today and the future

today was our first day of "practice teaching." they keep calling it "PT," which i constantly think is "physical training" after my ROTC friends' nightmare 6am daily routine.  but we didn't really practice teach---and it doesn't look like i'll be doing much of that for the summer.  i'm working, over summer, at an elementary school. it's right outside of the metro line, a stop away from my (amazing) subletted apartment.. very convenient. my population is eight 3-5 year olds with autism, but only 3 of them showed up today.  there were about 6 adults in the classroom (including classroom and dedicated aids), so about a 2:1 teacher:student ratio. which is a bit crazy.  it's hard to know where to place myself, the space to navigate without stepping on anyone's toes.

one of the most heartbreaking things to see is the differences in these kids' abilities: how tuned in to the world they are.  the 3-year-old girl has been receiving services for over a year. she started out completely nonverbal (and violent. a biter.) a year ago, and now is able to count (although, admittedly, she adds just random "8"'s in there sometimes) and to really do well with the alphabet, as well as communicating, playing with other kids, dancing, and spelling her name.  she has an amazing one-on-one aid and has had an amazing classroom teacher.  this is what EVERY kid should have!!!!! 

and then. the 5-year-old boy.  he exhibits every single trait that i can identify as being on the autism spectrum.  he is so in his own world.  it takes about 20 trials and heavy bribing with fruit snacks to entice him to even imitate the aid saying one word or the other.  and it seems like even the teacher had given up on him, sort of: it's so difficult to know where to start.  because he didn't receive early early intervention services, it'll take so much more of a spectacularly devoted and knowledge personality to do things that we normatively label as basic. 

anyway, in the fall, i won't be working in a self-contained classroom like this one. last friday, i received a job offer from a great school located in columbia heights, NW.  i clicked with the principal over the phone, and then, even though i showed up to my interview late and drenched (i mean it. try dc in summer time with over 80% humidity. then try running to an interview during a lunch break in nice shoes...) in sweat, we still clicked in person, and they offered me the job on the spot. i told them i was honored to accept, and i am.  i'll be working with about 15 students, probably, taking them out of the class for services, or working with them one-on-one in their classroom.  but that depends on their IEP.  but more on IEP on another post. 

and since my school for next year is 65% hispanic, i have to brush up on/actually learn  spanish. so if some of the next posts are in espanol, you'll know why. hasta.