1st Observation

I have so many mixed feelings from the school so far.  When I got there, I had to park across the street in a Spanish Market place and walk through construction to get to the school.  I was about 10 minutes early and had to wait for the teacher to get there.  That was fine. It allowed me to check out the front office and see what happens everyday.

While I was waiting, this little girl came up to me and sat down.  She said "hi, What are you doing here?"  (she was the most adorable Kindergartener I have ever seen in my entire life).  I told her I was here to help out a teacher today.  She thought that was amazing and we started talking on the couch.  There was a binder on the floor along with tupperware.  She wondered if it was mine and then another (older) girl came up and said it was hers.  She sat down with us on the couch and started talking about her binder and the dough that was in her tupperware. She said that the dough was for her class.  They were going to make South America with the dough.  After talking for a bit, I looked around and there were about 6 six around me and we were all just talking and having fun.  I looked over at the secretaries and they were eyeing me down but didn't say anything.  They looked baffled more that anything...HA I was shocked too.  It's like the students just flocked to me and wanted to talk.  The principal came over and stood over me.  He didn't introduce himself or say anything to me.  It was very awkward actually but then after a minute he left.  After about 15 minutes, my teacher came in a rush.  She was late, she had to pee.  While she was getting settled in the teachers lounge, the first little girl found an stretched out paper clip and gave it to me asking what it was.  I told her it was a paper clip and she's like "what on earth is that?!" I explained it to her and tried to fold it back together to see if she could recognize it and she still didn't understand.  I told her it can come in different colors and she popped up and said, "can it come in pink?" I said yes and she said she'll keep it forever!

So far, it was one packed morning for only being there 15 minutes. haha.  Once the teacher came back from the lounge, we walked back into her classroom down the hall.  She had a decent sized classroom but said that she is hardly ever there, she goes out into the regular education classrooms and helps out her students that way.  I thought this was odd; i've never seen special education done this way before.  I was excited to see how SPED and GenED are mashed together.

We got into the classroom and waited for the teacher and students to come in. The GenEd teacher looked frazzled and came in half dressed.  She frankly looked like a mess.  Her hair wasn't done, her shirt wasnt tucked in, and her skirt was very wrinkled.  Normally i do not notice these types of things but she seemed all over the place.  She was tucking in her shirt while the students were coming in.  My teacher went over to explain why I was there and the teacher didn't seem to understand why I needed to be there but said it was fine.  My first impressions of the GenEd teacher were not very good.

The students picked up books and started reading for 15 minutes while the teacher put things together and got ready for the day.  She yelled at her class and said "If your book isn't even open, I know you cant possibly be reading".  She said this about 4 times.  Then she gave a speech of why reading was important first thing in the morning.

Next, they were finishing off their poetry presentations.  Half of the class didnt have anything ready and even forgot the poem they were supposed to present.  The teacher was furious and said she is going to call all of their parents; then sent them outside in the hallway to start all over again.  All of my teacher's students were part of this group.  She went out into the hallway with them and made sure they were quiet.  I stayed in the room, feeling awkward as ever.  I wasn't sure what to do with myself.

By the end of class, I was having a coughing fit and went in the hallway to get a drink and settle down for a bit so I dont disrupt her class.  While I was getting a drink, there was a boy who was walking to the door sulking.  He looked so depressed and just awful really.  He stood at the door for about a minute before I went over.  I asked if he was going to class; he just looked up at me and said, "I hate going to this class".  He had these poor pitiful eyes of sorrow.  I didn't know how to respond.  I was shocked.  I have NEVER seen a student so sad about going to school.  I opened the door and we both walked in together.

When it was my turn to leave, the SPED teacher walked me back to her classroom so I could get my things and she said that the GenEd teacher is strict and doesnt really understand the role of a Special Educator.  The teacher was being nice; she could have said some nasty things about the GenEd teacher but she didn't.  I could tell that there was not mutual respect for the two teachers and it just creates awkward tension in the room.



Hopefully my time this week will be much better! More Positivity! More Smiles!  I loved my teacher though! She made me feel right at home.  Such a sweet heart.