Monday, November 7, 2011

DOORMAT Duties Can Be OK

So, it's Monday. Most of you know that means one thing for sure: DOORMAT Duties! And a thing that goes along with this weekly occurrence is trying to get victory over my arch nemesis, DISORGANIZED DITTO-oh-oh-oh-oh! So here's how it went down today.

Instead of being asked to help DISORGANIZED DITTO-oh-oh-oh-oh with her crazy copying methods (she beat me in there today), I was asked to make other copies. Good! However, I had to set her straight on how many of HER copies I actually needed since we were always coming up short. So I made sure mine would be COVERED! Funny: only one pile of copies was set up in the way I showed her. And she was still using the machinery wrong. But I dealt with it as I was slightly defeated this week - but still got a bit of victory at the same time.

I will let you in on what I mostly do with my DOORMAT duties when I go in on Mondays. I try to help 1st graders become better readers. That's right - a bring 22 kids out of the classroom, one at a time, to check their reading fluency & record it. DISORGANIZED DITTO-oh-oh-oh-oh relies on stickers to give the kids - sadly I think it's because she has a scary & in-your-face personality. I just get the kids excited about it. And the kids love to show me how well they can read this week!

Now besides DISORGANIZED DITTO-oh-oh-oh-oh, there's also an experienced grandmother who comes to help out, too. I get the feeling that Granny is also tired of DISORGANIZED DITTO-oh-oh-oh-oh & her antics. But I noticed that the school has a few park-type benches in the hallways, but DISORGANIZED DITTO-oh-oh-oh-oh & Granny already had the 2 benches in our hallway. So I just camped out & set up my station on the floor outside Bossyhead's classroom. Well - I got an accommodations upgrade today! Was it a park-type bench? Nope! I am now getting to use a makeshift classroom down the hallway! OK, stick with me on this one - it's in a glorified janitor's closet. Really - but they set up an area for a tutoring or help area. There's a nice u-shaped table & chairs - and they are nice! They sit upon a really cute little school rug. And it was offered to ME! Bwah-hahahaha!!

The kids seemed to do much better over all, too. And It's my place for a couple of hours! And those kids are funny! I wished it was a room that had one of those 'Kids Say the Darndest Things' kind of camera. I was asking them about their Halloween & if they ate all their candy. They were cracking me up! It was actually a bit of a bright spot.

And now an inspirational moment: There is a kindergardener at Bossyhead's school who has Down's Syndrome & needs a lot of help. But she is so sweet & so adorable. She loves seeing me on Mondays & saying hi. I always have something in my hair - generally a flower of sorts. She always loves my flowers & has to point them out. I got to see her twice today & she couldn't wait to say hi to me both times. It warms my heart. So I want to make it known that I love people with Down's Syndrome. They have an innocence on life & know nothing but love. All that I have met & known have been so full of life & love. If I EVER hear of someone making fun of one or any of them - I will go white-girl crazy on you & may punch someone in the face. That is your warning. We all can learn from these people with a condition they cannot help. We all need their beautiful spirits.

That was my day! The best DOORMAT duty day so far! It makes me OK with dealing with the craziness of DISORGANIZED DITTO-oh-oh-oh-oh!
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3 comments:

  1. I used to listen to the kids read in my youngest's classroom and helped wherever needed with my oldest son and daughter. I loved it!! I have a niece with Down's and used to babysit for my neighbour's foster kids, who all had Down's... such sweethearts. One of my son's has Asperger's and is also full of love. Like you, I would defend the handicapped to the end.

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  2. Congratulations on the up-grade! My sister-from-anotha-mister has a nephew who has hearing disabilities and is also on the Aspie spectrum. He amazes me every time I see him. I can't stop smiling when I'm around him because of all the sweetness.

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  3. I used to teach special needs preschoolers. There is definitely something special about them if you are open-minded enough to see it. I have just recently found your blog and I think it is great. In fact, I just gave it an award! Check out my blog at www.thegoldenspoons.blogspot.com to read all about it!

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