The average special education teacher lasts five years, I have been a special education teacher for 16. This probably means one of two things: I'm either a very dedicated educator, or I'm a little slow on the uptake. If I'm being honest it's probably a little of both! I have a PhD and the certification to teacher regular education and be an administrator, which according to some people makes be a little over qualified for my current career. I teach cross categorical special education, which means that students with health impairments mental health issues, intellectual disabilities, behavior issues, autism and learning disabilities come to me for assistance with learning, or their behavior.
I have a soft spot for bad ass little boys who can't control their anger and will cuss anyone out in a ten mile vicinity, which is probably not a surprise to many people. I also have a soft spot for little girls that will do the same, but there not at prevalent! I have a deep appreciation for people that struggle within the norms of society, which probably is not a surprise either. I usually enjoy what I do and I have been very successful at it, which is a surprise to some people. I know that I'm good at what I do because two of my former students are now teachers themselves and have told me I was a great influence in their decision. I have had countless parents stop and tell me thank you for getting their kids through high school. Now that I have been teaching for almost twenty years, I even have some former students who ask where I'm teaching so that they can make sure that their kids get me as a teacher.
As experienced and good as I am, the nature of the week before a break is SURVIVAL! Don't believe me? Ask any teacher and they will tell you that children lose their minds the week before break! Kids don't feel compelled to work, they are antsy to get out of school and in case you are wondering....teachers are too! If all hell is going to break out is is going to be the week before a break. That's the kind of week that I'm having and so are many of my other co workers. Girl drama, verbal altercations, tardies to class, medical emergencies, lost work, crying for no apparent reason, tests, major projects due that students wait until the day before to finish....these have all been part of my week and it's only Tuesday.
Today I was observed, in the midst of assisting one of my students in calling a parent for the fifth time to come pick up her kid who wasn't feeling well. My administration came to see me teach the week before a break, unannounced! I didn't have essential questions or what we were doing on the board yet because I had spent the first period sorting out a behavioral mess with an assistance principal and second period sorting out some girl drama and tending to the ailing student. Did I mention that my room is a mess due to having to relocate all the volleyball equipment for construction? My students were great, just needed reminders that yes we were indeed going to write a four paragraph essay of Africa. All things considered I think everything went smashingly well. Then the email hit asking for a lesson plan for today. Really? I need to find this during survival week? I haven't sat since I walked in the door. I appreciate the fact that administration was willing to wait until after 5pm to receive the documents (all 49 pages of them). The professional in me turned in the plans. The person with a soft spot for bad ass little boys and girls wanted to put some colorful commentary on the top of it, but knew it wasn't part of my behavior plan! After all, the learning objective of this week is SURVIVAL UNTIL SPRING BREAK! Even a student a little slow on the uptake knows that :)
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