Day 1. 179 to go…

So. The scenario:
7 students.
6 TSS’s. (that’s what I am)
1 teacher.
1 teacher’s aide.

It’s an emotional support classroom, so I expected other TSS’s. But not a ratio of nearly 1:1. On one hand it’s good, cuz one would hope that with lots of adults around, the kids (actually…boys. They are all boys…And all the TSS’ are girls.) would be less inclined to act out. Except that I know that it doesn’t work like that. Proximity of adults/people doesn’t generally have too much effect on the inner workings of some of these kids’ minds.

And on the other hand….a room full of boys that have been determined eligible for constant monitoring and 1:1 supervision….feeding off each other…all year………*whines*

My kid…client…(need to think of a nickname for him) was relatively good today. Some minor things but nothing serious. All of the other kids were good. Nothing more serious than chattering without raising hands. Except the one boy without a TSS. He was the worst. Defiant and talking back to the teacher (my kid was defiant to me, but not directly to the teacher. and he doesn’t talk back. he just growls. heh.) Anyways. This other kid. He’s also big. I foresee some significant issues with him. At least my kid is somewhat small and lanky. I know I can restrain him if needed. And apparently, at some point, it will be needed according to most everyone who has worked with him….

Another thing that has me worried is one of the other TSS’ Unfortunately, it’s the one from SS! I know I need to let it go now and not be concerned, but we work for the same company and I just…wasn’t impressed with her behaviour. She chews her gum loudly and snaps it all day. She sits in the classroom without her shoes on. She talks in the hallways and staircases– the kids are supposed to be quiet and NOT talk, but she engages them in conversations…I dunno. And, while we were on the playground for recess, I came back from playing badmittin with my kid– I got him to go ask some of his peers to play, since I guess one of his issues is peer interactions- and was saying something to that effect to this TSS and she was like “you don’t know anything at all about him, do you?” in a what-could-be-construed-as-condescending-tone. I told her I had read his chart, but had only met him on Friday. And reading a chart isn’t always an accurate, all-encompassing source of info. Especially since the notes in his chart only went back to the beginning of summer and not the previous school year. And then she started hollering my kids name when he was trying to get a ball away from another kid. Ok. First of all, it’s recess. They’re 10 year olds. They weren’t fighting or being necessarily aggressive. She had her back turned to them and didn’t *see* that the other kid had taken the ball from my kid first. Second, I was right there. I was watching him. I was ready to intervene if a problem arose. I guess I felt like she was stepping on my toes, so to speak. Which…whatever, ya know? It probably wasn’t intentional. Anyways. My kid gave up trying to get the ball after a minute or so and slumped down on the ground next to a pole. The other girl was like “Oh man, he’s angry now. you better go talk to him…” Uhm…thanks for the tip. (I know, she was probably trying to help. But again…it’s all in the WAY you say things.) I was glad tho– the teacher made the other boy offer the ball back, cuz she saw him take it, too.

And I’m sure that part of what annoys me about the other TSS is just a clash of personality. She’s loud and boisterous and outgoing and somewhat know-it-all-ish and I’m not. She seems to be the kind of person who used to intimidate me but now just annoys me. heh. And I wouldn’t be bothered by it if we didn’t work for the same agency. Cuz there’s a certain image I think a person needs to present when representing a company or group. It’s the same thing that annoyed me about Allies last year…the officers were all young and didn’t seem to be aware that they were representatives of a larger group. And I’m not saying that a person should have to change every aspect of who they are if they’re in a place of ‘power’ or representing something. Hopefully they believe in whatever they’re representing and it would therefore follow that part of who they are intrisically meshes with who they’re representing. But *sometimes* you DO have to behave a certain way when in the public eye, don’t you? When you’re specifically there to represent your group or whatever.

My point being…as TSS’, we’re supposed to be professionals in the classroom. My idea of “professional” doesn’t include snapping your gum like a ditzy teenager and taking your shoes off. Certainly not on the first day.

But that’s just me.

Bed time. lah. Came home and ended up falling asleep I was so exhausted.