My little problem

This job is really emotionally draining, half of this is my fault because I get so attached. I get so emotional when other teachers or employees make assumptions about my students that are very wrong because they do not know the student. One student in particular I have had for well over 2 months and he is a big joker/story teller. The other day I was reading in some paperwork that someone said he thought people were following him, that makes me laugh. It makes me laugh because that is something he would say just to get a rise out of you, make you think he is crazy but he is not. He just wants someone to pay attention to him. Another student who I had for a while, but got moved in the facility because I didn't have enough space in my area is now in a place where he gets absolutely no help. He needs someone with him almost all the time just to remind him to get back on task and be there to listen. He is another student that just need some attention.

I am just so frustrated with some things. I do not like that others do not take their job seriously, doing as little as possible just to get by, choosing to work where I work just so they do not have to do that much extra work. It makes me so nuts! There are a million of other people that would work their tale off to have a job like that but bad eggs are in their place.

They are only kids...hmm...

I kind of had a reality check with a detainee today. He was put into my typing class so I could "baby sit" him while the pod officier did God knows what (probably talked on the phone knowing her). So I put him on the computer and told him he could do a typing lesson or play typing games instead of sitting twiddling his thumbs. I was going on with the rest of class and sat down in my usual spot where I could watch the kids type and make sure that they are not in he wrong program or if they need assistance. When I looked at this new boy's hands I saw that he had a gang name written across his fingers and on his screen was a penguin typing game. It was just so funny to me to see this kid with a gang name like that on his hand that probably beat the living tar out of someone and had the same done to him playing a game like that. It was really a reminder that these kids don't know what they have gotten themselves into. It made me kind of sad, man I couldn't do this job my whole life!

A green polka dot lesson...

Today was one that tops my most embarrassing moments ever! To say the least, gave my students a little show with my keyboarding lesson (and not on purpose)! Well, most of the day went really well, gave a few one, had a few behaviors, nothing out of the ordinary. I was actually really pleased with the day and how quickly it went by today. I learned today that I will have to be teaching my keyboarding program again this month but to my staff secure students this time. So I was all ready to go, had some spare time today, just floating through the day. Keyboarding was wrapping up and the students were playing games on the computer, then I decided to get a tissue since my nose was running a little. I turned around to giggles of two of my fellow teachers that were working on a project in the room together (since I only had 4 students). The one male teacher asked me to come over to him as he was dying laughing and he stuttered and said behind his laughter "I like your green polka dot panties." A flash a red probably shot through my body as a reached my hand around and felt that my zipper on my pants had broken exposing almost my entire butt crack (which was covered by underpants). I just couldn't stop laughing. At the end of class one of the girls asked what I was laughing about, and then said she saw it. I asked her why she didn't say anything and she told me she didn't think it was that funny and didn't know what to say. Another one of the students said she saw it too but also didn't know what to say. I told them next time they need to say something (thank God only half the class which was only 2 saw that). The one girl said she didn't see it in class and thinks that it happened while we were in typing. Oh man! I feel like such a stupid head! I guess I did kind of get to create a rapport with the two girls that saw it. I guess showing my butt might be worth getting on the comfortable side of those two girls.

It's clicking but not running...

Well, after a somewhat challenging day at work I was welcomed to the surprise of my car not starting. The radio turned on the auto locks worked, but boy it was not running! It was clicking but not wanting to even start. Oh well, I did get some really great time with a couple other teachers over coffee.

Today, was well, a challenge. Not just with the students but with my corrections officer. Whenever she is in my room behaviors shoot through the roof and little home work gets done. Today was no different! The worst was when I came back, after having to cover someone else's classroom on the other side of the building (about 7 security doors away) she got kind of saucy with me. When she is in the room I would rather just have no one, because it is about the same but she reels the students up. Thus, she made my day more of a hell but not being there to be supportive and not helping one bit. It isn't cool when I need my computer and she is sitting in front of it reading a magazine. Then when I tell her I need to find something for someone she acts all offended and then doesn't monitor the students. She is rude to students who act differently because of a disability and just puffs up and gets mad about it. Grr...I should say she clicks but doesn't help the classroom run.

Cycles...

It is really weird how much the kids cycle through JSC. I have three of my students back who were here before, and I am sure I will get others back too. I was talking to one of the other teachers about one of my students in my keyboarding class who went DOC (department of corrections) until he is 21 and he is 15. He said that he was crying when he was sitting there. I told the teacher that I felt bad for him, felt somewhat sorry for him, and the other teacher said he didn't. I do not understand why you wouldn't feel sorry for a kid like that. He screwed up, and it is sad that he has to live with that or even be put in a position where he could screw up his life so much. That is a long time to pay for something that you probably didn't understand the seriousness or the scope of. I know some people think that if you are old enough to do the crime you should do that time. Speaking from experience (not being a juvenile but with other things) you can really make bad choices that ruin other's lives and sometimes end them at that age and not understand it until you're older. I suppose it is a good way to "escape" reality by being put into "jail" and they are able to get a fresh start (hopefully). I just wish that there was something I could do more to help "save" those kids. It hurts my heart to know that they may become hard and live without love like that. I know I cannot save them all, but I wish that there was more that I could do for them.

And then there were three...

I had one of the most boring days ever at work! Well at this job anyway, my old job working in a factory was much worse! I only have six students right now and in the afternoon I have only three. They all pretty much take care of themselves. No one is needy; they just work work work. Man it sucks! I miss my kids that needed me! I hope this doesn't last too long, not enough action! To top it off my "program" that I teach is keyboarding, boring! All I do is sit there and Mavis Beacon does the rest. It is actually a joke! It is so stupid! They really could run that one with a pod officer! I do not know why I couldn't teach a reading strategies class or something. Something fun and exciting! Who knows I am just wasted talent!

Everyone has FASD!

Last Friday we (a bunch of people from the Juvenile Services both correction staff and teachers) went to a seminar on FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) which was really interesting and informative. Today during one of our meetings, well it was suppose to be a meeting that never happened because my boss who thinks she is Mrs. on the ball wasn't there, the teacher I have the biggest problem with was telling everyone who is classic FASD. I am thinking, just last week at this time you didn't even know what FASD was now you are telling us who is a prime or classic case of it. What a moron! The only person who can even diagnose it is a doctor, and that isn't at all what she is, she isn't even that good of a teacher. Some people make me so sick! Even last Friday there was a group talking about who they think has it and one person said they probably all have it. They make me sick! YUCK! PUKE! Another one of the teachers said that the same thing happened when they went to a conference on ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder). People are so stupid. Get the latest information in your head and everyone has it.