Wow! It’s been a roller coaster this school year. I’ve started a new position and had 3 days of teacher training about the district. Then once teachers had to be in school there were 5 days of additional teacher training. We received a day of time to work in our classrooms. In 29 years, I have never gone in on a Saturday. I cannot say that ever again. As a teacher of special education, I have a lot more to plan and get ready than general education teachers. I’m expected to do what they do and so much more.
I strive to get to know your child in the first week. There is so much to learn. I rely on parents a lot to fill me in on their child. Their favorite color and animal, food and play item. Are they allergic to anything? I create a poster to hang on my door. What makes your child happy or sad. Why does your child bite or scratch or pinch? What are they trying to say? Who is picking ng your child up or are they riding the bus? Is your child toilet trained or are we adding it to their daily routine? I learn if your child is verbal or non-verbal. Do they need help completing simple tasks or are they more independent?
Well, it’s been 7 days now and wow!!!! My new class is awesome. These children are beautiful, smart and so much fun to be around. Their parents are extremely generous and have filled my room with enough tissues, notebooks, pencils, paper towels, pull ups, markers etc. etc. for so many months. I am extremely grateful for their generosity.
Now the learning will start to begin. Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies, Social Skills and becoming more INDEPENDENT will be the goals this year for the grade the child is in. Learning SOCIAL SKILLS AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS will be the goals this year for the child so they can go to parks and stores and restaurants and become comfortable in doing so with their parents.
I want my parents to know that I am giving them all the credit for raising the beautiful humans they are sending to me each and every day. Teachers only have their child for 7 hours a day. I have a lot to learn, and I am depending on all of them to educate me about their child. In turn I will educate them about what I know and have learned being a special education teacher for a very long time.
Finally, safety above everything else will be the overall umbrella when your child arrives on campus. Here’s to the 2023-2024 school year!!!