Week 2 Day 1- UGH!

The only thing that I can say is THANK YOU GOD FOR CO-TEACHING!

It completely amazes me how it is on the shoulders of one child if I have a good or bad day. Doug had a bad morning. He slapped a girl who was trying to get him to get out of her space. I told him that he needed to go to his seat, he was no longer a welcomed member of our community. He refused to go, I picked him up and moved him to the other side of the classroom. He refused to sit in his seat and went to the door. He was playing with the door knob and I let him know that if he opened the door he would go down to the office with me and call and explain to his mother why he opened the door to the classroom and why he was not on the rug in the first place.

When we were going to gym later he could not keep his hands to himself he was talking in the hallway when we have made our expectations clear that there is to be no talking in the hallways and knowing that he needs to keep his hands to himself. I told him that because he could not keep his hands to himself he needed to walk with a teacher. He kept pulling his hand trying to not have me keep holding his hand. I told him that I would not let him go and that he needed to follow directions. I would not let his hand go so he decided to go limp. I told him that because he was not following directions he needed to go to the office with me so we can call his mom. He then decided to make himself heavy so I would let him go. I was so frustrated at this time I told him that when we went down to the office he was going to explain to his mother what had happen. He then started saying that he would behave that he did not want to go to the office, that he would follow directions, I refused because as I pointed out he was not following directions and was holding on to the railing so that I would not be able to take him to the office.

Of course at that point the principal passes by and tells him by the next time she passes by, she wants him to be in the office. Not that I am afraid of the principal, she is great, I just could not help but think, she probably thinks I am a horrible teacher because I cannot control this boy. But he made it to the office, EVENTUALLY. and the rest of the day somewhat turned around, but it still did not erase the morning from my mind.

At the end of the day my co teacher talked to his mom, and let her know what we have established in the the classroom (his own desk to sit at because he cannot sit still at the rug without bothering anyone) and our expectations for him to keep his hands to himself. I hope that this conversation with mom makes a difference.

And to top it all off ... Omar had a bad day. The SPED teacher said that he has a tough time with transitions and boy did we see this today. He refused to go to the bathroom and then refused to go to recess and lunch. We were most concerned about him not eating lunch (we eat at 11:25 and the kids stay till 3:50) and we spent the better half of an hour trying to coax him to go and get lunch. I do not actually know what happened but I do know that they called his mother to come help the Special Ed. Teacher with him.

Any ideas to try with either of these friends, I am all open!