Back to work!

Well, it's summer now and things are falling into place. I have moved out of my "old home" that I've had for the last 13yrs, and into my new one. Well sort of... I've actually just dropped my stuff and left! The person who is moving out of my new classroom has not yet done so... so I just moved my stuff into a corner and left her to continue packing. I won't be able to get back until after the summer program is over.

For the last 10 years I have worked the extended year program that is in place for our districts special ed population. They are entitled to a year round education in order to avoid regression and recoupment  issues. The class I have is an Autistic 1st-3rd grade. I have had this particular group for 3yrs now. I can't tell you how much I anticipated seeing these kids again. They change so much over the regular school year and I sooo look forward to seeing their progress each summer. I have 2 new to me kids this summer and 4 that I've had for the last 3.

It already feels like we just picked up right where we left off last summer. I have 6 kids, 2 non verbal (M & A), 2 who speak only in echolalia (B & J), and 2 high functioning Aspergers (R & T). It is such a unique and fun group. It's amazing to me how far they have come this past year. They have a really awesome teacher during the regular school year and they have progressed so much.

Today was a hard day for B and I spent a majority of my day walking him around the hallways to calm him down and get him away from A & J who get really upset when he freaks out. I hate that he can't express himself or tell me what upsets him. He just kept repeating to me "why is B so sad, why is B so sad" as we walked through the halls with him wrapped around my body, but by the end of the day he was all smiles and repeating "B is happy now, B is happy now" and asking me every other minute for a hug and a thumbs up.

R is my monkey child... I have had him since he was 4yrs old, he's 7 now. That child has been hanging from my neck since day one. If you've been a long time reader you would have read about my love for him before. He is the cutest little Asian boy with a megawatt smile and the charm of a 30yr old "player". Everyday when he gets off the bus he grabs my face to look at him and says "hello ******" and then gives me the biggest bear hug.

I love these kids.

I really love these kids.

I also today sneaked a peak into the classroom of my friend A who has my "future" class. OMG... they are the cutest and it says a lot that she already... really loves them! I'm going to try to spend as much of my free time as I can in there to observe and learn about them before September.

I'm overwhelmed with the promise of next year... I feel effective again, I feel like I did when I became a teacher.

It's a really great place to be...

~G'night

ps... kudos to Shannon for guessing the song from which the title came (and really quickly at that). I knew you would guess it, your my musical soulmate!