Adventures in teaching.
Apr. 18th, 2004 12:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
castaliaAfter the last few days, I'm ready to crawl under the covers and sleep for a week. Just the being sick part is bad enough, but my work day on Friday? *shudder*
Actually, it's kind of funny in the retelling.
So, I get to the school (the one I work at only on Fridays) and find the door to the resource lab locked. The guy I work for, I find, has jury duty. Ok, no problem, so far it doesn't really affect my day. Then I find that my morning schedule is going to be set aside, b/c there's a student (new? I never found out, though I'd never seen her before) who needed to do her work in the lab because of behaviour problems. Evidently she had been on medication, but as it was affecting her eating, the doctor oh-so-wisely took her off meds completely. The result? This kid had about zero control when it came to just about anything.
She started out peacefully enough. However, I could tell early on she was going to be difficult, as her attention span when it came to working was close to nil. Every five seconds she'd ask me for candy. I told her maybe when she finished her work. She had a cold, and when I told her to blow her nose, she did so, but without a tissue. Snot is *such* a lovely sight. She was also self-abusive, hitting herself in the eye, bashing her head against the table and then complaining when it hurt. One crying fit later, the phone rang, to let me know it was time for her to go to gym. She wasted no time in taking advantage of my distraction to help herself to the candy in Mr. Dent's 'treasure box'. I lectured, and sent her on her way.
A bit later, it was time for her to come back. The teacher escorting her kindly let me know she'd had an "incident" in gym class. Evidently she'd pitched a fit and tried to eat coins. This was, sadly, only the start of her strange habit of putting non-edible objects in her mouth. She worked a very short time before needing to blow her nose once again. She did so, then abrubtly grabbed for the little container of paperclips on my desk. I went over to tell her to put them down, and she pops one in her mouth. She didn't actually try to swallow it, just held it between her teeth, taunting me. Little brat. I got her to spit it out, but then she dives to the floor, trying for the other paperclips.
Now, this was the first time I've ever had to physically restrain a child at my job. I wouldn't care to repeat the experience. She became physically violent, trying to bite and kick. When she couldn't bite me, she bit herself. She also tried to eat a foil candy wrapper that was on the floor. I had to pick her up and drag her out of the room (foiling an attempt to eat a pen cap on the way), to Mrs Ledford's room (the reading recovery teacher who had said to call her if I had any problems). Luckily, Mr. Dent had arrived, and was able to calm the kid down.
Did it stop there? Hah, of course not. After letting me take a break, we tried again to sit her down to work, which lasted about ten minutes. Another fit was pitched, with more attempts to bite and kick. Mrs Ledford held her down this time. At this point, we were more than fed up, and as soon as calls were made, her step-father came to pick her up. It was lunchtime, and we felt quite justified in checking out to go get some decent food and take a breather.
Now, I'm the last person to say that the solution to all behaviour problems is to medicate the child. But in this case? Get the child back on the damned pills. She can't function this way, and she sure as hell isn't going to learn. They're afraid to let her stay in the classroom, lest she hurt the other kids or the teacher. I feel sorry for the parents as well; I'd certainly be at a loss as to what to do with her.
The evening was salvaged by an invitation from the Farlows to go out to dinner with them for Sandy's birthday. Good food and good company was a balm to the soul.
Today was a bit better. Spent the afternoon demonstrating how to apply stage makeup for the middle schoolers in Sandy's school play. I was a bit appalled to see they were using headset mics, which throw awful shadows and block expression, but it's not my play, so oh well. Slight irritation when I had to wait around for ever before getting a chance to do anything, but the kids were very eager to learn how to do their makeup. Really, most of the adults involved were aggravating and rude, but the kids were quite charming (a surprise, with 6th-8th graders).
To give them an overview of different techniques, I did one white young lady, one black male, and a girl who was playing an old man, quite happy that the colors I had bought worked very well. They were suitably amazed and amused by the makeup involved in making someone look old on stage *g*
It felt good to be involved in the theatre again, even on this level. I doubt this is something I'd care to do for a living, but as a hobby it's quite fun. It brought back memories of my high school plays - the lights, the costumes, the family-like cast, the death scenes...*wistful sigh* I may have to do some community theatre this summer, if I have the time. Something calling for blood and flesh effects, indeed any type of prosthetics, would be fun.
Was disappointed that the Predators lost today's hockey game, and are therefore out of the playoffs. I usually root for the Red Wings, but it would've been nice to support the underdogs this year. Will have to root for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
windrose's Sharks, instead :)
GIP, btw. Adorable penguins, inspired by this lovely article. Thanks toelynross for the link. Penguins!
Actually, it's kind of funny in the retelling.
So, I get to the school (the one I work at only on Fridays) and find the door to the resource lab locked. The guy I work for, I find, has jury duty. Ok, no problem, so far it doesn't really affect my day. Then I find that my morning schedule is going to be set aside, b/c there's a student (new? I never found out, though I'd never seen her before) who needed to do her work in the lab because of behaviour problems. Evidently she had been on medication, but as it was affecting her eating, the doctor oh-so-wisely took her off meds completely. The result? This kid had about zero control when it came to just about anything.
She started out peacefully enough. However, I could tell early on she was going to be difficult, as her attention span when it came to working was close to nil. Every five seconds she'd ask me for candy. I told her maybe when she finished her work. She had a cold, and when I told her to blow her nose, she did so, but without a tissue. Snot is *such* a lovely sight. She was also self-abusive, hitting herself in the eye, bashing her head against the table and then complaining when it hurt. One crying fit later, the phone rang, to let me know it was time for her to go to gym. She wasted no time in taking advantage of my distraction to help herself to the candy in Mr. Dent's 'treasure box'. I lectured, and sent her on her way.
A bit later, it was time for her to come back. The teacher escorting her kindly let me know she'd had an "incident" in gym class. Evidently she'd pitched a fit and tried to eat coins. This was, sadly, only the start of her strange habit of putting non-edible objects in her mouth. She worked a very short time before needing to blow her nose once again. She did so, then abrubtly grabbed for the little container of paperclips on my desk. I went over to tell her to put them down, and she pops one in her mouth. She didn't actually try to swallow it, just held it between her teeth, taunting me. Little brat. I got her to spit it out, but then she dives to the floor, trying for the other paperclips.
Now, this was the first time I've ever had to physically restrain a child at my job. I wouldn't care to repeat the experience. She became physically violent, trying to bite and kick. When she couldn't bite me, she bit herself. She also tried to eat a foil candy wrapper that was on the floor. I had to pick her up and drag her out of the room (foiling an attempt to eat a pen cap on the way), to Mrs Ledford's room (the reading recovery teacher who had said to call her if I had any problems). Luckily, Mr. Dent had arrived, and was able to calm the kid down.
Did it stop there? Hah, of course not. After letting me take a break, we tried again to sit her down to work, which lasted about ten minutes. Another fit was pitched, with more attempts to bite and kick. Mrs Ledford held her down this time. At this point, we were more than fed up, and as soon as calls were made, her step-father came to pick her up. It was lunchtime, and we felt quite justified in checking out to go get some decent food and take a breather.
Now, I'm the last person to say that the solution to all behaviour problems is to medicate the child. But in this case? Get the child back on the damned pills. She can't function this way, and she sure as hell isn't going to learn. They're afraid to let her stay in the classroom, lest she hurt the other kids or the teacher. I feel sorry for the parents as well; I'd certainly be at a loss as to what to do with her.
The evening was salvaged by an invitation from the Farlows to go out to dinner with them for Sandy's birthday. Good food and good company was a balm to the soul.
Today was a bit better. Spent the afternoon demonstrating how to apply stage makeup for the middle schoolers in Sandy's school play. I was a bit appalled to see they were using headset mics, which throw awful shadows and block expression, but it's not my play, so oh well. Slight irritation when I had to wait around for ever before getting a chance to do anything, but the kids were very eager to learn how to do their makeup. Really, most of the adults involved were aggravating and rude, but the kids were quite charming (a surprise, with 6th-8th graders).
To give them an overview of different techniques, I did one white young lady, one black male, and a girl who was playing an old man, quite happy that the colors I had bought worked very well. They were suitably amazed and amused by the makeup involved in making someone look old on stage *g*
It felt good to be involved in the theatre again, even on this level. I doubt this is something I'd care to do for a living, but as a hobby it's quite fun. It brought back memories of my high school plays - the lights, the costumes, the family-like cast, the death scenes...*wistful sigh* I may have to do some community theatre this summer, if I have the time. Something calling for blood and flesh effects, indeed any type of prosthetics, would be fun.
Was disappointed that the Predators lost today's hockey game, and are therefore out of the playoffs. I usually root for the Red Wings, but it would've been nice to support the underdogs this year. Will have to root for
windrose's Sharks, instead :)GIP, btw. Adorable penguins, inspired by this lovely article. Thanks to
elynross for the link. Penguins!![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-18 07:01 am (UTC)Is it wrong that I laughed the entire way through this? :P
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-21 08:45 pm (UTC)But no more wrong than my joke about the "slow children at play" road sign...
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-18 07:03 am (UTC)Ahhhhh, theatre! Those were the days, indeed. Maybe theres a local theatre group you could help out with on occassion?
Speaking of hockey!! Ive not been keeping up with it (bad me!).. how're the Caps and Hawks doing?
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-21 08:52 pm (UTC)We do have a local theatre group, and I have a friend who participates sometimes, so I'll have to ask him. Would be fun to do a play again.
Sorry 'bout the Caps and the Hawks, but neither one of them made the playoffs. My poor Penguins were eliminated too, with an absolutely abysmal season :(
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-22 06:20 am (UTC)Eh, to think that I was going to watch the playoffs.. humph! Nevermind then! *grumble grumble*
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-25 09:00 pm (UTC)Hee. I'll watch no matter who's in it, especially since playoffs is the only time we get this much coverage on ESPN :)
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-28 07:36 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-18 08:02 am (UTC)I think you discovered one of the Weapons of Mass Destruction that Mr. Bush has been seeking . . .
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-21 08:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-18 03:34 pm (UTC)Sorry, my immediate thought was "you work with a Mr. Dent?!"
Meanwhile, what an awful experience. What's that kid even doing in a public school? Shouldn't she be going somewhere where she can actually get help, as she sounds very ill? It's very sad; but, really, she should be in a special school.
Glad you were able to have a breather with the theatre group and I'm glad you were able to get involved again. I hope you're able to do some plays over the summer, sounds like a lovely opportunity.
(Aw, penguins! I don't know what happened to the Tea post, but the Bertie inspired icon was adorable too.)
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-21 08:55 pm (UTC)Really, I agree, she should be at least in a special class. I haven't been back to the school yet, but I'm sure I'll find out what they plan to do about her on Friday.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-18 08:28 pm (UTC)I hope you have a good week! You deserve one after all of that.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-04-21 08:56 pm (UTC)So far my week has been ok. Hope yours is good :)