Thursday is my dialog day. Its a chance to do some role playing and to work on real life scripts. Some students of mine like to be "funny" on this day and say some pretty cazy things in the situation. Thats okay because they often come back with the serious dialog after.
This was particularly interesting this week. My class was intercepted by a favor that I did for the sectretary of the school. One of the substitute teachers for the afternoon resource math class decided not to come. The secretary needed a place with a credentialed teacher to house the three students that were left. They had a para helper but of course that is not good enough. She asked me if I could take them into my class. Sure I said. They came with their math work. It was hard for them to concentrate on their math class as we were going into the scripts.... sooo I decided to included them in. They joined in with the scripts and had a great time.
One female student specifically wanted one of the scripts that had the mother talking in the problem.
That got me thinking...
Maybe I need a whole batch of "Mother" scripts for the students to try out.
On my walk today I got to thinking about it and came up with three categories:
Momma says.. in the present tense.. Momma will actually be a character in these scripts.
Momma said, Moma will be a source of guidence in these scripts
And then Momma said, will repesent a reporting of what momma actually said in a remembered situation.
Draw the card do the dialog.. it should be fun to work on this project>
Anyone out there in bogland have a scenario that would fit any of these situations>
Post a response and I will add it to the frey.
Thanks
Pat
Friday, October 23, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Therapy is Therapy
When I do small group therapy, the first thing that I do is allow them to talk with me. I had a student talk to me about finding her birth mother and then the birthmother rejected meeting her today. She is Autistic.. wanted to know whether the Autism was caused by her birth mother dropping her on her head.. well no... So I had to pull out the psych tools. Look ahead not back.. You love your adapted mother and your birth mother probably didn't deserve you. That changed the picture and the tears dried up. I could have consumed the whole period. One of the other girls who "hates her" picked up a tissue and handed it to her.
That is the stuff that keeps you in this business.
A couple of boys are stinking up the place pretty bad. They became the "winners" of Mr. Brown's wierd contest. Each of four winners received a box of Irish Spring soap. What a prize.
Sometimes its just the little things. Every try to buy soap with food stamps.. it doesn't happen.
: ) Pat
That is the stuff that keeps you in this business.
A couple of boys are stinking up the place pretty bad. They became the "winners" of Mr. Brown's wierd contest. Each of four winners received a box of Irish Spring soap. What a prize.
Sometimes its just the little things. Every try to buy soap with food stamps.. it doesn't happen.
: ) Pat
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The Band's Visit
This is a great movie.. put it on your netflix que or see it instantly if you can.
Imagine an Egyptian Police Band sent over to Israel to do a "hands across the country lines" kind of thing and then be abandoned in a far off outpost.
This movie strikes some familiar chords with those of us that have been sort of stuck in a foreign country that kind of speaks our language. That is one side of it. There is a great generational sequence with an inventive hostess. What do people in abandon like cities do.. they imagine their park.
This movie has great development of character. The actors are pretty real. There is a little response a Egyptian hostility from a younger person. Most of the movie was how based on how these fish out of water interacted with the hosts and how did they survive.
The younger Egyptian member shows an inept town member how to comfort a depressed girl at the roller rink. Its a great sequence.
There is a very soft rhythm to this movie.
I have been trying to track down this movie since it came out on Redbox last spring. This movie has won several awards and most of it is in English. This seems to be the language that transcends the plot. It would be interesting to watch this movie with Reza or his family to find out what the Egyptians are really saying.
So there is one for you.. The Band's Visit. You won't recognize the actors but you will relate to their struggles. : ) Pat
Imagine an Egyptian Police Band sent over to Israel to do a "hands across the country lines" kind of thing and then be abandoned in a far off outpost.
This movie strikes some familiar chords with those of us that have been sort of stuck in a foreign country that kind of speaks our language. That is one side of it. There is a great generational sequence with an inventive hostess. What do people in abandon like cities do.. they imagine their park.
This movie has great development of character. The actors are pretty real. There is a little response a Egyptian hostility from a younger person. Most of the movie was how based on how these fish out of water interacted with the hosts and how did they survive.
The younger Egyptian member shows an inept town member how to comfort a depressed girl at the roller rink. Its a great sequence.
There is a very soft rhythm to this movie.
I have been trying to track down this movie since it came out on Redbox last spring. This movie has won several awards and most of it is in English. This seems to be the language that transcends the plot. It would be interesting to watch this movie with Reza or his family to find out what the Egyptians are really saying.
So there is one for you.. The Band's Visit. You won't recognize the actors but you will relate to their struggles. : ) Pat
Monday, September 28, 2009
Merced's Hidden Cottage Industry
It was a very slow night in the local restaurant business.
Sue didn't want to go out to eat.. but I did. I headed for a place that she is not really too fond of.. Hometown Buffet.
Out in front were two rather new looking "Arrow" brand buses. Inside were two bus loads of French tourists delicately and selectively eating at the buffet restaurant. This happens quite often in Merced. The manager knows when they are coming and ropes off a section for their group. They really seem to enjoy the chance to talk to each other as much as eat.
I always think of my friend Fransico in Italy when I see these groups. He has lead many of these groups throughout Europe and landed in foreign places like Home Town Buffet must seem to these visitors.
Merced must make a good profit from these groups. There are at least 50 people in each bus. Tonight there were 100 people eating. at 11 dollars a crack it surely adds up.
Interesting observations to the cultural differences follow.. Many of these observations may need to be tempered by the fact that it was 8pm and these people have been on the road for a good bit of the day. Where? Maybe Yosemite.. maybe running from the South to the North or the North to the South on the quintessential (I love my spell checker in this blog) California trip.
They were a little astounded by the soda machine. The females would come up and look it over and maybe try to get some water out of it. Only one male was successful getting the machine to vend some coke. He took a "shot full" and wrinkled up his nose. One could only believe that the recipe for Coke was completely different in France.
No one seemed to be going after the salad. One female member headed for the fruit for desert (cut up) but most took a long and hard look at the deserts and finally picked up a little soft serve and a think slice of cheese cake. No one went after the coconut cream pie.
The big station for the French was the slicing station. One bold member found out that the roast beef they were slicing was brisket. That pleased her. She told the carver that the brisket looked good and that she wanted a piece. Most were after the steak. None of them wanted the ham. A few picked up some french fies and one went after a little fried fish.
Overall I really don't think that they got their money's worth. But considering the exchange rate, they probablly felt they had.
: ) Pat
Sue didn't want to go out to eat.. but I did. I headed for a place that she is not really too fond of.. Hometown Buffet.
Out in front were two rather new looking "Arrow" brand buses. Inside were two bus loads of French tourists delicately and selectively eating at the buffet restaurant. This happens quite often in Merced. The manager knows when they are coming and ropes off a section for their group. They really seem to enjoy the chance to talk to each other as much as eat.
I always think of my friend Fransico in Italy when I see these groups. He has lead many of these groups throughout Europe and landed in foreign places like Home Town Buffet must seem to these visitors.
Merced must make a good profit from these groups. There are at least 50 people in each bus. Tonight there were 100 people eating. at 11 dollars a crack it surely adds up.
Interesting observations to the cultural differences follow.. Many of these observations may need to be tempered by the fact that it was 8pm and these people have been on the road for a good bit of the day. Where? Maybe Yosemite.. maybe running from the South to the North or the North to the South on the quintessential (I love my spell checker in this blog) California trip.
They were a little astounded by the soda machine. The females would come up and look it over and maybe try to get some water out of it. Only one male was successful getting the machine to vend some coke. He took a "shot full" and wrinkled up his nose. One could only believe that the recipe for Coke was completely different in France.
No one seemed to be going after the salad. One female member headed for the fruit for desert (cut up) but most took a long and hard look at the deserts and finally picked up a little soft serve and a think slice of cheese cake. No one went after the coconut cream pie.
The big station for the French was the slicing station. One bold member found out that the roast beef they were slicing was brisket. That pleased her. She told the carver that the brisket looked good and that she wanted a piece. Most were after the steak. None of them wanted the ham. A few picked up some french fies and one went after a little fried fish.
Overall I really don't think that they got their money's worth. But considering the exchange rate, they probablly felt they had.
: ) Pat
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Recently Hit with Dr.s and Dentists
One day off to see the dr.. to establish a new service.
We are switching to a Dr. group. It has about 35 Docs in the practice along with the other support folks.
We will get appointments with the dietitian. Sue with the pain specialist. I am following up with my breathing dr.
I just had my teeth cleaning and so did Sue. We established a patient realationship with a rheumatologist in Modesto.
Last week we got the chair back from the body shop. Sue is pretty happy with the work that he did. There was a lot of gusseting that had to be done to accommodate the new hardwood platform the the chair is mounted upon.
So we have been busy running around.
Classes have settled down and they are ready for their first tests of the new words in my construction oriented curriculum.
No one in my classes could related enamel to paint. A couple of the students recognized it as a dental word. Its been a pretty rocky start. Most students at the end of last year were certain that they would not have me on their schedule for this year. For some of them it was a misplacement when they discovered that they once again had "Mr. Brown." So finally we have all of the kids off that needed to be off and we can finally focus the climate of the class to cooperative learning.
And so it goes.. only a few more weeks and the first reportcards go out... or rather in. The are held hostage as the parents come in to get them and talk to the teachers about the basis for the grades.
Have a great week... : ) Pat
We are switching to a Dr. group. It has about 35 Docs in the practice along with the other support folks.
We will get appointments with the dietitian. Sue with the pain specialist. I am following up with my breathing dr.
I just had my teeth cleaning and so did Sue. We established a patient realationship with a rheumatologist in Modesto.
Last week we got the chair back from the body shop. Sue is pretty happy with the work that he did. There was a lot of gusseting that had to be done to accommodate the new hardwood platform the the chair is mounted upon.
So we have been busy running around.
Classes have settled down and they are ready for their first tests of the new words in my construction oriented curriculum.
No one in my classes could related enamel to paint. A couple of the students recognized it as a dental word. Its been a pretty rocky start. Most students at the end of last year were certain that they would not have me on their schedule for this year. For some of them it was a misplacement when they discovered that they once again had "Mr. Brown." So finally we have all of the kids off that needed to be off and we can finally focus the climate of the class to cooperative learning.
And so it goes.. only a few more weeks and the first reportcards go out... or rather in. The are held hostage as the parents come in to get them and talk to the teachers about the basis for the grades.
Have a great week... : ) Pat
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Finally a break in the weather
This weekend was gift
Some worry about thunder and lightning. It was wonderful to see it come and change the weather pattern here.
There are always those that don't like it. Our farmers with the raisins on the ground are not too happy about rain this time of the year. The almonds are still being brushed up off the ground and the farmers are concerned with the mold that may develop.
It made for great weather to be outside. It thundered and carried on all weekend. Monday was too rainy in the morning to walk. Today it was just right.
The last of the pluots are still on the tree. They are the Queens. They stay on the tree ripe from the middle of August until now. When they are picked now, they are still very crisp. The queen pluot is a cross that includes the green gage plum. They are great when they are green and they are great when they are yellow. As with all of the pluots here this year the crop was significantly smaller. The nectarine crop was much smaller too.
Its been a pretty hot return to school this year. We are on our 6th week already. Deficiency notices have already been prepared. The RSP teachers are digging into their caseloads and trying to help the kids who thought that they were doing great without a lot of support. Its always a big surprise to them that teachers follow up on them and will make sure that everything is in place to get them to pass.
Some worry about thunder and lightning. It was wonderful to see it come and change the weather pattern here.
There are always those that don't like it. Our farmers with the raisins on the ground are not too happy about rain this time of the year. The almonds are still being brushed up off the ground and the farmers are concerned with the mold that may develop.
It made for great weather to be outside. It thundered and carried on all weekend. Monday was too rainy in the morning to walk. Today it was just right.
The last of the pluots are still on the tree. They are the Queens. They stay on the tree ripe from the middle of August until now. When they are picked now, they are still very crisp. The queen pluot is a cross that includes the green gage plum. They are great when they are green and they are great when they are yellow. As with all of the pluots here this year the crop was significantly smaller. The nectarine crop was much smaller too.
Its been a pretty hot return to school this year. We are on our 6th week already. Deficiency notices have already been prepared. The RSP teachers are digging into their caseloads and trying to help the kids who thought that they were doing great without a lot of support. Its always a big surprise to them that teachers follow up on them and will make sure that everything is in place to get them to pass.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Another Back to School Night
Last night the ritual was again enacted.
The second "Back to School Night." I had two students show (one briefly) and the no parents.
Other parents came. I could not find a parking space so my little escape had to generate one.
My classes are 5th and 6th period... most everyone had gone home at that point of the "follow you student's schedule." format.
It started at 6:10 and was over at 8:00. Another 2 hours.
Very few special ed parents showed up to any of the classes.
The school grounds are really torn up and not very safe at night. The paving company has ripped up all the infrastructure and putting down huge cement causeways and school must go on as though nothing has changed. Students in this very crowded 2800 student high school are braving the 90 degree temperatures and are funneled into narrow walkways as the construction continues.
At night.. not enough light to keep even the outdoor lockers safe. I saw one student using her cell phone to light up her combination and open her locker for her parents who were curious.. as most parents are of this other life their students are living.
I zen approach is called for here. You cannot change it. But it worth the contemplation as to why they didn't start and finish all of this heavy construction work in the summer.
: ) Pat
The second "Back to School Night." I had two students show (one briefly) and the no parents.
Other parents came. I could not find a parking space so my little escape had to generate one.
My classes are 5th and 6th period... most everyone had gone home at that point of the "follow you student's schedule." format.
It started at 6:10 and was over at 8:00. Another 2 hours.
Very few special ed parents showed up to any of the classes.
The school grounds are really torn up and not very safe at night. The paving company has ripped up all the infrastructure and putting down huge cement causeways and school must go on as though nothing has changed. Students in this very crowded 2800 student high school are braving the 90 degree temperatures and are funneled into narrow walkways as the construction continues.
At night.. not enough light to keep even the outdoor lockers safe. I saw one student using her cell phone to light up her combination and open her locker for her parents who were curious.. as most parents are of this other life their students are living.
I zen approach is called for here. You cannot change it. But it worth the contemplation as to why they didn't start and finish all of this heavy construction work in the summer.
: ) Pat
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