As many of you know, I am a special education teacher for a high school class made up of kids that are learning functional life skills such as using a washing machine, oven, reading signs, menus and how much a nickel is worth. I love it! It's much more fun that worrying about the grad exam and how many times some kid has to take algebra 1 when he or she can't multiply.
It has it's down side, too. Most teachers get duty-free lunches at least at some times during the year. We don't. We eat early in order to help students with portions on the food bar, make sure they get napkins and don't put 10 tablespoons of sugar or Sweet-N-Low in their ice water. Then, when everyone is settled, we can get our trays and begin our lunch as we keep an eye on the kids. By this time, a lot of the kids are already finished with lunch.
Monday, all the kids had gotten their tray and was eating. I couldn't wait to get mine. We were having corn dogs and I don't eat them very often, but they were the perfect lunch for me that day. As I sit down, and empty mustard packets (must have lots of mustard.....) one of the kids came from the food area with two additional milks. And it goes something like this:
ME: "Hank (not his real name), did you pay for those milks or let one of the ladies know you got them?"
Hank, who has speech impediment: "I put my number in" (the keypad doesn't work with the new lunchroom computers as of yet).
ME: "Hank, the keypad doesn't work. You need to tell L or M you got two milks."
Hank (in a very loud voice): "I am TIRED OF TALKING! I put my numbers in!! I'm not going to tell them!"
Well, according to the group of other adults sitting there, this was about the time I started pointing my corn dog at him.
ME: "Come on, we have to let them know you are getting the extra milks. If you don't that is stealing. "
Hank: (is mumbling, clearly not happy with the situation, but apparently notices I am shaking the corn dog in his direction...) "OK, Ms. Jackie"
After the situation has been dealt with and I have returned to my seat, my friend, Lisa (who is over In School Suspension) leans over and says, "Someday, will you teach me to use the corn dog?"
4 comments:
You are great with the corn dog. Have you ever considered a bread stick?
How cute... the corn dog maneuver... why hadn't I thought of that before? Yes, this is why teachers need to share strategies that work, especially regarding behavior management. Hmmm, and you get to eat the tool, unlike after pointing with erasers, pencils, or rulers!! LOL! Love the story. Bea
Maybe the corndog would have worked for me when I wanted someone to listen to me. I enjoyed that entry.
He's still having nightmares about corndogs... lol
~Meg
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