I Stepped Into Another Demnsion When Stepping Into The Classroom!!

It was as if I was in another world completely. Kinda eerie, if you ask me.

When the now former teacher for my daughter's Kindergarten class left, she apparently took a lot with her. Including the alphabet, color pictures (of crayons with their name) and even the Calendar for them to do their days of the week and dates/weather report.

As I was helping the Substitute to help "corral" the kids, knowing what would work, I mentioned "Treasure Box" rewards for Friday Folder passing if they got all greens on their Behavior sheets for the week.

Well, forget that! The Treasure Box was taken, too.

Now, the teacher that's been hired has really NOTHING to speak of to start working in the classroom with. Including what was found to be a wonderful reward system tool.

Lucky for me, I know the incoming teacher, seeing as she has been working as a Teacher's Assistant since last school year, as she awaited a full-time position to open up. She really is a nice lady, works a lot with the Special Needs kids, and I think will do very well teaching the class for the remainder of the year.

I'm telling you though, the poor woman is walking in to a holy hell mess! The situation isn't pretty. And I saw the kids act like wild animals for a good part of the day while I was there volunteering on Friday.

And I saw one kid that we FINALLY got in a better place behaviorally and socially going back in to his old habits.

None of the kids (yes including my own little angel) really listened to the Sub, were talking when told NOT to be talking and some were intentionally getting out of their seats as to run around the room.

"Bathroom, hands and water" was never done. Nor was "bathroom and hands" for lunch.

Their entire routine is entirely shot. It was pretty sad to see their whole world being turned upside down like this, classroom-wise and acting out.

I'll be there on Friday next week, when the new teacher officially starts for her first day of being a Kindergarten teacher. She can't start before then due to red tape jargon.

And I've already said that I am more than willing to come in for extra hours/days in the following one, two or three weeks, as to help her get them used to her, help her by showing and guiding her through their behavior modifications and rewards that have proven to INDEED work with *THIS* class of kids.

Plus I can easily tell her which kids are sensory-sensitive, who's got behavior/social problems, who are "shadows" (those that try and mimic others to get out of doing stuff if one of the other kids is TRULY sick-feeling), and also I know who are the famous trouble-starters (who usually get the entire table group to join in the "fun").

So in a nutshell, it seems that both the new teacher and myself have a wild ride ahead of us. There's been so many changes within the last six months in this one classroom, it's really not shocking to see the extreme changes in these kids. Both at home and within the classroom.

First, their Student Teacher left right before Thanksgiving because she finished her internship and was graduating. Then, their regular teacher that they've had since day one had to leave for medical reasons at Christmas time. Now, the Sub will leave after two week, to be replaced by their new regular teacher.

How much are these five and six year olds supposed to take? This is probably the MOST crucial time of their educational career. And for the last six months, they have really been put through some crap. Sad..

(Not So) Hot For Teacher

As most of my readers know, I love volunteering at the school where my three children attend. I primarily work with the Kindergarten classroom that my daughter, Skyler resides at during the school day.

But right now, I'm not very happy with the school and how they are handling the transition of my daughter's class.

First, right before Thanksgiving, the Student Teacher had left after her fifteen weeks of "shadowing" and teaching the class was done as to be able to graduate and get her Teaching Certificate/License. The kids took her going away pretty hard, being that they had grown attached to her, and her to them. She was outstanding! And I loved working with her in the classroom.

Then, just as Winter Break loomed upon us, the second to the last day of school before break began, we got a letter from their teacher letting us know she was forced to resign due to health issues. So needless to say, the Christmas Party I put together for the class also became a Going Away/We'll Miss You party, as well.

Now, for almost an entire month, they've been doing the hiring process to replace the teacher in the Kindergarten classroom. And for at least another two weeks, starting YESTERDAY, there will be a substitute running the class.

There's a few problems with this though..

1) What's her name? None of the kids can tell us. Why? Because according to what many of us moms compared, she NEVER told them! Or said Miss B.

2) Where's the Daily Folder that they are to bring home everyday? Not in my hands! According to the kids, she will send them home today.

3) Subs...Is this one constant for the next two weeks, or are they rotating them?

4) Morning Routine (Calendar, weather, Wall Words, Days of the Week) were NOT done. In fact, according to the kids they did basically NOTHING of their routine or much of anything else the ENTIRE day. Just some coloring and Carpet Time...twice.

It would have been nice to have SOMETHING sent home on the first day as to who the person is and how long that they are staying with the kids (projected time) until they finalize the hiring process.

Us parents were forced to send our Kindergarten-age children to school to be taught by some "stranger" for the next two weeks. That alone was bad enough. But to STILL not know a thing about the person, quite possibly until the next day, to me is utterly absurd and disrespectful of the kids and of us as their parents.

In the event that nothing again is sent home as promised, according to the kids (getting their folders sent home), and especially if there is nothing pertaining to the teacher (introduction letter), then there's a number of us parents that are ready to go as a group on Thursday to the school and confront the matter. We don't like "smoke and mirrors" when it comes to entrusting our SMALL children to others that we know nothing about. We want answers and to know who this person is. Is that really too much to ask?

This is also making me decide firmly at this point, that on Friday I WILL indeed be at school for my Volunteer day as usual. This way, the kids will have SOMEONE that they know and are used to in their environment. Plus I know who tries to pull what, who is sensitive (sensory-wise), who has behavior problems that are out of their control and who are shadows (monkey-see-monkey-do) {mainly if seeing another kid is truly ill feeling}.

What a way to begin the last half of the school year, the beginning of 2011 and the start of a new school week.

ADHD...

As a mother, it is hard to watch your child struggle. What are ordinary, everyday tasks and expectations to us, is a ball of confusion and frustration for our kids.

Sitting still. Focusing. Being organized. Paying attention to the instructor. Following multiple directions at a rapid pace.

Sounds like a lot, and even a bit confusing to you? I'm sure that it does. But to my son, and to millions of other children in the United States alone, it is a hardship for them every single day to keep up with those tasks while in the classroom, and even at home.

Constantly, I have to remind my hyper, active, not-very-attentive son to complete this task first, so he can move on to the next. Then, after that, I have to remind him to let me check his work against his Agenda, to ensure that he completed the assignments. Then, and only then, may he have his computer or his TV time.

The same goes for his household chores. And the teachers have to stay on top of Bryce as well, being he can fall off of the track pretty quick, and pretty often.

Case in point.. Bryce was found to be sitting in the hall, by his Science and Social Studies Teacher's room. Apparently, he was disrupting the class and "poking at" one girl constantly. After being told to finally move himself to an area where he could be alone, he started to bawl and be belligerent. So, the teacher sent him to the hall.

Then, at snack time, when the Mixed Berries were passed out, he couldn't have any, being that the kitchen never made him a separate bowl without the Blackberries, being he is allergic to them. He went buck wild, pitching a fit, not concentrating on the teacher's explanation, and saying he was being abused because she was "starving" him.

It's not ALL stemming from his ADHD. The lashing out is from another disorder he is inflicted with. But the "poking" of the child, his fidgeting, his lack of concentration, and organization skills, as well as his hyperness, even in his talking to others is a part of the ADHD that he has. Bryce has the more severe form of the disorder.

And yes, he is on medication therapy for it. He takes Vyvanse in the morning, before school. His Intuniv is taken before bedtime. It also serves as a sleep aide, being that his brain stays in "overdrive". The Intuniv relaxes the centers in the brain to control his sleep pattern. And it helps him focus on going to sleep, along with his bedtime routine rituals.

One thing that I have noted the last few years, as the parent of an ADHD child that is medicated, is that most (not all, mind you) teachers think that the medication is the "magic cure-all" for the ADHD while the child is in their classroom. That cannot be further from the truth.

While the medications DO help the child stay focused, attentive, and with less likelihood to blurt out or talk out of turn (or even go way off the topic at hand), the medicines can only control those points to a certain extent.

The remainder of the ADHD child's success relies upon both the child's willingness to gain SELF-control and SELF-discipline, as well as the teacher's willingness to work with the child to achieve those same goals that ADHD students need to be successful students.

This may mean giving the ADHD child a separate desk area, where fellow students will not be a distraction. Or even asking the child if the student is understanding and able to follow the lesson. The teacher can't be "all mouth". They must be about action as well. This means walking around, using hand gestures. Anything to keep the ADHD child engaged in the lesson.

On average, the typical ADHD child can give you no more than fifteen minutes of their attention. For the ones with severe ADHD, you are lucky, and I mean LUCKY, to get ten minutes of their attention, being most severe cases have an attention span of only five minutes.

Too many teachers rely on medication therapy. And anti-medicating advocates talk about us parents? MOST of us parents tried EVERYTHING else under the sun for our children BEFORE going the "pill route".

Our child's first line of defense of course, are the parents. Then, the doctors and therapeutic team. Teachers though, as well as the other school staff round out the team for these kids. We ALL have to work together to help these children with ADHD be successful . Within the classroom setting, as well as out in the community and within the world.

So, remember that while ADHD medications DO help, it's far from being the "cure-all" route of having a successful child. One-on-one working with your child (or student, if that is the case), providing the appropriate tools for success, and helping them to build their SELF-esteem and SELF-control are the REAL keys for having an ADHD child that is well-rounded, adjusted, organized and an overall good student in the classroom and beyond.

Messages. The CORRECT way to pass them along. Teacher Edition.

So far, Bryce is having a rough start in school. At least where homework is concerned. And I told him, as well as myself, I refused to go through this again.

Last year, it was Hayley, and then it spilled over in to Bryce as well. They would do their work, but not turn it in. Or they "forgot" to do certain assignments, and not turn them in.

Almost daily, from around the middle of last school year, until almost the very end, I was getting notes home in Hayley's agenda saying she didn't turn this or that in.

Now, I am already battling this problem, the second week of school. And I said that I will not tolerate this, nor do I wish to do this again.

This past week, Hayley has come home, only to tell me that Mrs. So-and-So said for HER to tell me that Bryce did not have this for class, or didn't turn this in for class.

See something wrong with this picture? I certainly do!

What business do these teachers have of telling Bryce's older sister (who is one grade higher, and has been through these teachers last year) to relay messages to me? She is NOT their student any longer. They are no longer HER teachers. And she is NOT his mother. I AM!!

So, this morning, they ALL will see the note that I addressed to all of the Fourth Grade ladies, requesting (in no uncertain terms) that they no longer give his older sister messages that are meant for me concerning her little brother...Seeing as these things do not concern her. And for them to WRITE A NOTE to send home with her OR with Bryce that is concerning him.

Why..? Why put a ten-year-old child in the middle of a "grown-up" matter that does not even concern her? That's just ludicrous.

Let's hope my little note side rails any more message passing. And that his seeing it in his agenda will deter him from wanting to miss anymore assignments. Seeing as he is now four days without computer time and TV time as punishment.

Pride...The seemingly IMPOSSIBLE became POSSIBLE.

As many of my readers know, my son has not had it easy. He has had to persevere over some huge hurdles, bumps and stub his toe here and there along his way in what we call 'life'.

This school year, he has been in the Third Grade. And because of that, Bryce had to take his very first SOL testing this year. The four primary subjects were covered. Math, Reading, Social Studies, and Science.

SOL stands for the Standards Of Learning test, that is Federally mandated for all PUBLIC schools, starting with third grade students to take. It shows their aptitude, their ability of general knowledge, and basis the individual school's Federal Grant money and accreditation.


On top of all of that, my oldest Hayley, who is getting ready to move on to the Fifth Grade, also had her second year of SOL Testing. I have yet to receive their scores. Most likely today, being it is the last day of school, and the scores are with the report cards.

Knowing both of my children's strengths and weaknesses, I can pretty much peg which ones that they did very well on. I know that both of them had passed ALL required SOL's. And I know that because they each were awarded a Hummer Limo ride (where *I* even rode with Hayley).

Hayley is very in tune with Social Studies, so I am quite sure that she is somewhere in the 550 range. Same with the Reading portion of the tests.

Bryce on the other hand, would have the scores mainly in Reading and in Science. He is very interested in Scientific methods, astronomy, animal biology, and how the world spins around (in general).

Yesterday, both of them had their last End-Of-6-Weeks Awards, plus the End-Of-The-Year awards. After seeing Bryce make the A/B Honor Roll for the last 6-week-period, and after seeing him gain other awards, one new award was added for the Third Grade Class this year, pertaining to the SOL's. Being that it is those student's first time, not knowing what to expect, certain students were awarded and recognized for a PERFECT score of the highest possible number...600 on any given subject area. It could have been in one area, or in all four.

Bryce's teacher went last with her portion of the awards for Grade Three, being it was all done by alphabetical order within each grade area. As I sat there, listening, I heard one or two subjects called out before the one. If no one had gotten a perfect 600 in a subject, it was skipped.

Then, the teacher says, "In Science, we have ONE perfect score in the subject of Science. That 600 goes to...BRYCE C.!!". At first I honestly could NOT believe that I just heard my son's name being called for a PERFECT score of a 600 in Science. I can guarantee that I must have stood there, with my jaw dropped and a look of pure shock on my face.

After all was said and done, I went to the Principal's office and just sat there and cried. The shock wore off. And right then, I realized that all the struggling, all of the battling, all of the HARD work from both myself and Bryce himself were showing in a HUGE way, that it has all paid off. And it has shown me that I had indeed picked the right teacher for the job of teaching him this year.

She has been NOTHING short of kind, cooperative, caring, patient and had a wonderful willingness to work with Bryce, and with us (or his doctors). She is of a (now) rare breed of teachers. She CARES about the kids that she is teaching. She CARES about the parents. She most of all, LOVES those kids, and what she does. You don't find many like that anymore.

Both his teacher and I have NOT had the easiest year when it came to Bryce. We both struggled and did the best we could. But ultimately, it was up to him in the end, as to succeeding or not. And with the two of us working together, we pulled off a miracle...

My baby got top honors in a subject no other 3rd Grade Student pulled it off. That alone speaks for its self.

Mean Girls...The realities from someone that's been there.

Mean girls. They have been show-cased in movies, in music and in the news. I've personally had experience with the real deal. Primarily in the Elementary School years. Being that I looked "different" from the other children, I was an outcast.

The girls mainly were the ones to degrade me. Not just in their words, but their actions as well. Often as a girl, I wondered what kind of "kicks" the kids got out of teasing and degrading me. What was with their pointless jokes on my behalf? To this day, I still at times have these questions pop in to my head.

Do bullies, especially the girls, really know what life-long affects take place when they pull their heartless pranks, say their cruel words and make their mark in the "Mean Girls" history book?

Thanks to their cruelty from long ago, I still have self-esteem issues. I often think of myself as not pretty and not worthy of love and affection by a man. Yes, I have a husband. One that loves me and sees me as beautiful. But personally, I cannot see what he sees.

All I still see to this day is a girl that has scars from one end of her body, to the other. I see where I once had a feeding tube from my diaphragm, in to my stomach. I see where the tracheostomy was performed and the trache was the symbol of my survival, as well as my ability to BREATH. I see the pitted area under my right arm where I had a chest tube placed to drain all the collective fluid from my right lung after it collapsed. I see the uneven breasts and the scar leading from under my right arm, leading up just past my right shoulder blade, where they re-inflated my lung, as well as reattached my esophagus, where it was detached (birth defect).

And to this day, I have lasting psychological and emotional side effects not only from having done what was needed to ensure my survival, but from the scars left behind from YEARS of torture from those that never truly understood, let alone took the time to TRY and understand or learn why I looked "different".

Mean girls have gotten to the point with their bullying in this cyber-age, where their violence towards other girls has taken such a toll on its intended victim, that those being teased, taunted and humiliated are TAKING THEIR LIVES.

Is it honestly worth a life to ridicule and demoralize another human being just to get "kicks" from someone else's imperfections? To me, no it certainly is NOT!

If only some of these "mean girls" could have the tables turned on them. Not that I would EVER wish ill-will on another human being. But how would they feel if something was to happen to them and they were disfigured? Be it from a car accident or a fall? Or from some other disfiguring and/or life-altering situation? Maybe they were placed on medication that made them gain weight, or it was caused by a medical condition.

Once their "perfection" is changed in to "imperfection", then they start having friends "dropping" them from their inner circle, or "cliques". Then, the stares and whispers begin. And of course with them not knowing the FULL story behind the changes, the rumor mill starts churning. As do the assumptions.

Finally, the heckling, physical picking and pranks begin.

Finally, that FORMER "mean girl" is getting to experience the reality of what she used to do at one time in her life. Now, instead of the huntress, she is the prey.

Try being in my shoes, or the "former mean girl's" shoes. If only more "mean girls" could experience what myself and MILLIONS of other girls of the past have had to endure. Not by choice, but by force.

Do I blame the parents? In MOST cases, YES! Especially in this day and age. Parents should be an EXAMPLE, as well as the greatest teacher when it comes to children having compassion and empathy for their peers.

Then again, parents can teach these kids all the good values of compassion, respect, empathy and love to their children, and those kids go out in to the world and make poor choices. Their greatest weapon of choice? The internet.

Cyber-bullying, especially among teen girls is at an all-time high. As are the suicide rates due to cyber-bullying. It is so easy to create a profile, "friend" your target and play with their minds and emotions. All the while, as you are "friending" the target, you are talking negatively behind the target's back.

After a while, there will be a whistle blower to throw it all in the target's face to show how "stupid" and gullible the victim has been. Once the victim sees what is REALLY thought about her, then the self-esteem issues, the emotional issues and the mental issues come in and destroy its target.

Please, teach your children to have compassion. Teach them that NO MATTER WHAT, the person that "looks" different (in ANY form!) is still a human being with feelings. Let your children know that it could very easily be them on the other end. Let them know that their actions indeed do speak louder than words. And words used in the wrong way, can and DOES hurt. No matter if they are said behind the person's back, to their face, or on a computer screen.

Uh yeah. I'm so excited...It's that time of year again. *sigh*

It's time for mistletoe and kisses, wreaths hung on the door, trees with needles that fall everywhere, and wrapping presents for hours on end.

It's also time to drive me freaking I-N-S-A-N-E for the next two weeks, two days, and twenty three hours. Yes, the kids are now on Winter Break...Oh I mean Christmas Break. Damnit!! No, I mean....

Oh bloody hell! It's just pure Make Mama Want To Go Running With Scissors In To A Funny Farm Break.

So far, all of the presents are wrapped. The stockings are hung with care. The tree is decked out. And my Christmas breakables are in plain view as I bite my nails daily as to how many I will be lessened down to before this holiday season is over with.

Did I mention, that today is also my birthday? Yes sir. Or ma'am... I am now thirty three years young. And I was able to celebrate with a school full of children.

There was the school assembly for a Christmas Sing Along. Plus, my running the Class Party in Bryce's class. And helping out to get things in the office distributed, and the kids in line...Literally.

Oh and there were the three boys that in three separate occasions, I had to break up in three separate lines. They had seen the "Mean Mama" side of me. And I think it honestly scared them, being that their mouths were basically dragging on the ground.

Now sadly, the evening of my birthday had been ruined. Not by the kids or the husband. But by Mother Nature herself. No not THAT Mother Nature, silly! S-N-O-W. And lots of it.

Plus, Hayley is with her father for the weekend. So, I'm sort of glad it worked this way. We can go later in the week to celebrate.

Now, if you like reading commentary about different news articles, please stop in and check out my latest blog page, "That's News To Me!". Today is Friday Freak Fest, where I do my opinionated commentary on the news of the weird, strange, freaky and funny. The link is http://newz2mee.blogspot.com/

That's about it for now. Until next time, have a great day/evening!

A Tribute To My Birthday Girl!!

Once again in my home, another special day is upon me. One that I will never forget for as long as I breath.

It was a bitter-sweet day for me at that time. Now, it's just sweet.

Today, my "baby" is no longer a baby herself. She has turned five years old.

Three days after Thanksgiving of 2004, I gave birth via Cessarian Section to a healthy, lively, six pound, fifteen ounce, nineteen inch long baby girl.

The reason that day was so bitter-sweet is because just a year before, I had lost a baby in my sixteenth week of pregnancy. It was due around my son's birthday. In my mind, this wasn't supposed to be happening.

In fact, if I had that baby, my youngest would never have been born.

Her road is long on this journey we call life. But my daughter is taking it in stride. She is now in Preschool, loves playing with her big brother and sister, has a heart of gold, and is the sunshine in the midst of rain.

What it all comes down to is that I wouldn't trade this path of life for anything.

As I went through my journey with my eye (transplant and all), Skyler was right there, side by side with me. Being my "Medicine Doctor", my "Tape Doctor" and my "Eye Doctor". She made sure I was okay and had everything I needed. Especially my tape for placing my patch over my eye.

How many four/five year olds do you know of that do those things for their parents or siblings? Not many. She cried when I was hurting. She hugged me to "feel better", she kissed my "boo-boo" (my cheek).

While I know that my two older children were concerned and helpful, Skyler really put herself out there. Then again, since she could walk and babble, she has been the type to make sure YOU were okay.

What did I do to deserve a child such as she? Skyler is here to teach US something. Although I have yet to figure out what. Maybe it's to love others as you wish to be loved. 

Or, to do unto others as you wish to have done unto you.

It could even be to take life by the reins and hold on. It will be a bumpy ride, but a thrilling one to cherish.

Better yet, maybe its all of the above....

Whatever we are to learn from my precious birthday girl, she is doing a fine job of teaching me. And I am so happy and proud to be her mother. Always have been, always will be.

I LOVE YOU MY DEAR BIRTHDAY GIRL, SKYLER! YOU ARE THE BEAT TO MY HEART. YOU AND YOUR SIBLINGS!!