Because USC Upstate taught me to be a reflective practitioner...

Time to pull out my sweatpants, curl up on the couch, and write. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure how this blog post will end or really even begin, but we'll see... Justin was spontaneously called to go to the Bartlett Research Lab in Charlotte for tonight and tomorrow for an urgent pesticide update or something like that. I've really only talked to him for a brief minute today for him to inform me he was taking my car and leaving me his truck. Delightful.

 Nevertheless, I have plenty of time to reflect upon other matters...like my job.

Its an interesting and never boring life that is led by middle school special education teachers, especially first year ones. Waking up in the morning there are certain things you look forward to, like the OH! I get it! and the Good Morning, Mrs. Tyson! How are you today?' 's, the smiles, the high fives, and did I mention the smiles?  It's fun to see the students really enjoy a lesson, get involved, and offer great ideas. It's really rewarding when a student, who knew nothing on the pre-test, aces the post-test. Now, that's cool!

However there are things that have unfortunately become routine by now that you dread... Mrs. Tyson, I feel like I'm going to punch someone, Mrs. Tyson can I borrow a pencil for the 14th day in a row?, It's hot in here! and the ever so often, Mrs. Tyson your projector smells like it is on fire.  Some days I want to yell back, Yes, I know, I have ancient technology in my classroom that smells like a burning dust cloud, but ignore all of your grievances and answer the question I have already repeated 7 times before? But I don't. Patience takes over, I remember why I went into teaching in the first place, smile, hand out pencils, apologize for the inconvenience and keep teaching. Sometimes you just have to keep moving forward, as much as you would like to do the complete opposite.

Needless to say, there are certain things that cannot be taught in the college classroom and only learned through experience. Since I have time and a little energy left before bed, I thought I'd share some of my very own conclusions.

A few things they do not teach special education majors in college:

1. You'll feel as if you were thrown into a lions den at feeding time the first couple weeks but then you get used to the gnawing and gnashing of teeth and are able to relax a little.

• During 6th grade registration, I was confronted by an angry parent who wanted their student out of my class. This was very intimidating because I had not even finished decorating my classroom, much less looked at my caseload for the year to see the disability of the student she was even talking about. I remember being completely appalled by her and nervous about the legal procedures that I must take in order to remove him from my roster.
• Currently, I have parents harassing me all the time (some angry, some not), even on Saturdays. (Word to the wise, do not make the same mistake I made and call a parent from your personal phone. They'll save the number and call you at the most inconvenient times). The difference between 6th grade registration and now?...time and experience. My skin is a little thicker, I'm a little wiser, and a little quicker with my resolving conflict tactics. It gets easier, you learn to manage your time, plan meaningful lessons and write IEPs that are in compliance with state code. It just takes time, patience, and a few boxes of Kleenexes.  

2. You get SUPER excited over the little accomplishments, the kids laugh, but they secretly enjoy your excitement, too.

• Yesterday, as we were going over our Daily Language Review I was so impressed that my students remembered that you underline a book title but put article titles in quotation marks. They continued to make me smile throughout the review with their knowledge on commas, capitalization and conjugations.  I guess the class noticed my excitement because one of the boys who sits in the back said, I guess when you're a teacher this IS a big deal.

3. When the students make fun of you, it means they are learning.

• The other day, I showed my students a video of a song about Author's Purpose that was sung to the tune of "All the Single Ladies" by Beyonce. They initially acted as if they were too cool to even pretend to enjoy it. Later that same class period when I asked them comprehension and application questions, I caught them singing the song to themselves and remembering the details of Author's Purpose. Caught 'em learning!

 4. (Caution: an ounce of negativity may be used here.) You do not have planning periods.

• Your schedule may indicate you have two, however those times are taken up by administrating tests to students with accommodations, writing IEPs, emailing 8 different people and trying to coordinate times to schedule an IEP meeting that has to be held before the end of the week (because the student is a transfer and the district does not want to be responsible for providing compensatory time). It truly is difficult to juggling the behavior-problem students, schedule special reviews, read the Special Education Process Guide, and find time to still breathe. Don't think you're going to leave school before 6pm your first month...it won't happen!

5. The social lessons we were taught in our behavior management classes are a joke---especially when you teach 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who are involved in gang related activities.

• Teaching is about being creative, coming up with new, inspiring ideas everyday in order reach, change, and teach our students. It is obvious there are some students who just do not get along...and ultimately, I've come to realize, that's okay. Sometimes it is easier to have them sit clear across the room from each other than take 10 minutes out of a 50 minute class to address a problem behavior that has taken 12 and 13 years for them to master.

6. You'll want to adopt every student with a bad homelife that you meet.

• I think this one pretty much speaks for itself...and I've experienced it several times, and its only the start of the 2nd quarter. There are some students that tug on your heartstrings and make you want to just take them home...and you probably would if it wasn't for their unpredictable 'just out of jail parents' showing up at your house at 3am looking for them.  

To wrap it up, I am very grateful for my job, and on most days I truly do love it, but like most jobs, its stressful, unnerving and tiring. Thankfully I have a great mentor, a wonderful teaching staff, and cooperative kids! Each day is an adventure to say the least! :)