A new year

Wow, I'm almost 99% certain I have less extra time with only 3 rather than the 7 my first year!
It's been another great start to yet another great year.
I sometimes feel like I'm in 1950 at the Transition House because, yet again, we are without Internet and looking up everything in a variety of different books. It's been such a long road getting our facility everything needed and within district guidelines of funding. So...in making a funny...this would have been me in 1950....had I been born years earlier. Happy 2012-2013!

August 1...let the countdown begin!

I have decided that the first thing on my agenda for August 1 (the day my sweet new baby starts daycare) is to block off 4 complete hours to read through all of my friends blogs and see what cool things they've blogged about over the past few months. Then start on all my to-do lists!

I've been able to add a few more blogger teacher friends in between changing diapers, making (or washing) bottles, playing with my 3-year-old and of course the housework. What husband?! ;)

There are so many cool teachers out there. I aspire to possess, even a fraction, of your great talent. Thank you all for being such inspirations to me!

Vote for Mrs. Virdell's Blog

Please go vote for my teacher blog, by following this link!!

A new award!

I don't know much about the awards, but I do feel extra special when I get any kind of award! Thank you faithful readers and fellow bloggers!

Happy Summer!

Our newest transition family member has arrived, so I'm enjoying this nice summer break with my new bundle of joy, Kamryn.
Closer to August, this blog will be hopping again with great info about the transition program!
Stay tuned and happy summer.

The final countdown

I have officially embarked on week 32 of my pregnancy and I am so excited to be finishing out the year with my students before this baby arrives.

It has been such a wild last few months. Having all of my students aging out at the same time creates such a strain on the brain in trying to plan ahead.

If I could wave my magic wand, I would wish for 100% support on the home front in the transitioning process and with that support for my students to continue working post program.

Many of my students have only known public school since they were 3-years-old, so breaking out into the real world of unstructured schedules is tough.

At a network meeting last week, a presenter told us we, as 18+ program teachers, need to be giving parents a blank schedule at the beginning of the program and having them really look at what they want that students daily schedule to look like when they complete the program. I helps to build better IEP's and keeps everyone realistic in expectations. Great idea!!

Everyday is a learning opportunity as an 18+ teacher and the more of us there are swapping ideas, the richer our programs will be!

The mountain tops and slumps

While I would like to paint the picture of being an 18+ teacher as fun 24/7, the truth is, it's not always rosy.

Disappointment is one of the absolute worst parts of being a teacher at any age level, but it really hits you hard with this type of program. Having a student just walk away when they show so much potential, being lied to repetitively, or having to do damage control from manufactured rumors between students and outside sources can get me down faster than anything else.

It is all very trying and many times it's additionally stressful in trying not to make it a personal fault as a teacher, but rather simply a bad decision made by adult students.

The peaks are, of course, the breath of fresh air that help re-gain focus. One such example is me asking a student what she wants for graduation and getting a teary, "Just a pair of shoes nobody else has worn." Yes, I cried too...more like sobbed at the humble request.

It only takes one special moment every once in awhile to erase the bad situations, and that's what fuels me to stay in education. I hope you all have those too.