Today is Saturday, warm, windy, and a nice spring-like day. I got to sleep in until 8:00 today! Woo hoo! I've had "company" since early this afternoon, and now everyone has gone, continuing on the errands they began earlier in the day.
I'm trying to get used to the earphones that came with the MP3 player my better half got me for our anniversary (31 years next week, thank you very much.) I've always known my ears are weird. They are a little smaller than normal, and I have no "lobe crease" as my son says, to hang these little earphone things on. They are fairly uncomfortable. I may need to invest in the big kind that go over your whole ear, since these aren't working very well. I'm doing good, however. I've got Rich Mullins singing in my ear (apologies to Jay).
Well, in the world of this school psychologist, I've found that things can change day by day, sometimes minute to minute. The meeting with the upset parents/guardians that I had on Tuesday morning was one of those resolution "can't we all get along-you give a little and we'll give a little" meetings. It seems to me like ONE SIDE gave a lot and the other side gave a little, but oh well. We have a plan. Some details were hammered out that I would spell out here, but because they are so specific to the case, I cannot - the situation could be too easily identified. But if those of you who are school psychologists or interns are reading this blog and would like to know more, please email me. I could in a conversation divulge a bit more in general terms - and some advice about a pitfall to avoid.
And, this past week, I got to take a stand for ethical principles. At one school, we have a case sliding headlong into the wrong direction, at the advice of someone the rest of the team listened to when they shouldn't have. I'm not listening to that person. I'm not following that person, or the team's recommendation. And I will dissent legally if it comes to that. A sticky situation indeed. But, the time has come to stand on what's right.
At both my schools, the principals will be leaving. One is retiring, and one is moving to another school. I also got an email saying that I may not be able to stay at my schools next fall as was promised because of "unexpected shuffle". That's the story of our lives, isn't it! Unexpected shuffle happens to everybody, and it can really mess things up. We think it does anyway because we have a short-sighted way of looking at one small part of the picture.
Happy only what, 4 weeks left...
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Cold and Heat
After a spring snow last weekend, it's finally turning warmer. On the way between schools yesterday, I ran my car's air conditioner. Is it only in Kansas where you would wear a winter coat, gloves, and muffler, and run the car heater at full force one day, then 2 days later turn on the air conditioner? It's crazy. The cold weather got the early rosebuds, froze the peony plant that had straggled up, and nipped the buds off the mini-lilac bush. Fine. Whatever.
This week I really must work steadily on the paper for Internship class that's due, and my oral defense. I just can't believe how much work this is. In visiting with another psych who went through this program two years ago, she made the comment that it didn't seem fair to load a first year school psychologist with a job that's overwhelming, PLUS class work in addition to that. She said the second year is much better. I hear the same thing from my sister-in-law, who is an excellent teacher working in a nearby district. I receive these words joyfully because they give me hope that maybe I won't always feel like this. Will I?
It's the usual end of the year rush to get kids evaluations in, but I'm doing okay. At both schools, I was able to hold the line in terms of, "let's evaluate the ones who are the worst of the worst" and save the rest until the first of next year. Sad part is, some of the worst of the worst do not qualify for services. In one of my schools last year, they did 10 staffings the last week of school. Sorry, I'm just not going to do that.
I met with the overseer of psychological services yesterday. Yes, I do have a job for next year. And yes, she thinks I can stay at the same schools. There's good reason sometimes to change, but there's also comfort in familiarity.
Off to the 8:00 meeting with the parents/guardians who are upset that our team decided not to evaluate their child. We'll have a couple of district personnel there to help facilitate the meeting, and we'll see how far we get. Then it's to the other school for a staffing, then back to the other school for the rest of the day.
This week I really must work steadily on the paper for Internship class that's due, and my oral defense. I just can't believe how much work this is. In visiting with another psych who went through this program two years ago, she made the comment that it didn't seem fair to load a first year school psychologist with a job that's overwhelming, PLUS class work in addition to that. She said the second year is much better. I hear the same thing from my sister-in-law, who is an excellent teacher working in a nearby district. I receive these words joyfully because they give me hope that maybe I won't always feel like this. Will I?
It's the usual end of the year rush to get kids evaluations in, but I'm doing okay. At both schools, I was able to hold the line in terms of, "let's evaluate the ones who are the worst of the worst" and save the rest until the first of next year. Sad part is, some of the worst of the worst do not qualify for services. In one of my schools last year, they did 10 staffings the last week of school. Sorry, I'm just not going to do that.
I met with the overseer of psychological services yesterday. Yes, I do have a job for next year. And yes, she thinks I can stay at the same schools. There's good reason sometimes to change, but there's also comfort in familiarity.
Off to the 8:00 meeting with the parents/guardians who are upset that our team decided not to evaluate their child. We'll have a couple of district personnel there to help facilitate the meeting, and we'll see how far we get. Then it's to the other school for a staffing, then back to the other school for the rest of the day.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
28 days and holding
After today, there are 28 days left until school is out. I always thought I could do anything for 28 days. Now, I'm not sure.
I have 2-3 and sometimes 4 staffings weekly between my two schools. I have training sessions, internship class, and the internship class case study and oral defense to prepare for. There are rather serious issues going on at both schools - at one school, the parent I wrote about several posts ago who objected to a recommendation I made - this parent has filed an appeal and are exercising their rights to a resolution meeting, then a mediation meeting, then an appeal hearing. Next week, I must attend the first of these, the "resolution meeting". Also in attendance in addition to particular school staff will be the special education coordinator for our building, and a district lawyer. The parent may also bring a lawyer. I'm hoping I won't have to say a lot with the downtown person and the two lawyers present. The meeting is early in the morning. Suffice it to say, I won't be eating before I go.
At my other school, chaos reigns due to several issues, the most notable being the untimely death of a special education teacher last weekend. This week is state assessments and the SPED kids are having a tough time, but the state and fed officials do not take into account these environmental issues when they look for reasons that scores are low on these assessments. We won't know the scores until next August, but I'm sure the SPED kids were not able to perform their best. Other issues at this school are weighing heavily upon me, and I will not be able to comment about them on this public blog for awhile yet, but comment about them, I shall. They are issues that really have a bearing on how efficiently a school functions.
Also this week, I've upset a teacher who complained to another staff member about me. This other staff member informed me about what she said, and, you'll be happy to know that I blew it off. I don't have time to get involved in dramatic presentations at my job. I just try to do my job. And, finally, this week, in the what I have learned category, I have (re) learned that when something's your responsibility, and when someone offers to take care of this thing that's your responsibility, and then DOESN'T, the buck still stops with you. You're still responsible. You cannot point fingers and blame the someone else who offered to take care of this particular thing. Because when downtown calls asking about this particular thing, it's not good to say, "Well, so and so offered to take care of that for me, and I gave it to them, but apparently, they DIDN'T take care of that for me, and yes that's my responsibility, and yes, I'm sorry, and yes, I will take care of that immediately." Moral of the story (and haven't we heard this before): Just do it yourself. Figure out who you can trust and not trust. And then, take responsibility for what happens.
There ya go. A whole 4 days summed up.
I have 2-3 and sometimes 4 staffings weekly between my two schools. I have training sessions, internship class, and the internship class case study and oral defense to prepare for. There are rather serious issues going on at both schools - at one school, the parent I wrote about several posts ago who objected to a recommendation I made - this parent has filed an appeal and are exercising their rights to a resolution meeting, then a mediation meeting, then an appeal hearing. Next week, I must attend the first of these, the "resolution meeting". Also in attendance in addition to particular school staff will be the special education coordinator for our building, and a district lawyer. The parent may also bring a lawyer. I'm hoping I won't have to say a lot with the downtown person and the two lawyers present. The meeting is early in the morning. Suffice it to say, I won't be eating before I go.
At my other school, chaos reigns due to several issues, the most notable being the untimely death of a special education teacher last weekend. This week is state assessments and the SPED kids are having a tough time, but the state and fed officials do not take into account these environmental issues when they look for reasons that scores are low on these assessments. We won't know the scores until next August, but I'm sure the SPED kids were not able to perform their best. Other issues at this school are weighing heavily upon me, and I will not be able to comment about them on this public blog for awhile yet, but comment about them, I shall. They are issues that really have a bearing on how efficiently a school functions.
Also this week, I've upset a teacher who complained to another staff member about me. This other staff member informed me about what she said, and, you'll be happy to know that I blew it off. I don't have time to get involved in dramatic presentations at my job. I just try to do my job. And, finally, this week, in the what I have learned category, I have (re) learned that when something's your responsibility, and when someone offers to take care of this thing that's your responsibility, and then DOESN'T, the buck still stops with you. You're still responsible. You cannot point fingers and blame the someone else who offered to take care of this particular thing. Because when downtown calls asking about this particular thing, it's not good to say, "Well, so and so offered to take care of that for me, and I gave it to them, but apparently, they DIDN'T take care of that for me, and yes that's my responsibility, and yes, I'm sorry, and yes, I will take care of that immediately." Moral of the story (and haven't we heard this before): Just do it yourself. Figure out who you can trust and not trust. And then, take responsibility for what happens.
There ya go. A whole 4 days summed up.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Monday after Easter
It's back to work on a cold Monday. We were surprised by snow last week, and cold temps. I told somebody that I was refusing to get my winter coat back out, but alas, I broke down and wore it.
Yesterday was Easter, and my son and I attended the presentation of Handel's "Messiah" at Bethany College in Lindsborg. This work has been performed at Bethany by a community chorus and orchestra at least once annually since March 12, 1882. A few interesting notes about "Messiah", it was first performed on April 13, 1742 in Dublin Ireland - Handel was invited by a charitable organization to premiere it there. This invitation arrived at a low point in his life. Several operas he had written had failed, he was in bankruptcy and in danger of being sent to a debtor's prison. He was a man who had been deserted by friends and family, and it was said that he was through as a composer. In accepting this invitation, his hope was that he might be able to change the course of his life.
"Messiah" was composed in 1741. The first part was written in 7 days, the second part in 9 days and the third part in 6 days - in less than 25 days the entire masterpiece was completed. And what a masterpiece it is! If you ever have a chance to hear a live presentation of "Messiah", do not miss it. We hear bits and pieces of choruses or words from this work, but hearing all of it in totality is an experience you won't soon forget.
Time to get to work. Besides the "normal" stuff of this job, there's a lot of work yet to be done for this internship class. You know where I'll be in the evenings after school. That's right, working on a paper and presentation which is due April 24. That's where I'll be.
May all of you reading this blog have a blessed and productive week. I'll write again soon.
Yesterday was Easter, and my son and I attended the presentation of Handel's "Messiah" at Bethany College in Lindsborg. This work has been performed at Bethany by a community chorus and orchestra at least once annually since March 12, 1882. A few interesting notes about "Messiah", it was first performed on April 13, 1742 in Dublin Ireland - Handel was invited by a charitable organization to premiere it there. This invitation arrived at a low point in his life. Several operas he had written had failed, he was in bankruptcy and in danger of being sent to a debtor's prison. He was a man who had been deserted by friends and family, and it was said that he was through as a composer. In accepting this invitation, his hope was that he might be able to change the course of his life.
"Messiah" was composed in 1741. The first part was written in 7 days, the second part in 9 days and the third part in 6 days - in less than 25 days the entire masterpiece was completed. And what a masterpiece it is! If you ever have a chance to hear a live presentation of "Messiah", do not miss it. We hear bits and pieces of choruses or words from this work, but hearing all of it in totality is an experience you won't soon forget.
Time to get to work. Besides the "normal" stuff of this job, there's a lot of work yet to be done for this internship class. You know where I'll be in the evenings after school. That's right, working on a paper and presentation which is due April 24. That's where I'll be.
May all of you reading this blog have a blessed and productive week. I'll write again soon.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Secrets
It's Sunday morning. I'm up early, showered, washed a few dishes, put a ham in the crockpot, gotten the paper off the porch, unloaded the dishwasher, and made coffee. It's not because I'm all perky. It's because for some reason if I wake up before the alarm wakes me up, I may as well give it up and get up because I cannot go back to sleep. Ever. Things start rolling around in my head and I can't stem the tide of thoughts that are already starting to race around-thoughts about the day ahead, about my job (yes, even on the weekends), about problems, both large and small.
This morning, though, I have a confession to make to all my faithful readers. I stayed up way too late last night (midnight) and watched an old movie that was on the classic movie channel - "Deliverance". Now stop laughing, I hear it way over here. That's right, I stayed up to watch Deliverance. I knew what the story was about, and had seen bits of it over the years, but once I got started watching, I couldn't stop. In case you've forgotten, this odd movie, made in 1972 (my graduation year from high school), starred Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox as four businessmen who take a canoe trip together away from civilization. As I recall, it was newsworthy at its release because of its extremely graphic violence - even now, the TV version is a little hard to sit through - I could not watch the uncut version. And now I have that "Dueling Banjos" tune running through my head. Great. But it was an interesting psychological study of what lengths people will go to bury their sins (so to speak). There are people living with us who have enormous secrets they are going to take to their graves. People you might know and work with, or go to church with, or who might check out your groceries at the store, or teach your children at school. Ever think about that?
There is a website I read every week, not for the fainthearted, and I'm warning you, there's adult content on there so don't say I didn't tell you. It's www.postsecret.com. People mail their secrets in on postcards to the webmaster who posts them on this site. It's amazing what people will post so publically but so anonymously. Take a look sometime if you've got the nerve.
This morning, though, I have a confession to make to all my faithful readers. I stayed up way too late last night (midnight) and watched an old movie that was on the classic movie channel - "Deliverance". Now stop laughing, I hear it way over here. That's right, I stayed up to watch Deliverance. I knew what the story was about, and had seen bits of it over the years, but once I got started watching, I couldn't stop. In case you've forgotten, this odd movie, made in 1972 (my graduation year from high school), starred Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox as four businessmen who take a canoe trip together away from civilization. As I recall, it was newsworthy at its release because of its extremely graphic violence - even now, the TV version is a little hard to sit through - I could not watch the uncut version. And now I have that "Dueling Banjos" tune running through my head. Great. But it was an interesting psychological study of what lengths people will go to bury their sins (so to speak). There are people living with us who have enormous secrets they are going to take to their graves. People you might know and work with, or go to church with, or who might check out your groceries at the store, or teach your children at school. Ever think about that?
There is a website I read every week, not for the fainthearted, and I'm warning you, there's adult content on there so don't say I didn't tell you. It's www.postsecret.com. People mail their secrets in on postcards to the webmaster who posts them on this site. It's amazing what people will post so publically but so anonymously. Take a look sometime if you've got the nerve.
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