More Special Moments with Floam

Once again we were playing with Floam today, the kids really do love it even if it is a bit messy. My one guy with Autism has always loved playdough, etc. so he loves Floam. All he has ever done with anything like that is: roll it, squish it, eat it. That's it. I've worked with him for 2 yrs now and that's all he's ever done. Today we were doing the usual: rolling, squishing (trying to stop him from eating it) and an amazing thing happened. Some of the other kids were squishing their Floam into bowls/cups and pulling it out again to see the shape it made. My special little guy looked at them, reached over & grabbed a bowl, squished his Floam into it. He then stared at it for awhile, peeled it out, turned it over & looked at the shape it had become.
Wow.
Then he did it again. And again.
Triple wow.
These are the moments that get me through the day.

Batteries

We were in the "sky lounge" this morning (an indoor playspace that looks down on the big gym in our school and my kids were watching an older group of special needs students play in the gym. One girl is in a wheelchair and a little boy asked me, "What's she doing?"
Me: She riding in ther wheelchair.
Him: Why?
Me: Because she needs that chair. Her legs don't work like yours do.
Other little boy (who is fully able-bodied): My legs don't work either. The batteries in them broke.

Convos with Preschoolers.

We were playing with Floam today (if you don't know what that is, you definitely don't have/work with little kids!)

One little guy made a longish blob.

Me: What did you make?

Him: A wee-hoo!

Me: What is a wee-hoo?

Him: (holding it up) THIS is a wee-hoo!

Me: Oh, what does it do?

Him: It's a nice one.

Me: Well I'm glad it's a nice wee-hoo.

If you know what a wee-hoo is, I'd love to know! ;)

Fall

I really do love fall. The colours, the brisk breeze (knowing Christmas is around the corner) and the fun stuff we do in my class. Two of my fav activities each year are putting fresh cranberries in the water table (the kids go crazy for it) and having a leaf "fight" with my little ones. I use fake leaves (they sell them for decorating I think), fill a big bag with them, go into the circle corner and let them go nuts! It inevitably turns into burying Mrs. R in leaves, but I don't mind. I usually spend the rest of the day finding leaves stuck all over me, in my hair and down my shirt (will never fully figure out how they manage that one). I wish I could post pics of the kids covered in leaves, but you'll have to make do with pics of ME covered in leaves!

You Pick

I was playing in the house centre this morning with my students. This is always fun! The following scenario made me laugh:
S lays out two outfits for her "baby" to wear.
S: Mrs. R, which one should my baby wear?
Me: (pointing to one) I like that one.
Pause.
S: (pointing to the other one) I'm just gonna say you pick this one.
Pause.
Me: (trying not to laugh) I appreciate your honesty.

Just Play!

Playing is like breathing, hugging, prayer--you need to play. Everyone needs to play.Playing is a means of growing attraction between any two souls. You suspect two people are falling in love if they start to play together. If you want a child to love you, learn from you, imitate you, communicate with you, enjoy you--then play with that child. Both of you will experience joy.

-TAHIRIH BUSHEY http://autismgames.blogspot.com

The Daily Grind

Well the school year is now in full swing. I'm eyeball deep in writings IPPs, data collection, meetings, planning, Home Visits....just the regular daily grind.

I find that once the bloom of excitement about a new school year wears off, there are definitely stretches of time when the going gets a little rough. No matter how much I love my job deep down, there are times when I just never want to see playdough again, I don't want to sing Twinkle, Twinkle, I would give my right arm to have an ADULT conversation (that's NOT about school) in the middle of the day. There are days I just can't shake off getting chunks of my arm taken off by a 6 yr old's fingernails, or getting peed on for the second time in a day.

It'll pass I know and I will rediscover my love of Wheels on the changing diapers.

It's just the daily grind.