Sassi Cassi Lou

Wow! The last two weeks have flown by. I have had my share of rough days, but I am still loving my new job. It's so nice to have people appreciate you! I was having a rough day and I got a group hug from some of the teachers I work with that have become friends of mine. And then one of the teachers that has really extended herself to me came and just let me know that she really thinks I'm doing a good job. I realize the power of positive attention again. Something I must implement much more in parenting. I realize that I don't do it half as much as I shoud. As a parent I get too caught up in the little bad things and overlook the little good things that are done by my kids. Oh! Kekoa has made it through first two weeks of first grade and he seems to like it ok. He's still not big on homework, we'll just have to work on that one. Funny side note: My principal and Vice Principal keep asking how I'm doing. I know that stress shows very easily on my face but it's not just because I'm stressed that they ask... they ask because they don't want me to quit. Ha Ha! It's kind of funny to me. I guess they have had trackers just up and quit on them and they don't want me to do that. I told my BFF I must be sick for liking this job, but I think it's fun!

Anyway... on to what's been going on. Like I said I have had some rough days. I spend all day with kids that are very active. Or atleast some of them. Others like to put their heads down all day and play possum. That's just as hard to deal with sometimes. But it comes down to the fact that all of these kids need their 'special attention' and when the teacher can't do that and teach the class that is where I step in. I have one kids I'll call M. M is an instigator. M likes to see how a comment will light up a room. I am constantly telling all of my kids to quiet or to sit down. I don't understand how these kids don't get it, and then at the same time I do. ARGH! The hardest though is to send a kid to the office and have them kicked out of school for the day. I have had do to that a couple of times allready and it's only been the first two weeks. Once these kids realize I mean business as we are walking to the office then the begging and pleading starts, or the argument as to why it's not fair. It's hard to knot just turn around and give them another chance. Others times I just want to turn and look at the kid and just say "shut-up". But I can't do either. I just walk to the office and let the VP do his job!

AHHH! (Did you hear the angels sing just then?) Our VP and Principal back me up 100% and I am grateful for that. They trust that I am not jerking these kids around and I am doing what is best. The Vice Principal said to me the other day, " I take a very democratic stance on education. It is not the right of one student to ruin the learing experience for the whole class. If one gets you to the point where you've had enough, then bring them down. I'll deal with them." How nice is it to see an educator be firm and yet care about their students. My biggest fear is at the end of the year when I see that some of these kids failing in the end what will I do? I know that most of these kids aren't even going to get it by the end of the year. And yet what can I do? I'm not trying to be a total downer here, just realistic. I understand that most of them don't even get a fraction of it. And for that I am learing to blow it off I guess. That sounds very trite. I'm not trying to be that way.... I can't help everybody. I won't won't even be able to help most, I do believe that the help my kids need is somewhere.

On a great note, one of my kids at school, that I feel very invested in, smiled friday. Not just one or two smiles. I saw this kid smile and laugh. I saw a glow come out. I know this isn't the norm... but hopefully it will be soon. I know that this kid can make it. It's scarey to laugh and smile when you are uncomfortable, but it's possible. It's possible to find something good in whatever situation you're in. That's what this kid has to do and I saw a glimmer of hope on friday, Yeah. I know we have a long way to go. It's all up to this kid..... fingers crossed!

So I have survived and am ready to go back for more, but I don't have to do that until tuesday. Yeah. Oh and did I mention I have two three-day weekends in a row? Wahoo! I'm loven it.

Disclaimers and Explanations:

As I am writing my entries for my blog I am realizing that there are many things I need to do to cover my butt, and things I need to explain. So please read the following and know that I am writing more interesting things in coming entries.

Disclaimer #1: I have changed names/identities of students for their protection.
I’m sure you know that. So if you get confused with all aliases (sp) please forgive me.

Explanation: Self Contained (SC) or Youth In Custody (YIC): This is the area that I work in. We prefer to refer to it at Self Contained instead of YIC but the two are basically interchangeable. I will tell you how SC works, so when you see SC you will understand what I mean. All of my kids have to go into a screening before they come into my unit. There are various reasons why these kids end up with me, safe-school violations/probation violations/foster placement/etc, but for whatever reason the Vice Principal along with the School District determines these kids are not to be allowed in with the general population of students. There are three stages to being in my unit.

1st stage are the kids that are in my unit and do not have a contract with the VP to get out. They are just stuck in my class until the can prove themselves to get on contract. They are the ones who act out the most.

2nd are the kids that are on contract. They are on the path to getting out. They have shown self control and are ready to make baby steps. They are on a probation period. Once they prove themselves through all periods of the day for a certain period of days, then they can only be in class with me for only 1st and 8th period. These kids are still in class with me all day, but if they make all of their goals on their contract with the VP then they don’t have to be so confined next term.

1st and 2nd levels of kids, like I said, are with me all day. ALL of my kids (Levels 1,2,3) meet in the morning in ‘the trailor’. That is where our class room is, in a trailer detatched from the main school. After 1st period my kids on level 3 leave to go to their other classes until 8th period where they meet back up with me in the computer lab. Levels 1 and 2 spend the first 4 period of school in the same class room. The teachers are the ones that come in and out. After 4th period (JROTC) we march to 5th period: Physics, which is in the main building of the school. We spend the rest of the day in the main building. However my kids are not to interact with any other students in the school. When I say no other student I mean NO ONE. Not even siblings that go to the school until after school is done. They are in total confinement, basically. I have to move them from class to class in a manner so that they cannot intermingle with the main stream students. This means moving them before the bell rings and using the outside doors. My kids very rarely see and indoor halls. We enter and exit through most of the back doors and walk outside of the building to the next class. We have lunch at a different time and when we have lunch my kids are confined to two tables and we eat together and can’t go into the gym to play until everybody is done.


The 3rd level is kids who have proven themselves to behave for the most part (they probably acted out last year or whatever) and so they only have to be with me for 1st and 8th period. If they prove themselves then they can move into general population next term. If they act up they can move down to being with me all day or stay with me just for 1st and 8th.

8th period we all meet up so I can check in with my level 3 kids. All of my kids and I leave 8th period 5 minutes early so my kids that get on the bus are on the bus and not walking around school to mix with the main student population; or my kids that walk can get off of school property before the rest of the classes get out. If they are meeting a friend they have to wait for them on the sidewalk outside of the school and cannot loiter on school property. If they are waiting for a ride, i.e. a parent/probation officer/etc. to pick them up, they have to stay with me until they are picked up. None of my kids can be on school grounds after school is done, unless they get written permission from the VP or Principal.


Confusing huh? I have to keep track of what kids are on what level and then also keep track of how many days they have missed school, how many times they act out, and discipline them at the same time. So that’s just a glimpse of how Self Contained works. I’m sure there are many other things that are going to come up that I’ll have to explain. If you don’t understand anything, give me a holla. It actually is pretty interesting once you understand it, and sad too. Now that you have read this enjoy the rest of my fun entries about school.