tissue paper! And how do you teach/explain/model/demonstrate something that you don't even think about yourself?
It's hard to see progress when you're taking such baby steps all the time, especially when it's along the lines of "one step forward and two steps back." But it's those small moments that can really stick out that you're getting through to these kids sometimes. For example, one of my younger students is all over the place, he can barely sit still. When we're unloading the students off the bus in the morning, you need a solid hand hold and your feet placed firmly on the ground, or else you'll be on the ground with him before you know what hits you! Anything that requires a lot of attention and focus is just difficult for him. But when I ask the day of the week or the month and he's the first kid to shout out the answer, it's just like "Wow!" Or my new little girl that just started a couple of weeks ago. She's going to be old enough for Kindergarden in the fall, but doesn't know any shapes, colors, or numbers. One of the specific goals on her IEP is to complete a 6-piece puzzle. After snack time when the students may grab a book or puzzle she regularly grabs a 20-piece puzzle of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Even though she does the same puzzle daily, usually at least a couple of times a day, she struggles with it. But she's getting quicker and more sure of herself. Now she only looks for reassurance and praise three or four times during the process, not twelve to fifteen.
No comments:
Post a Comment