Days 9 and 10

Wow. . .10 whole days of first grade have passed! Zack has taught me volumes in the past few days, and I can't believe how much I didn't know about the blind. I learned as I've been teaching my students about capital letters that it is possible to make a capital in braille. . .who knew?! Zack has already learned to distinguish the little symbol next to the letter that indicates it's a capital, and his vision teacher made him a small homework assignment to circle the capital letters in the beginning of words. The vision team is AMAZING at modifying things quickly so Zack can meet the objectives of my lessons. . .I hope I am getting more efficient at sharing my copies and lesson plans and ideas with them so they feel prepared! I am planning to meet with Zack's primary vision teacher tomorrow to go over next week's lesson plans. . .yes, it's true, I'll be a full week and one day ahead of schedule! I am finding, though, that organization is the secret to making this a smooth year for Zack, the vision team and myself. We all work better when we know where we're going!
So I completely forgot and sent Zack homework last week that was not appropriate for his abilities, and I felt terrible when his stepmother pointed it out. I simply put the same page in all of the kids' mailboxes, and it was a cut out and glue activity without any braille--visuals only. Quite an obvious challenge for a blind student! Zack's stepmother was really understanding, and I asked her to please use her judgment and disregard any future assignments that are clearly not appropriate. I tried to assure her that I would stand behind her decision on an assignment if she didn't think it was something he could do. I also told her that it was likely I would do it again. . .Friday mailbox stuffing is not usually my best activity! I think she could see why I goofed up, too--when she came in, my desk was covered in weeds ("flowers" from my kids), I had five kids waiting and tapping me for who knows what reason, and I was still wearing my sparkly antenna head band (with springs and shiny silver balls) from testing the kids and "being on another planet" so they wouldn't disturb the testing. . .the life of a first-grade teacher doesn't always lend itself to remembering who doesn't get the homework! I just hope she felt my sincerity and will know that I trust her to make a call on homework I unknowingly (or possibly knowingly) send for Zack.
So I've been watching how Zack and the other kids interact, and I noticed one girl today sit beside him and attempt to move his legs so he was sitting "criss-cross applesauce" style. I asked her not to move him but to remind him to sit appropriately, and I'm not exactly sure why she felt like she needed to physically pick up his legs and move them. Zack is much smaller than the other kids (although the same age), and I think his size may impact how they see him. The girl moving his legs today treated him more like a doll than a peer. . .how do I go about adjusting their attitudes? I can help them to treat him like anyone else, but I can't build relationships and friendships for him. . .
We had a little incident this morning with Zack not wanting to stay in our class during literacy time. He kept making noises and talking, and he more or less refused to follow the directions of his vision teacher. He had to leave the classroom to go and have a talk with another vision teacher, but I'm not sure what was said. He came back acting much more appropriately, and I made sure to compliment him on his behavior multiple times throughout the day. I want to make sure that consequences for his behavior are effective, and it's definitely not as easy to create consequences for him as it is for other children. Being separated from the group, my most reliable consequence, is not necessarily effective for a kid like Zack who is already separated because of his blindness. . .just a thought. The vision team is AWESOME (in case I haven't said that already), and I know they can help me brainstorm consequences if necessary. Hopefully we won't have any incidents for a while, though. . .

Days 7 and 8

So I'm learning more every day about how Zack thinks and learns and about how I can improve my teaching to better meet his needs. I inspected the coloring "screen" that he puts his papers on top of before he draws or colors, and it makes the crayon lines so he can feel them after he draws. It was pretty cool to have him explain his drawings to me with his fingers. . .his mind is amazing!
We were talking about tigers today during our reading block, and I had the thought, how can he learn the names of things without seeing them? Don't seeing children see things before they learn the names? I can't imagine describing a big cat to a child simply for the purpose of teaching him the word "tiger," so how did he learn what a tiger is? Maybe I'm thinking more about how the opportunity to teach the word presented itself. . .did his family take him to the zoo and describe the animals? Most kids would encounter tigers in cartoons or in movies or in books or at the zoo and would have a need to learn the word, but this wouldn't be the case for Zack. I guess the same thing applies to so many things in our world. . .how do you "know" something without seeing it? Hmm. . .sounds like it goes back to the age old question of which came first, the chicken or the egg? :)
I've been watching how he interacts with the other children, and it seems like the kids in my class are intrigued with him. I'm not sure if they are building relationships with him, though. Do the other kids think they can be friends with Zack in the same way they can be friends with the seeing children? I know with the deaf boys I had last year, the hearing kids loved to learn sign language to try to be friends with the deaf boys--they were some of the most popular kids in our class! So is it different with Zack because he can't do the things the deaf kids could do without the help of his vision teacher? This is something I want to watch more closely, and I may have to go out to lunch and recess to get a real feel for how the kids are interacting with Zack. The classroom does not always present itself to relationship building and play situations, and there are not many times when he is not right next to a vision teacher or assistant. Does the presence of an adult impact how my kids view Zack? I need to get out and watch more to be able to figure this one out, but I think socialization is a huge part of Zack's school experience.
I had a great meeting with the vision team to go over my plans for this week on Friday after school, and it helped me to be more prepared for all of my kids. It may be challenging to find more time than once a week after school to have an extensive meeting with them, but they are great at finding flexibility in their schedules to work through any issues we're having. There haven't been many so far, but I am a little concerned about Zack missing math time for his vision work. I know it's really important for him to learn how to navigate around the school, and I think I need to see that he will get the education he needs whether or not he is in our room during math time. We also have an extended math block for exploration and centers this year, and his vision teacher and I have discussed using this time to cover any important material he missed while he is out doing his therapy. As long as he can get the material then, I'll be happy. I guess it's almost more important that Zack learn some life skills at school since it's really the only time he is with people who are trained to help the blind. He has to be able to take himself places and to learn how to hear and feel where walls are and to walk in a straight line with a cane and to use the bathroom on his own. . .maybe I need to re-examine what I see as "important" for first grade when it comes to special needs kids like Zack. . .

Days 5 and 6

So, Zack and I are on the same page and rocking along through the school year! His discipline problems are minimal, and I can't believe it. After our episode on Monday, I was afraid we were in for a hard few weeks. I'm hardly having to remind him to be quiet or about bathroom breaks, and he's fitting seamlessly in with our class. I'm having trouble staying up with the planning portion, but I think once this week is done, I will be able to keep the vision team prepared for what is coming. He's missing a huge portion of our math block, and I'm not sure why. His schedule is changing daily, though, so we'll see if he's in our room for math tomorrow and next week or not. I know the team wants him to use an abacus (is that spelled correctly?), but I would think most of our math curriculum is suitable.
We have started our literacy program, and it's working pretty well for Zack. His vision teacher has pre-made all of our visuals (letter cards, word cards) in braille for him to keep in his lap, and she guides him to follow along with the class. So, if I point to the letter g and say, "what's the sound for this letter," he's simultaneously touching a brailled g on his papers in his lap. I'm impressed at how quickly he's gaining fluency in braille. I guess that needs to be my next piece of research--how in the world does braille work? Are there words that are represented by symbols, or is each letter represented by a symbol? I'm thankful I'm not completely responsible for his reading because I have no clue how the braille system works. How many people do? :)
During writing time, Zack goes back to his braille machine in the back of the room to work with his vision teacher. He won't do any handwriting or work with a pencil, but he does color with crayons. There is this nifty textured board which the vision teachers put underneath his paper so he can color. It makes cool patterns, and it might leave somewhat of a texture. . .I should investigate this coloring contraption closer! The vision teachers are wonderful at adding braille to almost anything I give the kids. . .their flexibility and patience with me has made this whole inclusion process much easier. They have lots of clear labeling paper that they can braille in no time and stick on top of something. . .it's so nice. Like I said, with all of the prep work for getting ready for school to start, it was nearly impossible for me to be completely planned for this week. There are so many "off the cuff" activities like teaching procedures and rules that just come up naturally during the first week that it's challenging to plan for. My plans for next week are more or less complete (not very detailed yet), and I'm going to do my best to meet with Zack's team to go over everything tomorrow.
While I'm teaching and observing my kids, I'm going to try to start to watch how Zack's blindness is hindering or helping his efforts to make friends. Having an adult by your side all day can make it challenging, I'm sure. I'll see what I can decipher. . .stay tuned!

Days 3 and 4

Well, I wish I could say it has been an uneventful two days, but Zack and I are getting to know each other much better in these first days of school. We had a really hard time on Monday morning when Zack insisted he had to leave the class to go to the bathroom after he had taken a break only 20 minutes earlier. I reminded him that the whole class would take a break in just a minute and that he needed to wait quietly, and it didn't work. Apparently, he had quite a bit of freedom in when he could leave to use the bathroom when he was in kindergarten, and he wasn't happy with me when I wouldn't let him go. After a lost privilege and lots of tears and some inappropriate behavior, we survived. Zack and I didn't have any issues again the rest of the day, and he even earned back his lost privilege from the morning. I was prepared for round two this morning, but I did my best to prevent the situation by reminding him about our class bathroom break and how he'd only be allowed to leave once. It worked! I don't know if it was the fact that I stuck by my plan on Monday or the multitude of reminders and praise for appropriate behavior I gave, but we didn't have any defiance today! It was a huge relief.
I hope that we can stay on the same page throughout the rest of the year, but I can only imagine that he has been able to do things a little differently because of his blindness and may have a hard time when I don't allow that. The vision team has been supportive and encouraging, and they want him to be treated just as any other student. I am so grateful to have their help. . .they will make it a good year for Zack and me both! I'm just beginning to learn about how he will learn to read and to count. . .stay tuned for more information!
PS One interesting fact: the symbol for x in braille is the same as the word "it." Who knew?

Day 2

So, day 2 in first grade with Zack was much easier than day 1. I think I knew a little more of what to expect, and it was much less chaotic. I had to do less reminding of appropriate behaviors with him today, so hopefully my tough stance on the first day is paying off. I can understand his desire to be a class clown, though. It's easier to be different when you're funny! I'm noticing how Zack is always using his hands to explore his surroundings, and it's fascinating. We did show and tell bags on Friday, and after his teacher put an object in his hands, he would wrap his hands around it and feel the shape and texture. I can't imagine identifying things by touch. . .are his fingers and palms more sensitive than those of seeing children? He has braille on his nametag (the nametags all of the kids are still wearing since we're still learning who they are), and he'll rub on it constantly while we're sitting at the carpet. I guess if you only have auditory stimulation to keep you focused, it's helpful to add in other senses.
I'm also noticing that when I talk to him, I feel like I need to hold on to his hand so he knows where I'm standing in relation to him. When I reach out to his hand, he almost always feels my wrist and my forearm. Does he use this to help "identify" me? Do my rings and my watch help him know who I am? What about my perfume and shampoo and scents? I'm fascinated by the mental processes he uses to know who is who. Does he create mental images, and if he does, how do they compare to reality?
The kids were great with him again on Friday, and I only noticed two areas that need addressing. One is partially my fault--when Zack left to go work with his vision teacher, I told him good-bye, and the entire class chimed in to say good-bye. It was sweet, but we need to address that. He will be coming in and out often, and it's not really okay for us to disrupt our learning for this. We wouldn't do it for a child going to the bathroom or nurse, so I don't think it's appropriate for every time Zack leaves, either. Also, I noticed some of the kids trying to support him when he was walking through a maze of seated kids at the carpet. I know they meant well, but I want to make sure they don't baby him or make him feel like he is not capable of doing something this simple on his own. We'll see. . .we're off to a great start, though. The vision teams' personalities have all meshed really well with mine so far, and I think it's going to be a perfect fit in the classroom. I hope they feel the same!
One more thought before I close out. . .I had an overwhelming feeling of sadness on Friday when I thought about Zack using his sense of touch and smell to know who I am. Maybe some of it was the exhaustion of the first week of school bringing out my emotions, but I was in tears at the thought of what all he is missing. He has no way to know what he looks like or what I look like or what the color red looks like or what the sky looks like. . .I know I can't let myself feel sorry for him and that I need to focus on what he does have rather than what he doesn't have, but wow. . .I didn't expect that. I guess I'll just have to work through it as I learn more about him and how to teach him.

Day 1

So my first official day as Zack's teacher is over, and it was such a huge learning experience. When I met him this morning, I put my hand on his shoulder and introduced myself and welcomed him in. Poor little guy--if he hadn't had his paraprofessional with him, he would have been completely lost in the chaos. I wonder what it's like for him. . .all of the sounds of new students and their parents, the announcements going on in the background, and he can't see any of it. Once everyone was settled, we went on a tour of the school to learn about the proper behavior in certain areas. He likes to talk to his para (who wouldn't--he has someone with him all day), and I had to ask him to be quiet a few more times than the other kids. He is very respectful, though, and always responds to my redirections by correcting his behavior.
The other children were a little unsure of him at the beginning of the day, but after we returned from the tour to hear a story and play a name game, they were warming up to him. As we were reading the story, I started thinking about how much he was missing without the pictures. I'd try to describe every page to the whole class for his benefit, pointing out details and important pieces. I didn't know what else to do--I need to talk to his team to find out what they think about this. When we played the name game (the kids introduced themselves after a rhyme), I ran into a problem when I would point to a child we had already heard from and ask, "Who is this?" There was no way for him to know what I was doing, but his para would whisper in his ear where I was pointing. I tried to have them say "hello" before we said their name so he could have another chance to connect names to voices, but it was hard for the kids to understand what I was asking them to do. I gave up on it about half-way through as the kids starting getting antsy.
When we had our group discussion about the rules, I tried to repeatedly mention his name and include him. His team told me the more I could include him in the discussion the better, but I didn't want to include him significantly more than the other children. I was much more aware of trying to say every child's name at some point in the discussion to help them to stay engaged, and I think my work with Zack may help me to become more aware of my students' participation in discussions.
I became a little frustrated with myself today when I realized how often I tell my students to look at me or to put their eyes on me or to look over at something. I rely heavily on visual cues, and I am going to have to be proactive in order to correct this. I tried to say "point your body toward me" or "turn toward me" and to give exact locations instead of saying "over there" and pointing. We'll see. . .it will definitely be a learning process!
The adults in my classroom today were phenomenal, and it couldn't have gone better. Our previous meetings in which we discussed my role in Zack's discipline (I am to be the primary disciplinarian) and how important it is for me to treat him just like the other kids was really helpful. The vision team was so sweet and encouraging, and I think we will work well together. Their suggestions for adding braille to a few additional things around the room were great, and I'm anxious to meet with them to debrief about what I can work on.
The kids warmed up to Zack in the afternoon today when we were choosing the name for our time out / refocus area. He (possibly being a little bit clownish--he tends to like to get a laugh) suggested the name "The Egg," and the kids voted for his name by an overwhelming majority. I think they were excited for him that his name was the winner, and they seemed much more eager to sit with him at the carpet. I need to talk to the vision team about what to teach the kids when they interact with them. I told them today that they needed to tell him who they were when they sat next to him or came up and sat behind him so they wouldn't startle him if he didn't know they were there. They seemed to take to the idea just fine (and to understand the purpose of saying, "Hi Zack, my name is ____, and I'm sitting behind you." We'll see. . .I have so much to learn!

T Minus 34 Hours. . .

The countdown has begun. . .I will officially be the homeroom teacher for a blind first-grader, Zack, in about 34 hours. I was beginning to feel like I was almost ready for the kids to arrive, and then I met with the vision team today. . .there is SO much I don't know! The biggest shock was remembering that everything I will be giving the kids needs to be brailled for Zack. . .I am going to have to be really prepared and on top of my game to keep everyone feeling organized and life running smoothly in room 5. I think it will be a huge learning experience to always be planned for an entire week ahead. . .talk about organized and on-top of things. . .I might really love this extra pressure! We'll see. . .I'm realizing how visual my teaching is and how so many of my activities involve coloring and drawing. I am thankful, though, that Zack and I will be able to communicate. I have taught deaf students in the past, and my sign language is horribly limited. It was frustrating for both the students and me to have that barrier between us, so I am thankful that Zack will be able to communicate with me. I'll have to be aware of my body language and my eye contact and realize he doesn't have those pieces to connect to my words. I better get some sleep. . .I have lots to do tomorrow to get ready for all of my students, blind and seeing!