Since I often talk or complain or vent about my school day. I thought I would share some pictures of my some of my great students. That is the best thing I have going this year, they are almost always great cooperative kids! My classroom is considered a Cross Categorical Resource room. I work with students who have been diagnosed with one or more of the disabilities: SLD (Specific Learning Disability), ADHD/ ADD ( Attention Deficit Hyperactivity/ Attention Deficit Disorder), Mild CD (Cognitive Disability formerly referred to as mentally retarded), Sp/L (Speech Language), OHI (other health impaired), and EBD (Emotional Behavior Disability). Three years ago the district hired a full time elementary EBD teacher so that has helped. She has the severe EBD students with her.
Each student has an IEP which is an Individualized Education Program. Depending on their need and area of disability they may receive language arts (reading, written language, spelling) and/ or math instruction as an alternate curriculum in my room. We also provide support for their general education class such as science or social studies. Often we will read tests orally to the students when the tests are measuring their academic knowledge not their ability to read or write. We will also scribe the answers dictated to us by the students. I have one SLD student who is an auditory learner. He is able to get B's on tests when we are able to provide the accommodation of reading his tests/worksheets to him. My CD student is unable to participate in gen. ed academics so she receives her science and social studies in my room also.
The students are in grades 3-6. However, their abilities range from PrePrimer to 3rd grade reading levels. Math levels will also range from primer to 4th grade levels. It isn't often that we are able to take the time for fun days. There is so much to try to teach. Currently there are seven reading levels, five math levels, six spelling levels, and written language is worked in at the spelling levels.
We are working on the State WKCE (Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts) mandatory testing. It is so frustrating for the students. Even though a student may be in 5th grade and their reading level is at 2nd grade they are still required to take the 5th grade test.
This morning we knew we would be having most of the students in our classroom from 8:30 to 9:30. So my educational aide brought in a pumpkin for everyone that her husband had grown. It is great listening to the student talking together, laughing, just being relaxed and not under the pressure of "learning". They don't realize that social skills is part of learning.
I hope this insight shows that "most" of the time I do like my job. When I am able to spend time actually teaching and not attending IEP meetings and completing the mountains of required paperwork. My rewards are not measured with huge gains--but when a student is able to open a book, read to me without errors and they are actually enjoying what they are doing that is my reward.
So when there are times when I am venting or complaining remember I really do like my students and my job. There are just times I become frustrated. That is one reason I learned to quilt and a reason I so very much appreciate my blogging friends.
After looking again at the picture--It has been "Red Ribbon Week" at school. Everyone was to wear red today.
I stopped at our small town hall to vote after school. (It is an old one room school house converted into the town hall. There is no running water and the bathroom is a little building out behind the building). Usually I am somewhere between number 75 and 125 when I vote at 4:00. This year I was number 209. The three election clerks said it has been steady all day and the "rush" had not started yet. 
