Diversity

*Note* This note started about a week ago.

Last week was quite the diverse week.  I started the week out with some rambunctious, but well meaning third graders.  The highlight of that class was helping the school counselor work the interactiv board and use the active votes.  Somehow we managed to get everything working properly for the poor girl. 

Tuesday was probably my most interesting day.  I worked as one of the teachers in a special needs preschool classroom.  This classroom had seven students in the morning and seven students in the afternoon.  Most students disability was in the autistic spectrum.  During the day there was me and two para educators and the linguitics specialist was in the room most of the day.  During the time I was there I played with the kids, helped corral them during circle time, and help make sure they eat their own food during meal times.  It was exhausting but exhilarating work.  Most surprising, I'm aparently pretty good at it.  I kept getting compliments from the other teachers I worked with at how great I was with the children.  I think they were surprised that someone like me, without any experience would just jump right in and help out.  They couldn't believe that I wasn't afraid to touch the children.  By the end of the day, the teachers I worked with were convinced that I had missed my calling as a special ed teacher.  I'm not so sure I could handle it every day, but it was a nice change in my schedule.  It also felt good to get complimented on my work. 

Wednesday was the exact opposite of Tuesday.  Wednesday I taught AP calculous.  That's about as far as you an get from special ed preschoolers.  Luckily they were taking quizzes for about half the period and then working on whatever they needed to prepare for the AP exam the following week.  Then I had planning and leadership which was just making sure that they completed the days tasks.

Finally I ended my week at elementary school with second and sixth graders.  The thing about second grade at the end of the school year is that they are much like third graders in their need to tell the sub everything she is doing wrong and also report on all behvior issues of their peers.  It's quite the lesson in patience.  Sixth graders, in a K-6th grade school, are very much finished with being in elementary school.  They're ready for summer, junior high, and all the bad behavior that comes with that.  I sent my first student to the office twice, where thankfully he spent the rest of the afternoon there.  I feel I am getting much better at sending students to the office and knowing when that is the most productive intervention for both the student and the classroom.  That was my week of mass diversity.