Saturday, September 13, 2008

Up Early

So, I was awake fairly early today-- for a Saturday, anyway. My inner alarm clock must have started working, as I have been waking up at 6am every morning since school started to get the boys out the door in time. My alarm was shut off last night--but my body still woke up at 6am on the dot.

I figured I'd update you on what is going on with my job placement this year. It has actually been a very weird beginning for the elementary school where I work. Let's just day there has been more drama than necessary, with many women (teachers and aides complaining about how the placements were made.... ). This is the first year this has happened. It is also an unusual year for the amount of people needing to be hired, or placed within the school. There are 5 student teachers, 8 high school helpers and TEN enrollment aides! It is a busy place, let me tell you. I am not going to go into all the details--I am actually tired of talking about it. (It has been the main topic of conversation for me in the last week, as far as work goes.) So, I will just tell you the main events that involved me.

I originally was placed in 2 first grade classrooms with two great teachers. I was happy with this placement--but disappointed with the hours I was given. Normally, an aide is given an equal amount of hours or increased hours than she held the year before. I worked 5 hours last year--which was perfect. I worked 2 1/2 hours, ate lunch, changed classrooms, and then worked my final 2 1/2 hours. Unfortunately, when I excepted the long term sub position last year, I forfeited my hours as an aide, and so I was kind of starting over as far as hours were concerned. (Silly rule, if you ask me....) Anyway, 4 hours was the best my principal said he could do.) So, this week I worked in the first grade and became more relaxed about it....because the company was good. My principal was aware that I really did desire more hours though, (believe it or not just one more hour a day, really does make a difference on my paycheck) and by Thursday I was called into his office. He told me that just that morning he got the go ahead from HR to hire a "program assistant" for LDR. He offered that position to me, and said he felt I was more than qualified. It would be more instructional in nature, and would ultimately add one more hour to my day. (Back to 5 hours--the schedule I like!) As far as I know, the pay will be the same an hour....but the experience would be extremely valuable to me.

I thought that right about now, a description of what "LDR" stands for and what that job entails would be good. Here is something I found on the internet:

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LDR: Learning Disabilities Resource

(written by Mrs. Brenda Walton)

LDR teachers provide specialized instruction to students who have been found eligible to receive special education services in the areas of reading, spelling, writing, math, and academic skills. Most of the students who receive LD Resource services have learning disabilities; however, some students who receive services have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Emotional Disturbance (ED), Developmental Delays (DD), and Other Health Impairments (OHI). The LDR teachers serve children in all of the elementary grades at the elementary school. LD Resource instruction complements instruction delivered in the general education classroom. The students are taught in small groups or are given one-to-one individualized instruction.

The LD Resource teachers provide services to students other than instructional services. Some students receive services on a consultative basis. The LD Resource teachers provide services for these students by consulting with the general education teachers, the students, and the parents. LD Resource teachers also evaluate students who have been referred to them due to learning or behavioral difficulties in the general classroom. They participate in eligibility meetings and develop Individualized Educational Plans as well. Serving students at an elementary school is a collaborative effort of the team of professionals, parents, and the students; the LD Resource teachers are part of the team designed to maximize the achievement of the students found eligible for special education services.

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While I feel slightly under-qualified for this position (my degree is in Elementary Education which included some Special Education classes, but I did not receive my degree in Special Education, nor did I choose to minor in it.) Now, I wish I did!

The good news is that I will be an assistant--I will have two wonderful highly qualified Special Ed. teachers guiding me, and helping me along. I am excited about this new position, and the opportunities for learning it will surely bring me. I am not totally sure what it will look like exactly, until I start doing it, but I think I will like it. This 3 hour. position will be combined with a 2 hour enrollment aide job (In the first grade still, but with a different teacher than I was with this whole week)--and I think it will be a nice combination for me. As my principal said to me...."God works in mysterious ways". It is true, if I got the hours I had originally wanted to begin with, I wouldn't have inquired about additional hours, and might have not been considered for this new job at all, and a entirely new person would have been hired for it.

Well--the house is beginning to wake up now...so I am going to watch the news with the sound turned up, and see the hurricane damage in TX...and also listen more closely to the flash flood warnings given to our neck of the woods. The rain has been incredible around here....non-stop since yesterday early afternoon.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Should I?

I need opinions....

What do you think of these chairs, if the seat covers were recovered in a great looking fabric??


the chairs are $25 each, and the money goes to Habitat for Humanity. I could even spray paint the wood part black.....

I wasn't sure where I'd put one, (or two).....but I liked the lines.

I thought about placing one in each corner of my living room near the archway to my dining room, to be used for extra seating for company......but I don't know......(I suppose they could even be used as extra chairs at the dining room table if need be, rather than pulling the ugly kitchen chairs in......)

what do you think? they are sturdy, and would be easy to recover--I checked that out already. :0)

OR- are they ugly?

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Good Bye Dog Days of Summer!









Photos courtesy of The Weather Channel.