Special Education Today

Yesterday after I picked Phillise & my niece, Melodee, up from school, I decided to stop by Michael’s. We hadn’t been there all summer, so I figured it was high time we did. Initially, I thought about buying some stickers, but thought about the 1,000 we already had at home. (Translation: I was being a big fat cheapskate). However, Phillise didn’t have that problems. She had $2 to spend and by golly she was gonna’ spend it. She picked up a pack of stickers that we thought were $2.99. She told me that she’d find her extra dollar in her drawer and pay me when we got home. So, I told her okay. The problem began when the stickers rang up for $4.99 instead of $2.99.

“Uh-oh, honey,” I said. “Those stickers are waaaaaay too much.

After I asked the cashier to remove them, I told her that she would just have to use what we had @ home. She really tried to get me with her big puppy dog eyes, but I stayed strong. As I was driving home, trying not to look @ the tears welling up in Phillise’s eyes, I thought about how privileged Phillise is. When I was younger, I yearned for stickers and scissors that cut wavy lines. I didn’t have the privilege of having 3 die-cutting machines, 2 binding machines, a laminating machine, and a whole host of brightly colored markers, crayons, and pretty paper. So, I thought to myself that she could make do with all of the stuff we have at home. No need for $5 stickers. She can use what we already have.

Until next time, dear readers!

I called Phillise to ask her for a hug, and got a wet one ’cause the sleeves on her robe was wet.

“Honey, why are you wet? What are you doing?,” I asked her.

“Oh, I was just helping David wash the dishes,” she said.

So, I look in the kitchen after she walked away from me and sure enough, I see her in the kitchen helping David wash and dry the dishes. It was the cutest thing, let me tell you. They had been fussing @ each other so much lately, I didn’t expect this. Boy, that was a precious moment spent just looking @ those two.

I just had an interesting discussion with David regarding his homework. For his Social Studies class, he had to dissect a Bertolt Brecht poem. It was very enlightening. Let me just say that I am very pleased with the curriculum @ his school. To be discussing Bertolt Brecht, his philosophy, inferencing, & poetry; namely his poem, “A Poem from a Worker Who Reads.” Discussing this with my 7th grade makes for an amazing conversation. It helps him with his higher level thinking. I’m also looking forward to discussing Dakota’s college reading homework with him. Isn’t being a parent great?

Well, guess! I am so smart that I didn’t know that David started school on Monday. Yes, people, today is Wednesday. The year just started and already, he’s missed 3 days of school. I could just scream.

Well, guess! I am so smart that I didn’t know that David started school on Monday. Yes, people, today is Wednesday. The year just started and already, he’s missed 3 days of school. I could just scream.

Okay, all you shoppers out there. Boy, do I have an assignment for you: School Shopping on a budget. Should you choose to accept this assignment, you may encounter a store full of shoppers, some rude, some not. You may also stop and park @ several locations looking for the perfect deal. Well, lucky for you I know where to shop for uniforms, so look no further. I’ve found the perfect place; at least it’s the perfect place to get school uniforms at unheard of prices.

Listen up. Here’s how the mission began and ended in one place. During the summer I received a notice from Phillise’s school stating that uniforms are now mandatory. The only requirement, a navy blue or white shirt with any color bottom. Yeah! That means waaaaay less money I have to spend.

Since I knew I had a nearly impossible mission (less than $200 for 2 children) and funds are low, I decided to run to FALLAS PAREDES’ warehouse. I knew I’d find great deals there. I always do.

Was I right fellow shoppers? Yep, I sure was. I got the same deal as last year: a grey jumper & a burgundy jumper for $1 each. Yep, you read right- $1 for the jumpers. So, I got her 2 grey ones, 1 burgundy one, a navy blue skort (@ $6.99), and 3 white uniform shirts @ $1.99 each, for a grand total (after taxes) of $17.52.

@ Target, I bought 20 pairs of underwear, 6 camis & 20 pairs of socks for a grand total of $26.32. @ Old Navy, 2 weeks ago, I bought some white sneakers with black polka dots for $10.97.

So, for Phillise’s sneakers, uniforms, underwear & socks, I paid a grand total of:

$17.52 + $10.97 + $26.32= $54.81

Having only 2 children to buy school clothes is so much easier since they both wear uniforms. David even has some from last school year. I will recycle @ least 2 shirts and 1 pair of pants. So, fellow shoppers, did I accomplish my impossible assignment of school shopping for 2 children for $200 or less? Well, that remains to be seen since I still have to buy David’s shoes, uniform pants, and shirts. However, last year, I simply went to Big 5 for the shoes. Looks like I’ll be going there again this year. I will keep you posted.

If you’d like to visit the warehouse, here’s the information.

FALLAS PAREDES Warehouse

15001 S. Figueroa St.

Gardena, CA 92048

(310)965-0379

www.fallasparedes.com

Don’t believe it, check it out for yourself.

P.S.- I am seriously going to take pics of Phillise in her uniforms and I will scan my receipt from Fallas Paredes.

I just had an interesting discussion with Phillise. As I was writing a book review that E.B. Lewis illustrated, Phillise noticed his name and said,

“Hey, that’s the same person who illustrated I Love My Hair.”

“You are absolutely right,” I said. I missed it. Good job of catching that. Give me a high five. I was so proud of my little girl. Only seven years old and she recognizes illustrators and authors. I’m proud of myself for training her well. I can remember explaining the difference between authors and illustrators when she was four years old. She wondered why I had more than one book by the author. At this point I discussed authors and illustrators with her, we researched their background and how they came to be in their present career. I told her that once I liked an author’s style, that I wanted to read more of their works and find out more about them. She found this information interesting. So, now when she finds a book she likes, she wants to know more about them.

But, that’s not what we had the discussion about. We discussed how she thought Judith Viorst’s book “MY MAMA SAYS THERE AREN’T ANY ZOMBIES, GHOSTS, VAMPIRES, CREATURES, DEMONS, MONSTERS, FIENDS, GOBLINS, OR THINGS,” would be better titled “Sometimes, even mamas make mistake”. So, not being one to pass up a teachable moment, I had her re-read the book to me, then we looked at what was going on in the story, how many times monsters were mentioned and how many times his mama made a mistake. I then asked her why she thought that. She actually gave me a pretty good reason. As it turned out, the mother making mistakes and monsters being mentioned was actually pretty even. There were as many instances of monsters as the mother making a mistake. However, I asked her which one did she think was a catchier title; which one would sell more. We agreed it was the current one and ended the discussion. It was a pretty good discussion to have with her. Afterwards, she went in her room to make a book of her own. She asked me to help her bind it. I love my beautiful, smart & creative little girl. I hope to have many more conversations like this with her.

My little boy, David, frets so much. I just received his CST scores and he performed exceedingly well. He was 8 points away from Advanced in Language Arts, and 11 points away from Advanced in Math. Yet, he was still upset.

“I didn’t get Advanced, mom?” he asked with a whimper.

David, forget about it. You worry too much. You did a great job. Sometimes you just get tired of taking the test and mark anything. You’ll get Advanced next year. Just chill out.

I’d like to wish my middle son, Dakota, a very Happy 18th Birthday!

I said it before and I’ll say it again, “My, where did the time go?”

Happy July- my birthday month. The 27th to be exact. I will be 39!. I cannot believe it. I still feel like a teenager. How can I possibly almost be 40??? Also, how can I have two men-children that are graduated from high school? Two done, two to go. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, “My how time flies!”

I love my students. For some of them, I am the only love they know. I feel so bad for one of my students who I call Pink Socks. I didn’t see her this morning until after nine. The trouble started when her mom came up to the school because she called her crying. I was going to go down to the office to talk to her, but she (the mom) came up to the classroom. I had a sub helping out for the day so I was able to spare the time. I’m kinda’ mad that I did. She had nothing nice to say. About her own child.

I found out my student was crying because her mom called her stupid and kept comparing her to another child who was getting straight “A’s”. I tried to tell her that she can’t compare children. Ever!!! She wasn’t listening. She just kept telling me that she didn’t want her daughter in my class because there were sick children in my class.

“Well, what do you mean by sick,” I asked.

She wouldn’t say. (The coward).

“Oh, the children don’t look like my daughter,” she said.

Again I asked her what she meant. Again, she cowardly would not say. Unfortunately I knew what she meant. She meant my student who has MR, and the other black students. I was so proud of myself that I was able to keep my cool. I don’t know how, but I was able to.

I am so sad that my student has to grow up like this. This is the reason she has no self-esteem. She is so talented, but she refuses to believe compliments. Anytime I tell her that she can sing, or dance, or draw, she says that she can’t and that she’s ugly.

I am so mad at her mom. How could you do that to your own child? That’s why her daughter has been acting up. She already didn’t want to be in special ed. Now, with the input from her mother, this situation is next to impossible. How are children expected to thrive in situations like that?

What am I going to do?

I feel so bad. I yelled at Phillise today. She was crying so much I just wanted her to stop crying. I have three boys. I am not used to all that crying. I felt so helpless. She saw a bug in her room and started panicking. OOOOOOh, it drove me so crazy. I totally did not handle it the right way.

What is pink hand? That is what my little girl, Phillise, asked me a couple of minutes ago.

That is such a funny question. The funny part is that I knew exactly why she was asking me that question. My little boy, David, is such a germaphobe that he will not use my older son’s bathroom. He is constantly up in arms about some kind of germ.

In this case his apprehensions were well founded. Phillise has pink eye. She slept in his bed last night and he is terrified. My husband made the mistake of telling him that pink eye is highly contagious. So, of course he (rightfully so) thinks that Phillise is so diseased.

I hope he feels better after she comes from the doctor tomorrow!