juhuslik: it's Estonian

• Sometimes I have thoughts like "perhaps I should shut down the old blog."  I'm obviously stupidly irregular in posting.  But as soon as I have such thoughts as the one above, I remind myself that my blog is one of my outlets (when I want to give the hubz a break from listening to all the very, very important things I have to say).  I post what I want when I want.  That sounds selfish.  But it's true.  So ...okay is going to stick around.  And I'm okay with that.  Irregularity is a good thing, right? :)
• Many of my students feel the social stigma of receiving SPED services.  My internal reaction to their very real emotions is often, "Why!?  We're here to HELP you, not to embarrass you!  You cray-cray."  However, yesterday I received a dose of my own "you cray-cray" medicine. In one of my CSS classes (essentially it's a general education English class with a handful or so of students with special needs...and I'm in there as a co-teacher), I've been taking about half the class to my room during work time just to calm the chaos that is inevitable during independent work time.  Aside from the students with special needs, I also snagged a few gen ed kiddos to join the partay in the Carlson classroom.  Well, when my co-teacher told the students yesterday that the same students who went with me on Monday would be going with me again, one of the gen ed kids threw a mini hissy-fit.  My read on the situation is that he didn't want to go with me because I'm the SPED teacher...thus not as smart and he would then be labeled as needing extra help.  Internally, I was fuming.  Embarrassed.  Irritated.  Lots of internal choice words.  Not my proudest moment.  Later in the day as I was processing my emotions, I realized that how I felt was probably similar to how my students with special needs must feel at times.  Most of them appreciate the extra help and don't mind working one-on-one with me or being "pulled" from the regular class for support.  But there are still times when receiving extra help is somewhat embarrassing (apparently it's not cool to walk down the hall with Mrs. Carlson...what!?!?).   In an effort to wrap up this very rambling-happy story, let me just say that I love my kiddos with special needs.  LOVE them. Like, I want to adopt all of them and make them cookies every day.  And I'm not even joking.  And I'm thankful for the opportunity I received to feel a bit of what they have felt so many times in their educational journey.  <Stepping off soap-box>
• Tonight I'm making a baked ziti for supper.  And I am pumped. 
• My house is officially decorated for Christmas.  Perhaps I will take some pics this weekend when it's not dark 5 minutes after I get home (cue collective ugh).
• Today I was actually LOOKING for something to do.  Now that is crazy.  The last month has been nuts - writing a bajillion IEPs while trying to stay on top of everything else about drove me bonkers.  A wise SPED teacher said to me at the beginning of the year, "Your schedule as a SPED teacher will ebb and flow."  And boy was she right.  I'm definitely in a calm season right now (*crosses fingers*) and I don't hate it.
• Dansie hubsie and I are just home tonight.  I love nights like this.  
• Have a happy one!