Welcome friends and family!

"The colors of life shift

within a fixed parameter,

movable blocks of shadow

and light, interchangeable

or not."































"Chaos is a friend of mine." ~Bob Dylan

"Chaos is a friend of mine." ~Bob Dylan
Da Boys!

Front and Center!

These two creatures who have locked up my heart will be front and center in this little corner of blogosphere!







Sunday, November 2, 2008

Hurtling Into The Holiday Season!




We blasted our way out of October and out of Daylight Savings Time. Now it's the mad dash to the end of the year! There will not be many pit stops along the way.


Looks like I'll be pretty much booked up subbing in Special Education depts. through December. Good for the pocketb00k, good for the mind, good for the body. The only negative is the stress factor and the pace. It's up at 5 AM and on my feet with my boys or other kids ( ALL high maintenance ) until 8 or 9 PM with little time to sit or even breathe!


I do enjoy the subbing. I enjoy the schools and staff I work with and I love the kids. Most of them in the various elementary schools I work in are familiar to me. I worked with the kids off and on for a number of years. I've worked with the CSC kids since Sept. I'll continue to work with these boys off and on the next several months. Not all day every day, but quite a bit. Enough that I won't have to miss them. :)


My two goblins are having a few issues that will be addressed at school and with their doctor this month. We got the final report on Connor's PPD testing back last week. In addition to his bipolar and anxiety disorders, he has atypical HFA (high-functioning Autism) and likely Aspergers.


Sam is struggling at school. He tests out much higher than he is performing in the classroom. His anxiety and separation disorders, his lack of confidence in his work is causing him problems. He has zero, and I mean ZERO executive functioning skills. Also, his ADHD is getting harder to manage throughout the day on his current meds. He is still really unfocused and scattered during school hours, especially the afternoon.


So, we're being pro-active and have a meeting set up at school week after next, to address these needs. Likely he will get an IEP and have support in the classroom and, possibly, can be pulled to resource when he needs extra help working to his capacity.


Sam is reading at 5th grade level and his math is grade level (3rd). This is his most difficult subject and he's been getting outside tutoring in it since 1st grade. His class work for all subjects doesn't reflect what he can do. 3rd grade is when they start the dreaded TAKS testing here. This is the grade they drop the pressure hammer on the kids. It's tough and stressful. So, it's an important year for Mr. Sam, and we don't want him to fall behind or get buried in the stress.


Connor has a birthday Saturday! He'll be 11. My son will also be up from San Antonio with his oldest step-daughter for a softball tourney.


Thanksgiving is just around the corner, then it's the Christmas Season and the slid into the new year. The rush is on!!

4 comments:

Kelly said...

I don't know how you do it, Sis. What a grueling schedule!

Things are picking up around here, too. Guess who is expecting again!! (already!)

Cute costumes on the boys!

Hal Johnson said...

You're amazing, Pam. If you could put some of your energy in pill form, I'd buy it. Then again, the FDA might make it illegal!

Anonymous said...

Pam,

Your energy and determination (and I think your courage too) are amazing! And as always your love(/tenderness) for Connor and Sam is so obvious, as well as your affection and warmth for the kids who you teach.

Here is an early congrats for Connor on his 11th birthday!

And I like the picture of Connor and Sam in their Halloween costumes.

Raven

quid said...

Happy Birthday to Connor!

The boys looked great for Halloween.

Catch some breaths today, Ms Pam. I'm going a hundred miles a minute and I can't keep up with you.

Love,
quid