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Kim - Hello!
Lisa - What grade do you guys teach?
Kim - early childhood special ed here
Lisa - Kim, do you work with the kids in the regular classroom or pull out?
Kim - self contained 4-6 yr old mainstream when I can
Kim - how bout you?
Lisa - I have taught first grade and next year I am switching to Kindergarten.
Kim - I started back to work yesterday!
Lisa - School already?! When did you get out?
Kim - May 29 I switched districts and now am on a semi-year round schedule
Kim - Bry you still here?
Lisa - I am jealous. I think that year round would be nice. I love 3 day weekends because they revive me and make me excited again. I don't need 2 months. I would rather have shorter vacations more often.
Kim - I think I will like this schedule! we have 3 weeks in Nov, 2 in Dec. and 3 in March then 6 weeks next summer
Lisa - What kind of literacy program does your school do?
Kim - where are you and when do you start back? i'm in El Paso TX my new school uses Success for All
Lisa - I teach in Maryland. We start the 19th of August and the kids come on the 26th.
Kim - our kids start next Monday....I could do without this whole week of inservice including this Saturday
Lisa - I can't believe that you have inservice on Saturday. The first week back we have a day of inschool meetings and one day of county meetings. Then the rest of the time we work in our rooms. IT is never enough time though. I want to come work in my room ahead of time but the head custodian hates kids and teachers and doesn't want us messing up the school before his inspection.
Kim - from what I hear Success for All works wonders......at this school 95% of 1st graders leave reading at or above grade level
Kim - yes! i went in last week and got my room ready.....it was a mess since I am new there
Lisa - How many kids are in your class?
Kim - I will have about 5-6 kids with varying disabilities
Lisa - Do you have an assistant? Do you think you will get along with him/her?
Kim - yes I got to interview and pick my assistant! my new principal is very cooperative in that area
Kim - I hope we get alone that is 80% of the battle. I was an asst. for 6 yrs before I finished school so I try to treat them good
Lisa - That is awesome that you got to pick.
Kim - do you have an asst. in kinder?
Lisa - I am not sure if I will have my own assistant or share the one that is already in Kindergarten. There is one assistant in our school who I work well with. I am not sure I want anyone else because I don't want to waste time having to discuss everything with someone who might not agree with everything.
Kim - that's true you are lucky to get one at all though...here not even pre-k teachers have assts.
Lisa - Last year the 2 Kindergarten assistants had problems and the whole Kindergarten team turned into a soap opera. I am not interested in getting involved in that. The teacher that I am replacing left because she could not stand the assistant. I am not like that but still it must have been bad.
Lisa - I can't believe Pre-K doesn't have assistants
Kim - wow it must have been bad! i don't like that drama stuff eithersome teachers I was at inservice with today were talking about the principal
Lisa - Can your kids talk? What about walking?
Kim - most of them have very limited speech and I think I will have one wheelchair bound a few aren't potty trained
Lisa - Our county has a special pre-K program which has about 20 "regular" kids and 5 or 6 special ed in the same class. There is a regular teacher, special ed teacher, reg. assistant, and special ed assistant.
Kim - too many adults!
Lisa - I did my student teaching in the class. It was pretty cool how the regular kids interacted with the special ed who ranged from speech to in a wheelchair on an infant level. Some of the sp.ed students went further because of the modeling of the "regular" kids.
Kim - I will mainstream as much as I can even if it's only for a half hour, we also receive special services like reg. ed. music, pe, library, etc
Lisa - It did seem like too many adults at time but then they have a chance to work one on one and in small groups. Plus they get everything done during the day, so low stress.
Kim - I will be the only sped in my school so it shouldn't be too bad, lots of freedom
Lisa - What grades are in your school?
Kim - pre-k, kinder, first it's an early childhood center
Kim - I left my last school because of the other 2 sped teachers talk about drama queens
Lisa - Oh that is nice. That should help make staff inservices more applicable to everyone. WE have pre-k through fifth grade. Sometimes teachers are bored when the topic isn't quite right for them.
Kim - yes I can relate the inservices I have attended these past 2 days really don't apply to me too much
Lisa - Are you at county inservices with all teachers or is it for new teachers?
Kim - my kiddos are pretty low and I will be concentrating on life and social skills
Kim - with all teachers today i was with kinder
Lisa - I don't really know what else to talk about. Do you
Kim - well I am going to go take my pups for a walk...
Kim - lol
Kim - do you ever go in the other chat room
Lisa - See you. Good luck.
Lisa - no
Kim - it's pretty fun in there not too much school discussion but fun people
Kim - thanks for the chat have a great year if I don't see you around
Tiff - I am fine, trying to figure out how this works.
Tiff - This is the first time in a chat.
Tiff - What grade are you teaching this year?
Just Me/Mi - Put your message in the box below. Click on update or "enter" and it appears up here.
Just Me/Mi - Kdg
Just Me/Mi - What grade do you teach?
Tiff - thank you...me too, taught first last year.
Tiff - when does school start for you?
Just Me/Mi - When do you start? I report August 22 for meetings. Kids start on the 26th.
Tiff - WE report back on Aug. 14, kids start on the 19th. will be teaching kindergarten this year.
Just Me/Mi - I went to a teacher supply store today. Spent a lot. Got some neat things. I 'm not ready to go back but it was fun shopping with my friend.
Just Me/Mi - Where are you? I'm in Michigan.
Tiff - I haven't gone to the teacher store, yet..been trying to see what I need before going...boy, can you spend a lot of money. In Kentucky, Louisville.
Just Me/Mi - Hi Morri and ei
Tiff - Any first week ideas for me to use?
Just Me/Mi - I start with learning names, going over rules, taking a tour of the building, introducing centers and routines. Is that what you mean? What area do you want an idea for?
Tiff - Thanks, what type of centers do you have?
jodi - anyone here working on national boards?
Tiff - no, not me.
jodi - i noticed that you were discussing when school starts --- my system starts july 31 for teachers and aug 6 for students
Just Me/Mi - In the beginning just a few simple ones like puzzles, Legos, unifix cubes, drawing paper, books. I rotate groups around the room after about 15 to 20 minutes at a center. After they get the idea of staying with their group at the activity I add more activities. By the end of the year I have a manupulative area, blocks, art, writing, listening center, computer, and several others.
jodi - I teach 6th grade math - any ideas?
Just Me/Mi - Hi jodi - wow, you start early. Where are you? When did you get out for summer?
Tiff - thanks, just trying to figure out what I would need. I need to get some Legos. Do you do the 4 Blocks?
jodi - We were out on May 26th and I teach in North Carolina
Just Me/Mi - Tiff - I'm going to use Building Blocks for the first time this year. I'm still reading the book.
Tiff - We did the 4 blocks last year, just read the book this summer...will have to review before school starts.
Just Me/Mi - We were bombarded with books to read in our "spare time" last year. Silly me, I got into the habbit of sleeping 6 hours a day and didn't get to read my stack of books until this summer!
Tiff - Thanks for talking to me...gotta go and get some sleep. Have a good year..and good luck..there is just not enough time to read everything.
swtredcurlygirl - hello people
Just Me/Mi - Bye Tiff! Have a good year! Hope to talk to you again soon.
Tiff - bye...thanks...
Just Me/Mi - Hi swtredcurlygirl. What's new?
swtredcurlygirl - school starts on Sept 2nd here in wi
Just Me/Mi - Mine starts August 26 in MI
Just Me/Mi - What grade do you teach?
swtredcurlygirl - accually I am in college
swtredcurlygirl - interested in k-12th
swtredcurlygirl - what about yourself?
Just Me/Mi - Which one? My son is studying at Western Michigan U.
swtredcurlygirl - Just me are you still with me?
swtredcurlygirl - ok
swtredcurlygirl - UWRf
swtredcurlygirl - what grade do you teach?
Just Me/Mi - UWRf? Where's that?
swtredcurlygirl - a little town in wi, near Minnesota
Just Me/Mi - I'm in Kindergarten. Anything I can help you with?
swtredcurlygirl - hello
swtredcurlygirl - are you male or female?
Just Me/Mi - Hi, Cavey
Cavey - Hi gals - still an early childhood chat?
Just Me/Mi - Yes
swtredcurlygirl - hello Cavey
Cavey - I'm just checking in for old time's sake - did K, preK for ab
Cavey - Sorry - hit too soon - meant to say about 10 years
Just Me/Mi - And now?
swtredcurlygirl - goodnight all..thanks for the chat just Me?Mi
Cavey - Now Gifted Ed elem mostly 3-5 b
Cavey - Now Gifted Ed elem mostly 3-5 b
Just Me/Mi - Bye, swtred
Cavey - Okay sorry again - but I do have some little guys
Cavey - bye red
swtredcurlygirl - night
Cavey - Did I catch that you do K? Just Me
Just Me/Mi - I'm surrounded by little ones - most of them are not "gifted" but special in their own way.
Cavey - I did at risk pre school for 8 years
Just Me/Mi - Yes I have two groups each day - AM and PM about 20-25 per class.
Cavey - I did that when I taught K - now they do full days
Just Me/Mi - Many of mine are at risk
Cavey - are they identified dev. delayed or other factors-- environmental?
Just Me/Mi - A lot of it is environmental. I had several certified for speech and language development but most of the kids I get just need to be exposed to learning activities.
Cavey - right up my alley - mine were at risk for language delays - how much help do you have in the room
Just Me/Mi - I'm it. Speech is a pull out program twice a week. I lost my parapro when another district building became title 1 and we had to share funds. Now the title 1 teacher comes for 1/2 hour a day but she wasn't used to kdg so last year was hard for her. The plan is the same for this year.
Cavey - Oh my gosh ! Bless your heart! I did 26 K's one year, but I did have an aide You must be good!
Just Me/Mi - Don't know how good - you do what you have to do. Last year was rough. My AM class almost did me in! the PM was much better.
Cavey - At least you had them in the right order LOL
Just Me/Mi - One of the subs that was in when I was sick said, "You go through@#$%to get to heaven in this (my) room!" When I got back from being sick she stopped by to tell me she said prayers for me each night. It made me feel better. At least I knew it was the kids and I wasn't losing it! lol
Cavey - so how long have you been doing this? I was burned out after 8 years of at risk
Paulie - Hi Just Me I made it! Got a ride hoem
Just Me/Mi - Are you familiar with the Animated Literacy Program?
Just Me/Mi - Hey, Paulie! Glad you meeting got over in time.
Cavey - tell me
Paulie - what is animated literacy? Like Zoo Phonics?
Paulie - hi F
Cavey - Hi F
F - hi
F - I've heard of animated literacy. You teach whole body actions for the letters.
Paulie - ohoh
Cavey - Is this an awkward moment?
