Jane's Recent Events...

This past week was a difficult week all around.  Jane started talking  more and more about her real mom and also about her dad (great grandpa) passing away.  We could tell that this was really causing a lot of anger for her by her new actions in the classroom.  "Everyone dies... I don't need to do my work.. I'll die someday anyways!"  "No one wants me, I'm just going to run away!"  It was so hard to understand because she has really started to do so much better in second grade than we could have every thought seeing her in first grade.

 We would of course get her calmed down and then finally talked about why she was saying what she was saying.  Also, how her words hurt others because we all cared so much about her.  We did fun activities like inviting a friend to play inside recess with her and ect.  Everything was going better until P.E. one day.

 Jane has been great at P.E. because she loves playing hockey!  Like most students who are autistic, she has a had time taking turns.  Every class she wants to be the one who picks teams and since last class was her chance we had to take a turn at someone else choosing this time.  Of course her friend didn't get on her team so she was screaming and yelling at the P.E. teacher.  Her classroom aide tried to get her to calm down and understand the situation when... WHACK!  Jane smacked her across the face and then broke to the floor in tears.

 I was in a meet but as soon as I got out I heard about everything.  Jane just wanted her classroom aide to back away from her and not stand so close.  Instead of using her words though she smacked her away.  Jane felt very bad about it and apologizes numerous times.  Though, I thought it was very mature of her to apologize and not want to go home, because of your school rules she had to go home and not come back for two days. 

 I have mixed feelings about this... On one hand I think she should go home so she sees that there are consequences to our actions.... On the other hand, I'm not sure that she will see/understand that... also you always run into the issues of what are the parents doing at home, punishment or fun time?

Finally she got to come back to school and of course it was challenging to get her to do her work and not want to play all day... can you guess what mom let her do at home while she was gone from school???

 In my second year of teaching I am slowing picking up on the fact that every day is going to be different.  What worked yesterday might not work today.  I am constantly having to be creative and think of a "fun" behavior plan for the classroom.  Thank God we recently got a rabbit because she has been doing wonders.  My students respond so well to doing whatever I ask so they can earn time to get the rabbit out of her cage.  It's been a lot of fun and very helpful.  The students also like to talk to her when they are upset and feel no one else would understand. :O)