Spring Fever

It's starting to get nice out here. Minus the wind. I've gotten a couple minor sunburns already from watching a baseball game and going rock climbing. Spring is here. Thank God. - - While I was riding my bike with Lola today, I realized that I hadn't updated my blog in a while. So here I am. Informing you of my whereabouts. - - Things are dramatically on the rise with my primary student. As a TFA teacher I feel like I should emphatically inform you that it's due to my improved classroom management, or due to my lesson planning skills...but I'm pretty sure it has very little to do with me. I am not the "miraculous fix" to this child's life. I think it has a lot more to do with the fact that I strongly encouraged the district to contract a male counselor, fluent in sign language, to work with him. And mostly due to the big brotherly relationship developing between him and the awesome Deaf AmeriCorps volunteer that comes to school once a week. I'm particularly excited because I feel like I am watching my student finally have the opportunity to go through normal stages of early childhood development. He makes funny jokes now (rather than ones about killing me). He is excited to see me (rather than going directly to the corner of the room to pout). He admits that he plays "Kung Fu" outside by himself (even though his dad tends to discourage child-like behavior). He even has started to say "I like to read." That's right TFA...it only took me 8 months to get my only student invested in what he needs to learn. - - In New Mexico, there is a big standardized test known as the NMSBA. Many grade levels take it in elementary and middle school, but only the 11th graders take it in high school... and if they pass, they get a real diploma. If they don't pass, they can take it again, or accept a certificate of completion for their four years of high school. It's the epitomy of high stakes testing. It's also what determines each school's AYP numbers and therefore, each school governmental funding. For the last several days, I have been administering this test to my other deaf student. Being stuck in one room with a standardized test every morning and watching her struggle, has significantly added to my restlessness and desire to get outside...or just get somewhere else. My other student will take it next year. I have no idea how to get him to learn all of that material in one academic year from where he is at now. - - For about five weeks now, I have been teaching after-school ASL classes. Students and teachers, and teachers' kids all come on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to learn sign language. I've had a pretty good turnout. About 20 people come every week. And about 20 more are interested but have not been able to consistently attend. This tends to be a significant perk in my weekly schedule. These pupil quickly do what I ask, were invested when they arrived, and are fascinated by what I have to say. They even laugh at my sarcastic sense of humor. And they're learning pretty quickly. Today, I pulled two of the boys aside and challenged them to really practice their sign language (and social leadership) skills. I told them that my student tends to be shy, but really could use some other boys to hang out with... and so I proposed that they start inviting him to lunch every day until he agrees. If he says no, they will just eat with us in room 108 to help him get comfortable with the idea of hanging out with them. :) Cross your fingers for me...we could really benefit from reducing my role as "friend" by replacing it with a more consistent role of teacher.