THE FIRST WEEK AND FUTURE GOALS

Well it has been just over a week since I started this blog and I am extremely happy with it’s progress in that short time.  Of all the blogs that I have started (05), it has had the most hits in the first week.

That big spike was due mostly to Jen Laviano’s gracious Tweet of my Special Educator = Paralegal post.

I still plan on this blog being review of how I am adjusting back into the world of Special Education, things that I am finding difficult or just plain stupid.  It is my chance to reflect on things that I am learning, using in the classroom (what worked and what bombed horribly), as I am growing my PLN and how the students/other educators are reacting to who I am.

I am looking forward to this week, I need the down time – badly and it starts after rating the district-wide writing prompt tomorrow.  I had a total of 8 vacation days and 3 furlough days off (besides normal weekends, holidays and sick days) in the last 16 months.  So I will have a chance to unwind a bit and prepare for what I hope to accomplish through the December break.

1. I have to get my Special Education files up to my standards
2. Finish all but the Speech and Language goals for 2 IEPs.
3. Read Janet Allen’s “Yellow Brick Roads”
4. Read Janet Allen’s “Plugged into Reading”
5. Prepare 2-3 units to get through December break, while including the Plugged into Reading Strategies.
6. Figure out a way to bring around a student who “hates” me and my class…right now we are at lose-lose and it is up to me to get to win-win.  Things will work out.
7. Plus read all the stuff in my PLN.

You see sort of a trend here – I have to get better at teaching literacy and we use Janet Allen’s program in our curriculum, from what I have read so far, it will definitely help me be a better Literacy teacher and the bottom line – it should help my students read better.  While at the same time improving my Special Education skills.

You don’t realize how much knowledge you loose, if you don’t use it.  I am feeling more and more comfortable back in the classroom though and the behaviors are at least manageable on most days.

It is good to be back

It’s about the kids, not you or me.