So Mrs. SgtRedline started teaching this summer in East Baton Rouge school district. For those outside of the area.. its the one that when she tells someone she's started teaching, they say "oh wow. nice" and then she says its East Baton Rouge, they go "ooooh" Seriously.. every single time. Especially other teachers. Anyhow, its part of a program she got into to get her teaching certification in Louisiana, because you know, someone with a MS in Elementary Education in NY really needs the extra help. That however is a story unto itself.
The program is basically taking the teaching tests (again) and 7 or 8 weeks of observed teaching. Yeah. Student teaching basically (again). Apparently they don't trust the candidates too much because they have them all teaching summer school. Even stranger, my wife is pre-K through second grade. At first I couldn't even imagine what she could be in for having students not capable of passing the course materials at that level, however; she received her assigned school for the program and it was a pre-K only school. Essentially, state funded day care that was for, until somewhat recently, only available to people who were below the poverty line for LA. Again, another blog post itself on how stupid it is that you can't send your child to a public pre-K unless your really poor.
Anyhow, now I'm thinking she's got it made. A few lesson plans in proper slip-N-slide technique. Maybe some playground ettiquette....
I would be (of course) completely wrong.
The class she receives has 4 severely autistic children. The highest functioning one would be the child with Asperger's. He proclaims throughout the morning: "OK. Mrs. SgtRedline. You can take your break now". I guess it was good that my wife's undergrad was in psychology and she specialized in "special ed." while in school so she's at least familiar with the disorder. Oddly (and disturbingly) enough, no one in the program has even talked to her about how to work with these children or what to be concerned with.
It should definitely be a challenge for her to come up with lesson plans that will engage and teach her students. Hell, I can't even figure out to keep my 4 "normal" children interested in something let alone handle someone with Autism.
As a complete aside, part of the yearly training all teachers have to receive is how to administer things like adrenaline shots and seizure medice. OK. A shot of adrenaline into the heart I know. Pretty much every Marine was taught that, but what think tank came up with a rectally administered seizure medicine? Seriously. I mean, you have to get the student flipped over, spread their butt cheeks and stick it up their butt and release it. Did someone forget the symptom of a a seizure? I'm speaking of the wild shaking and convulsing part. Yeah. I'll take a 6" needle to the heart over someone trying to shove something up my arse any day let alone while I'm flailing about.
Chalk it up as another reason I wouldn't make a good teacher I guess.
