new job... kinda

Ok. S o I know that most of you shudder at the idea but I have to amke some extra money signed on to be a substitute teacher. I have 2 days under my belt! The first one was Thursday working at Jackson Creek Middle School in the Resource Room, basically. For those of you who don't know this is the mild learning disablities room basically. There are kids there that range from Autism to ADHD to other emotional issues to just needing some extra time for tests and homework. Some of the kids are there all day and others just for one or 2 periods of the school day. But I did actually get to teach something! Even though I was subbing for the assistant, the guy who was subbing for the real teacher was not comfortable teaching Social Studies because it was on the greek gods. Right up my alley!!!!! So I held a 45 minute social studies class on the Greek gods. It was awesome, everyone of the kids particiapted in one way or another. Yea Zeus!!!!!! Go Hermes!!! Ya whatever, we even talked about the Disney movie Hercules so they could have some reference point, as well as the movie Troy, and Gladiator, and The Odessey.
Then today I was subbing a a self contained class at Summit Elementary. THis was also a special ed room, the kids here ranged from one child who was both deaf and blind, to 4 differnt cases of autism (these kids were all over the spectrum!) to severe ADHD and emotional handicaps. Today made me very grateful for Xander's Autism. It made me realize just how lucky we are and how blessed we are. The kids in this class while they had some skills like reading and a little more comprehension, thier other points on the spectrum fell behind if not at Xander's level, and they were all twice his age. But they were sweet kids. It was a little harder for me today because these kids were closer to Xander's age then the middle schoool was. But I will keep at it!
Oh! Here is a real kicker even today at the Elementary School only one kid, not counting the 2 in wheelchairs, was shorter than me and he was 7! Doomed! Doomed I tell you! I am forever a Pygmy!!!