Wednesday, January 31, 2007

A Lesson on Voice

Twas' the day of the Super Bowl, and all the taverns in town;
had specials on beer, and the juke box turned down.
The stools were all taken, every last one;
while everyone watched as the pre-show began.
The beer was flowing by the bartender with flair;
"Hey pass me another, I'll be over there."
As I stood by my stool, not able to sit;
the kickoff was coming on T.V. in a bit;
When all of the sudden, the screen it went blank;
and the crowd grew quite quiet, my heart it just sank.
I jumped from my stool, ran to the TV;
adjusted the cable, damn we just had to see.
The silence was sickening, the crowd was so still;
and behind the bar, the bartender looked ill.
A flick of a switch, and a turn of a knob,
the screen remained blank, and I choked back a sob.
"Hey Joe! Bob, Tom and Keith,
Albert, John, Eric and Heath!
"Hurry, into my van, we'll go to the mall;
"Slow down man- ya almost hit that wall!"
As the tires spun out, and let gravel fly;
we really must hurry, times flying by.
So off to the mall, we sped real fast,
a blue and white car, saw us go past.
He pulled out behind us, turned on his lights,
the sirens blarred loudly, but we put up a fight.
I pushed on the gas, and sped up to eighty;
then looked in the mirror to see if just maybe;
the officer would not keep following me.
Just at that moment, I saw my worst fear;
He was still behind me, along with his peers.
Now most of the force, was chasing me.
I just had to keep going, for the game we must see.
Up side streets I sped, with them chasing me still;
I could not slow down, for this game I would kill.
I sped down the highway, and slowed when I saw,
the exit was close, the one to the mall.
The officers kept coming, not giving up chase;
Until they could catch me, and this may be the case.
Just then an old lady, cut in front of me;
"Shit!" screamed my friends, "We cant miss the team."
I swerved out around her, and started to slow,
the mall was quite close, not far to go.
I pulled in the lot, and into a spot,
Started to get out, but thought I'd get shot.
For there right before me, the force they all stood;
their weapons around me and I knew that they would.
I closed my eyes tight, waited until
the shots would begin, and I'd get my fill.
John stepped out, to the cops he pleaded,
"Don't shoot my friend, a TV is needed!"
"The one at the tavern, Ya see it just broke,
We really must hurry,before the game partook."
We all ran inside, the officers too.
They helped clear the way, to let us all through.
We pulled out our wallets and counted out cash;
we were a bit short, from completing our task.
I looked at the guys, and let out a sigh,
for we had not enough money, for a TV to buy.
Just then, an old lady stepped up , her hand holding a ten.
"Buy your damn TV and get out of here men!"
I reached my hand out, taking the ten,
paid for the TV and we left with huge grins.
We jumped into the van, the officers close by,
sped off to the tavern, a half hour had gone by.
back at the bar, the crowd swarmed around,
faces lit up for a TV we had found.
Racing into the tavern, remote in my hand,
I ran to the corner where they set up the band.
popped open the box, pulled out the machine,
plugged in the power, "How'd ya work this damn thing?"
"Hook up the cable." somebody yelled.
"Then push the "ON" button!" the crowd it swelled.
With the thing plugged in, and the cable hooked up,
I turned the thing on, and the volume way up.
the screen it turned blue, and the crowd again quiet,
if this did not work, they might start a riot.
Everyone here, except for the cops,
had been drinking, some non-stop.
The tension was thick, we all quietly waited,
then the game came on, the crowd was elated.
"Pass me a beer." I yelled to the bar.
Then sat on my stool thanking the stars.
The crowd was quiet, the game ready to begin,
the teams on the field beginning to sing.
As the coin was flipped we let out a sigh,
we had not missed the kick off, no thanks to our plight.
A police man came over, stood beside me and said,
"Son here is your ticket, excessive speed, must be paid."
I looked down at the paper, I held in my hand,
Reckless driving it read, 50 over he'd scanned.
I did see the game, but my luck had run out,
for when I got home, my wife, she did shout.

I wrote this a very long time ago...the lesson was on voice...the object was to fool the class. I took on a male persona and used the "voice" from Night Before Christmas...

Saturday, January 27, 2007

okay clarification

I am guessing emotions got away and my blog was not read in its intended. I did not write this blog to "piss" anyone off. I wrote it to let others know I am hurting for the children. All of them not just the special needs kids. I feel the disrution of misbehaved kids (which teachers have little autority over) as well as the disruption of some of the special needs kids, (which teachers are not trained nor paid to take care of) may be effecting the education of the "other" kids. Ya know the ones with no rights to a non-disruptive education.
I am not saying "segragate" or lock them up in an institution. I am saying judge them by their needs not the needs our society thinks they have.
Maybe a class room could be made up for the ones with high intensive needs. These would be the kids that sleep a major portion of the day and are locked in their own heads due to physical problems. Then maybe they could be taken to gym and music to watch the others . and maybe the kids from the "normal" classrooms, you know the ones that can sit and listen, do their work and not cause issues, would benifit from time in the class room with these IN kids. This would benifit all involved and NOT provide the teachers with one more distraction to take care of. There are so many kids now with ADD and ADHD that take much of the teachers time already. With these kids provide enough distraction, and in the first grade it only takes a little bit of chaos before the whole class is in an uproar and the teacher must take 15 minutes of time to calm them all down again. Chaos is contagious at certain ages of the developmental cycle.
Nurses Aids instead of teachers aids could be hirred and these kids would get their needs met too. Maybe instead of teachers an OT and a PT could be hirred. No reason why the ABC or other educational songs could not be played for these kids while they are in the class room. Then if in their heads they are able to learn well more power to them. Also the classes at some of the more financially stable schools have video systems installed in the class rooms. This allows the teachers to teach each others class without the disruption of joining two classes together. Could this not be wired into the room for these kids to listen to. Many of them can not focus their eyes anyway and their ears and sense of touch are their most used sense.
So I am not saying "segragate" them I am saying re-evalutae how the classes are set up. I know we would save a lot of money if a nurses aid, instead of a teachers aid, were actually taking care of some of these kids. They too would benifit from the constant touch and love that PT, OTs and aids can give if they are allowed more than one hour with a person. But I am not saying ALL special needs kids belong in this class. and I am not saying these kids should be kept seperate from the others, just offered different support.

Its Saturday

So now that I am working...Saturdays are special too....on the list today...bathrooms, bedrooms, dust, water plants, entry way and stairs, and the garbage on the porches....of course Eric is off at work...he will earn money instead of doing chores...but he is honest about it...and I can not complain...one less BIG person in the house on clean up day is one less object in my way...maybe the kids will figure out IF they take the babies and go away for a few hours...they too would get out of chores...i don't mind doing them in an empty house...it's when their are bodies sitting every where that it makes me crazy!!!!
So this week I have worked at schools from three different levels of societies financial ratings. I am discovering that the low income schools are not run the same as the upper income schools. I would need a lot more research to figure out why but my theory is...parents!!! the teachers can not do everything. IF you do not bath your kid regularly and teach them manners...I will guarantee you they WILL NOT make it through our school system. The other kids do not like them and the teachers who are already stretched to the max will not either. This I can promise will lead to your kid being ignored...sent away from the group and I even witnessed one little guy get squirted in the face by his teacher because he whines like a two year old at 8 and does not talk.
This sounds harsh but IF parents do not do their job a teacher can not do theirs. Our children need to be taught manners and hygiene at home not from the school....this will allow our kids to sit and hear the teacher...so many have learned to just "tune the world out" that most teachers are talking to themselves anymore. I found this worse at the lower income schools where the children's parents are hardly ever heard from...these parents use the system for free day care! They do not see it is their responsibility to educate their children in areas other than academics. It was very sad at the school I was at yesterday...I will bet it is safe to assume that the majority of the children in that school will not make it to Junior High let alone High School.
Now I will say in this case it may not be the parents but their parents also...so some schools really should focus on the family as a whole. We know in society by the way people live...which ones are going to help our world and which are just here for the ride. The later group needs to feel the empowerment that comes along with being a helper instead of the helped.
With our world changing so much maybe it is time to "restructure" our entire school system. Americans are no longer the most intelligent race...in fact statistics are showing...we are losing ground fast...not only to the Asian populations but to the Russian and German as well. this sounds conceited but what it actually is showing is that Americans are getting lazy. We have so many "convenient appliances" that we are no longer working hard for a better future...we have it all now...why try harder I guess.
I have to say as I watch these children say the pledge every morning I can just wonder...will the little black girl with all the exuberance of a trumpet still have that faith in our country when she is done growing up in the slums of Anchorage...watching the world revolve around the financially stable and leave the "burger flippers, and cashiers" of our world in the dust.
What about the young native child that does not know the words but pride in his country shows in his eyes...remember that patriotic feeling you felt saying the pledge as a small child...
I am sure the little white guy sitting amongst the group...even though he is not paying attention and is mimicking video games during the pledge....will go somewhere...his family will not stay in the slums...they will realize where they moved too and have the means to get out...no matter where this young man goes...he will probably make it until he himself chooses to quit...which he too will...he can not handle an hour without his video game.
Not sure where this leaves our countries future...I am sampling just a very small portion of the population...but when one school gets desks in every grade and another can only have tables that seat 6...well it does not take a genius to figure out which group will have more "pride" in their school...and pride my friends is an aphrodisiac for successful people.
So one idea I did have...was maybe we could find a way to offer "parenting success" classes through our school district...maybe we could make them mandatory for parents...see we pay taxes through our income...those taxes pay for my child's education....So I am paying for this and want my child to receive a good education that is not full of distractions. I understand in today's world "segregation" is wrong...but is it wrong to put kids with "like" disabilities in a class room instead of in the main stream of things....I am talking the ones with sever behavior issues that prevent a teacher from doing their job as well as the other students from doing theirs. And the ones that are in school because the law says they must be...Some of the children our educators are dealing with are so severely disabled that they sleep in their wheel chairs until food time and diaper changing time...is this what school is for? I thought I was doing home health nursing for these particular children...NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND is affecting the education of the children that are not disabled. I feel bad making these statements but it is common sense...the little girl with Downs that is able to learn her ABCs, basic math and reading skills needs to be in school. The young man I described above is just costing the district extra money for aids when insurance would pay for one in the home, or maybe in a facility where specialized care toward the disability could be given....a full week of OT and PT instead of one half hour once a week would be much more beneficial to this young man who will never overcome his physical disability enough to live on his own let alone utilize the public education system.
I am not the parent of a handicapped child...we will ignore Donny's little problem...hehe...I can not say for sure how I would feel about the situation if I were...I can say as the aunt of a disabled child I see a need to assist those that will be academically functional, to find ways to work their disabilities into their education...they can succeed with the system IF they are not treated as the "severely" disabled are. Special education is a very broad field I am discovering and needs to be re evaluated and re structured not to categorize students but to ensure the ones that will help our world are given the chance and the ones that are here for reasons unknown to us( but will forever be trapped inside a body that does not allow them any type of normalcy), to live the life they were given not the one their parents and society wishes they were given.

Friday, January 26, 2007

winter

Well January is about over. February is a very short month...then comes March...oh I can not wait till March...it may take till July to melt away the remaines of winter but March will bring with it the first smell of spring...I am waiting for March....If we get more snow we may not be able to get off our road either...Wo with winter dragging on and on and on...I think I will go back to bed.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Is it cold up there?

Not sure about the rest of you but when I wake up at 6:30 to a ringing phone and the person on the other end answers my sleepy hello with exuberance and the question "Is it cold up there?" My response is usually "Up Where?" Why cant telamarketers figure out that AK does NOT stand for arkansas or alabama....I thought that was elementary education...and as for the cold....well duh!!! I live in Alaska idiot! This lady was persistent...I explained to her that magazines rarely get to us as the mail handlers usually read them in the weeks it takes the sled dogs to travell the mail through the state. I also explained that I could not afford her magazines...my igloo caved in thanks to a recent warm spell and the bank wants payment for my dog team and sled. She believed me. And the people out there say we are the crazy ones.
So another six inches of white fluff on the ground...."Is it cold?"
Which season does this put us in..."almost winter? nah I think we did that...
winter?........probably
still winter? maybe
construction? nope still plowing them there roads.

So on a more serious note....I am considering loading up some kids and taking a trip to Homer. My inlaws are not doing so well and may need some assistance...or at least a winter blues break. Not sure yet but I am thinking next week maybe Monday although I see next Thursday is the First day of February....Guess I better be home for a 19th Birthday party on Friday the second....Mr. Donny is getting OLD!!! Ten days later Mr. Josh makes it to the BIG 21!!! Hey guys hope your planning a night out on the town...a few titty bars and lots of Tequilla for the young man. Just send their gifts to me....I have decided that I deserve gifts on their birthdays not them...I am letting them live ya know. So as the month draws to an end...Spring is a bit closer...and the baby buffalo did NOT see it's shadow again today.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

First week

Well week one is over and I am still looking forward to going back...yes the first graders were hard work...and quite cute too but i think while I have babies at home this is deffinatly NOT the age I want to work with every day....I have greatly enjoyed the fifth graders this seems like an age I may be able to make a difference for now subbing is good for me. I am learning the school system and all the "extras" it offers. I am considering "resource" at the moment but academics is not really what I want to focus on. The teachers can do a great job there if someone else were helping the kids who have not learned proper behavior in public for what ever reason. I see an attitude in most of these kids especially the "only" children that is an "I am the best" attitude. Unfortunatley parents forget that someone does not get this "title" by just being born. One little girl in particular is very obviously doted on at home. Treated like a baby when she is 6. This young lady knows how here peers act but she still expects the "adults" to coddle and coo her....I explained to her she would have more fun if she made friends to pal up with and that adults are really quite borring...they have to work and pay bills and do chores....those kids out there do their homework keep their room clean and spend the rest of their lives playing...."Realy?" was her answer as she raced off to the playground and did NOT hang on or demand an adults attention again all week. I do not think her parents allow her to play with other kids at home...or maybe so much is going on she cant...anyway...somewhere there must be a position that would allow me to work with these kids for a few days...some may take all year...and address some of their "society skills". Kids are "mean" (using this word from a childs view) and if one can not figure out how to get involved the others will exclude them just because they probably dont even notice the lone child. In just three days I solved this young ladies problem. With friends she can now use that energy on the play ground that keeps her out of her chair and distracted durring class....guess what...she turned in ALL her work on time friday. Behavior modification does not need an algeberic formula to solve....sometimes it is as simple as giving the kid permission to be a kid. I am thinking private practice. Not sure what insurance and grants would pay for but it seems the district is paying aids to sit with disruptive kids keeping them focuses constantly. This does not help the child be responsible for themselves. These children need observed and their issues need addressed. Education has gone above and beyond a teachers scope of practice. They are educators. At one time the "manners" were taught at home not in kindergarten, or in the Church. Now it appears parents are leaving this to the teachers too. In todays busy world parents "do" everything for their kid in order to "save time and avoid a fit". This is also a MAJOR part of the problem. We need to slow down...allow a toddler to sit and focus on putting on their shoe. It is more than just getting the shoe on the foot. It is the ability to sit and concentrate on one thing they are learning by doing it their selves. So IF Behavioral Therapy is not already practiced I may just start a new trend in psychology.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

WOW

That is my first reaction to my first day...I spent it wanting my daddy!!!
Todays society is in big trouble and ya wanna know why?
Cuz the kids rule the world.
that was NOT school....it is a zoo. Parents and the pleas for fairness. Teachers and Principles who have NO means of control anymore. I am not sure how anyone can learn in the chaos I witnessed
yesterday. These kids talk above their teachers in the third grade. If they misbehave the only consequence they have to fear is a chance to stay home and sleep in. One of the kids I spent a great deal of time with is a geniuse! She can has trouble with basic concepts they say...I say BS!! This young person could read and pronounce ALL the names in the crayon bin even the spanish and french versions. But she can read the word CAT?? She is in the first grade for the third time...when I asked her why she keeps doing it again she said "Cuz on the third time I am the smartest kid in class." "But why did you have to do it three times?" at this point her head spun around in circles her eyes were sparking and I swear I saw smoke..."CUZ THEY KEEP THROWING ME OUT!" She growled. I refocused on the play-doh pizza we were making and sat there in fear for my future. It appears if a child misbehaves enough they get thrown out of their class and sent to the resource room to do their work...thus an aid is needed. The next step is susspension.
So by the fifth grade....I witnessed teachers TURNING UP their mic.s to be heard over their classes. This poor woman had a class for of monsters. At least half the class was doing something other than what they were told...she tried to get control but they out numbered her and the law wont allow her to physically beat them. They used such foul mouths in school I was embarrassed for their parents. One kid could not shut his mouth off...it just kept spurting obsenities about how he should "not _____ have to do this _______ ________ ________ _________ ___________ I already ________ know this _________ _________!" At one point this earned his an "accidental" elbow but he did not seem to notice.
After spending the day watching this with my education and some research I have decided that it is immpossible for the children that want to learn...there were a few in each room still....to learn.
Chaos...that is what our school system is dealing with. After what I saw yesterday I think I am all for some kind of "controlled" corporal punishment in our school system...Suspension is nothing to fear for a kid who misbehaves repeatedly....most likely the kids parents are both working and they will get a good vacation.
But my little friend yesterday will not get the chance to repeat the first grade again...I am on too her....as this is her third school also...yes they throw a first grader out of the school too...the staff probably do not know much about her....no one has time to get to know her...no one but the aids that is......I may wear the title of aid but I do believe I am more qualified for a resource teacher than the ones, who are very nice ladies just way over worked, I have seen, not because I can teach better, but because I have been trained to watch for psychological issues in a human as well as learning disabilities and health problems...it's called "Holistic Medicine" You cant heal if you do not address and fix all areas of the bodies realm.
No I still am not sure where I am going with my career...but it wont be lower elementary school. I enjoyed my day but am glad I only signed on for three. I am spending my day doing working with beginning, middle and end, sounds....ya know....c...a...t....c.a.t.......cat. You can add a "b" to the front and it says "bat" bet ya did not know that.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

First Day

Today I start my job. I am a teachers aid assistant and Ocean View Elementary. Seems fitting that my first job in ASD is at my old elementary school. Maybe I will enter some weird time warp and go back to third grade again. This job is great for me. I chose my own schedual, where I want to work and when. Okay its not that easy but pretty close. There is a lot of work out there for subs. yesterday my phone rang 15 times from the ASD's phone tree. Some jobs are half day some are full day for the whole week. I get to pick which ones I want. And if I cancell as long as it is before 5:30 am NO ONE GETS MAD!!! Not sure if I am looking forward to this or not. To have a life will be nice...unfortunatly I may spend what is left catching up around here. If it dont work I will just work part time but I need a life! Okay now to find the car keys buddy snuclk out of my purse and hid.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Junket


The word brought fond warm memories...now...I have changed my mind....currdled milk, made from a product obtained from a cows stomach...sounds like ecoli and mad cow disease waiting to happen!!

ALL RIGHT ALREADY!!!

Take your panties out of the wad...I am hear still...good grief you would think no one has picked up a phone...oh ya its the small square thing in your pocket or purse...it has numbers on it that you push...ring a bell yet?
Okay so in the time I have been...unhere...I have busy getting in touch with me. I realized this holiday season that my whole life has been dedicated to my children and spouses (what an idiot) I did a lot of soul searching and realized I am lacking part of me...so I have burried my head in the books...okay so the internet cuts down an the library hours...wish it would have been as easy to access when I was in college.
The year 2007 is "All About Me". No I do not mean this in a...give me everything kinda way...I mean when 2008 arrives...and it will...I will have pulled my head together and began focusing on me and what I am going to do when the kids grow up.
Unfortunatly for the kids I spent many hours researching and came to one conclusion. I was not fair to my children. In attempts to keep peace and harmoney in a very chaotic home...I did ALL the chores. Never where the older ones made to do much...an occasional pick up your room but never any steady regular responsibilities...this would have been unfair...the psychologists and school counselors encouraged us to allow them to be kids...as products of a disruptive home they deserved that time...well okay...but when does it stop...when they are 30? 50? Bull Shit!!! The best thing I can do for them now is treat them like they are 3 again...assigned chores and chore sheets will go up on the fridge...they will have to learn it now...I can not save the world...BUT...I can always go back and try to fix a mess I made as a parent...they will ALWAYS be my kids. There fore if the screw up...I will ALWAYS be their mom! In ways it is easier now that they have grown throught the "argumentaive stage" okay some of them...but if they need a butt whoopin I may need to call my husband in for help...Its no longer "child abuse" when they are no longer children, right?
So on a lighter note...I have been making friends again with text books. Guess I should quit fighting that I am a nerd...I think I want to get rich...just so I can take every class I want!
My degrees are hanging on my wall as a riminder that I am not educated on a three year old level...it's hard to remeber that when your only conversation all day is with a three year old vocabulary genius. Miss Taylor you are NOT allowed to be alone with Lou. I do not want her using words I need a dictionary to understand! I will work with this child on the finer arts and enjoyments of learning...maybe I will get one of them to utalize their God Given Talent. Seems the High IQd ones are serious under achievers...although from my Sociology reading I have learned this is a pattern for our country. Maybe it is time to update the IQ test to meet todays standards of learning. One of the tests used in our school district was put together in 1962 by a group of psychologist as a means for, "testing "retards" for placement in group homes." (Sorry about that word but it used very losely in psychology....retard meaning....slower than normal reactions and respones. I too am considered Retarded...in Math by psychologists...today we have become politically correct in terminology and would now use "disabled". This word is actually worse in meaning if you know latin. "dis" in latin means an inability to do something...thus "able" meaning...ability to do something. So to disable something or be disabled you are NOT able to do the task at all. They do not consider that you can do it just not the same as the norm.
I am researching "learning disabilities, autissim and emotional/behavioral problems such as ADD/ADHD. In this I am discovering that psychology today is NOT following their own rules. They are modifying theories to meet the "fairness" standards established in our country.
Okay you whinned for a blog...now lets see how many of you actually read it.
So to summarize I will say....this world needs to get off their little emotional "me" issues, and realize if the world were "fair" as we want it to be...we would all
TREAT OTHER PEOPLE LIKE WE WANT TO BE TREATED. and if we all had the same things...well why would we need other people...the world would be well "the same." sounds kind of borring. So you have a blog...have not entered one lately cuz was not sure anyone would actually read the things I am running through my mind....As for the kids...if anyone wants a couple...I have a few to spare at the moment......