Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Missing the Point


It was the Monday after winter break. Special ed English. Before the break, the class had ripped out a story from their workbooks in anticipation of their teacher being out this day. We passed out their stories...

Halfway through the period and one boy had made no progress whatsoever on the assignment. I went over to prod him along.

"But I haven't read this story before..."

Um... Yeah, I know. That was the, um, assignment. To read the new-to-you story. And then answer the questions.

"Oh..."

Did he really think I was that stupid? Or, is he really that oblivious? (I vote the latter.)

21 comments:

  1. Definitely oblivious! You need a lot of patience to be a teacher!

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    Replies
    1. They were just testing me. Although, the aide wasn't terribly surprised by their antics.

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  2. Oblivious, no doubt. Like Sherry said, patience is a must in the classroom. Part of the reason why I couldn't do it for long. :)

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  3. It's amazing how we can feel something is communicated so clearly, and others just don't get it. That's probably 90% of humanity's problem.

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  4. Oblivious and trying to play dumb. Success on both levels.

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  5. what does special ed mean? That they have special needs? Or that it's additional classes of English?

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  6. I'm going to go with oblivious. Either that or not paying attention to when instructions were given out.

    betty

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    Replies
    1. I didn't give much in the way of instructions. This particular workbook exists in every grade at the school, so it's not like he's never seen one before (even if this teacher had never done it with them before--which I highly doubt).

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  7. I think he was just making excuses for not doing his work.

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  8. I think he was thinking both....how they try. I like your picture with your crocheted bottle warmer

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  9. Definitely oblivious. Testing...testing.... Nice cozy, by the way. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Yep, definitely testing. The cozy is available in my Etsy shop.

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  10. So was he looking over at all the other people reading the story and just not getting it? Or maybe he just didn't want to.

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  11. I am sure you hear it all! You could write a book of the comments you hear- with funny drawings. :) I can see it now!
    ~Jess

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  12. They do like to have a go don't they!

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    1. Oh, they do.

      Just yesterday I had a kid come into class and go into a whole two minute bit about how the teacher had told them all that they were to have a free day and they could chill out... While I held the detailed lesson plans in my hand. SMH

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  13. I guess he could just be that clueless. Yikes!

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  14. When you said 'special ed English' what does that mean. When I went to school (in the dark ages) that was where the challenged kids went! I don't know what the PC term is now days. We said 'mentally retarded' but I know that is not acceptable now

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    Replies
    1. "Special ed" is a designation given to students who test as needing extra help. There are those students who need only a little extra help (such as in this class) to students who are more severely disabled.

      It's a large category encompassing many different types of need.

      Delete

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