well people, it's official: i have my first big girl job.
so, here's the skinny.
school: imagine life science academy west
job: special education assistant (full time)
so yes, i have a job. i'm not a classroom teacher (boohoo) but at this point i was willing to take antying that came my way! so basically i work in the special ed department which consists of 4 people. a k-4 teacher (with an aide) and 5-7 teacher (with an aide = me)!!! my basic duties are visiting each of the students at least once a day to assist with classroom management and keeping them on task ("push in")! we have mostly EH labeled kids which for those who don't know means emotionally handicapped. this is what is so heartbreaking because this kids don't deal with academic issues except as a direct result of behaving badly and having to be pulled out of class :(
sooo i work with the kiddos grades 5-7. let me give you the demographic of this school (80% african american and 20% everything else!!! mostly hispanic). so i must say it's a total culture shock because although i have been around those ethnicities i have never experienced this culture quite this way. it's amazing and i'm totally embracing it but as much of a culture shock that i am to the kiddos they are a culture shock to me! i am trying to learn as much as i can from them right now.
ummm.. day one. i walk in and we head to 'community' which for most IUPUI students means sitting in a circle with your class talking about ways to improve the classroom community. oh no. this is the ENTIRE student body and it's kinda like a rap concert. it's...um..ABSOLUTE PANDAMONIUM. i was SOOO nervous just standing there looking around at the whole school in complete chaos. anyway. then i find out it's picture day (THANKS GUYS!) and so we get pictures taken (let me tell you that my first yearbook photo as a teacher is going to look TERRIBLE). then i met my kiddos and took a tour of the school. they are remodeling sooooo it's loud and a mess!!
oh, i forgot to say. EVERY ONE of my students is taller than me. and ILSAW has only been open for 2 years. so everything is kinda.....trial and error :)
i must say though, i totally love my job and the ladies i work with. and i am completely falling for all of the kids im working with and i can't wait to help make a change in their lives. im just praying for the Lord to break these little children's hearts and to give me the wisdom to understand what it is they need.
day 2. i'd like to call today FIGHT DAY. tons of kids suspsended. i mean, what more can i say. it was one of those days where you feel like you got nothing accomplished. i was helping fight fires and difusing arguments (of course alongside my coworkers -- and praise the lord for her!) so that's basically what i can say about today.
soooo if i don't die from this experience i have to say that i think this will only make me a better teacher in the long run. at the very least i will have had serious experience with urban education and behavior management!!!
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