Physical Therapy...

Fifth Classroom...

I was in a library at night.

It was just me and thirty-five adults and the occasional handful of kids.

China, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, Haiti, and more…

Different cultures, different educational backgrounds, different English language speaking abilities…

These were my students.

I taught them English, having to provide my students with different activities and materials in order to best work with their level of competence.

I taught them American culture not for the sake of seamless integration into America but so they would better understand the strange customs of their new home.

If they failed to secure a babysitter then I assigned a book report.

Advanced students helped lower students read and write a brief summary.

I supplied children with toys, drawing tools, and entertainment while we waited.

I did this for two years before going to grad school for TESOL…

Distracted...

I have a tight schedule that has grown even tighter…

There is no wiggle room…

So I find it where I can…

Last night I found too much, got too into it, and forgot to post…

Oops.

I hope he’s lying...

I sometimes wonder what parents are thinking when they shroud their children in ignorance…

Are they protecting themselves from having to explain the virus?

Are they bamboozled into thinking that there is no pandemic?

They vaccinate their son against the flu yet he has no idea what ‘corona’ or ‘covid-19’ is…

What does he think of these masks then?  A sudden fashion trend?

At least he wasn’t told it was all an elaborate hoax…

Second Classroom...

My second classroom…

I taught Japanese studies.

I was twelve-years-old.

I had a whole classroom full of peers that hated me.

I was the ‘weird’ kid who was friends with all the teachers.

Many of my peers left my speech on Japan wanting to visit the country.

It was nerve wracking but wonderful.

Third Classroom...

My third classroom…

I taught Shakespeare.

I was fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen-years-old.

My classroom was chaotic and stunk of school lunches.

Once again, the ‘weird’ kid was the center of attention.

Seriously though, how hard is it to read the footnotes?

They hold the keys to the wonders of the world!

Depression...

It’s hard to keep your head above the water when you’re drowning in your own tears...  Take that, former me who wrote horrible Goth poetry! 

Adventures in Spec Ed...

No, they’re my shinies!

Meow, meow nuzzle cat.

Yum tater tots, yum.

Depression Battle...

Depression falling.

After so many weeks of pain…

I feel at peace now.

Life Changing Moments…

In teaching there are sometimes life changing moments…

One such moment for me was when I first got sucked into teaching ESL.

Another such moment was when I sat in on an ESL kindergarten class…

I met my first little autistic student.

He was non-verbal and hated colors and loud noises.

His fixation was a car…but it was also me…oddly enough.

Direct eye contact and then a hug…

His teacher discouraged it…  It was my first day there and she did not know me.

But I did not mind the hug…

From then on, every time he saw me, he’d rush over to hug me or show me something he worked on in class…

This is how I decided that my next Master’s degree will be in Special Education, one sweet boy who changed my life…

Weird Kid...

Strange kid, why like me

I’m a weird, childless spinster

Nobody likes me.