Tying up loose ends

As we get to the end of the course, I see students who are struggling to get everything done on time. I could say, why did they not work steadily along, but then I have at times been that student. So, I should not throw stones....

The students who provide insightful comments, help each other, remind me if I forget to do something, those are the students I KNOW are succeeding in the classroom because they are modeling it outside of class....what is "it"? Being flexible, kind, helpful, and professional. They care and it shows.

So for those of you who work well with others, challenge yourselves, ask for help when you need it, don't assume I got your email and ask again, and teach students with disabilities day-by-day, I thank you. You are the backbone of your school and don't forget it!

high school...

I am always interested in the behavior of students, fellow faculty and even looking into my own behavior and asking WHY I do some of the things I do! With students (with disabilities) we always look to understand the root cause of the behavior, which is not always evident and sometimes can be quite different than what we are seeing. This is true of all students.

I had a student who came into school one day (high school) who had an outburst and run in with the principal. The principal was a small-minded man who did not like kids very well. The principal told him to leave and not come back if he could not act appropriately. They almost came to blows.

This kid had come so far in my class and the only reason he did not hit the principal was because I was there and out of respect for me. The kid left school and was gone a few days. On the evening of the second day I went to his house. It was in a bad part of town and as I pounded on the door, one of his neighbors came out and asked me "what the hell I was doing there". I told him I was there to see "Nate". He then asked "who the hell I was". I told him I was Nate's teacher. He responded "since when do teacher's make house calls?" I said (in a pretty angry voice) "since NOW".

He went and got Nate. We had a good talk and Nate and his mother agreed he would return to school the next day. I would try to make all well with the principal. Nate's mother's boyfriend (as Nate had just found out) had been molesting his little sister. Nate was furious and came to school mad on the day he found out. But I convinced him that leaving school as a senior was not the way to deal with it.

Nate came back and we got things taken care of. Two years later Nate came back to visit me. He was a Marine and was in his whites. He was very handsome. I think back to what I did and how things could have turned out differently.