First couple of days with Kids!

G'day everyone!

Today was my second day with kids in my new classroom. They are absolutely wonderful! I don't know if I'm ever going to get over how cute little kids' accents are!!!

My Class 

These two days have been wonderful!!! My kids are so great. They are a talkative bunch, and a headstrong bunch, but I wouldn't have them any other way! 

I have three students with an ASD (autism spectrum disorder) diagnosis, and one without a diagnosis, but I'm 95% sure she is on the spectrum/could get a diagnosis. I got on well immediately with all four, but one student is going to need some more intervention before her behavior is more typical of a third grader. 

Some behaviors she exhibits include yelling at other students, being physically aggressive when other students don't act the way she wants them to, makes noises in frustration that aren't acceptable in a classroom, and decides to leave the room whenever she wants. She also has an attachment to a fuzzy yellow toy in the classroom, which used to be comforting for her, but now initiates a bit more hindrance than help. 

Tomorrow, we're planning on putting an intervention into effect which requires her to earn time with the toy, rather than expecting to have it immediately. She will earn minutes with the toy throughout the day, and however many she has earned is tacked on at the end of the day. So, if she earns ten minutes of toy time, she gets it at 3:20 - 10 minutes before school ends.

Our big question, however, is where to put the toy now.

Currently she knows where it is in a drawer in our collaborative space. So, she just goes to get it whenever she wants to. This is not conducive to working in a classroom, and it works as more of a crutch than anything else.

The question is, should we move it a place where she can't reach it or see it, move it to a place where she can see  it, but can't get it, or leave it where it is. 

If she can't see it or reach it: It may be out of sight out of mind, or she may feel we have taken something of hers.

If she can see it, but can't get it: She no longer has the ability to go and get it herself without earning it, but it may just frustrated her - and she may even try to climb up somewhere or something to get it.

If we leave it where it is: she may feel more secure, but she could get it whenever, and would continue to use it that way.

Thoughts? Opinions? Ideas?

I've changed the settings, so you can make a comment even if you're not a google member:)

My Lesson

My classroom is wonderful; I've made a great connection with several of my kids, mostly due to my nerdity that's similar to that of a nine-year-old boy. After sharing with those boys that I love doctor who, star trek, star wars, video games and computer games, I may be the coolest thing since sliced bread. Also, that I can shuffle and list the fifty states in order is pretty cool.

Today I did a lesson on America, which included talking about the flight I took, where I live, the states in America, and a look at some American money. I brought in coins and a dollar bill which the students were all really interested in, and they all begged to see my driver's license.

Australia in General

Which leads me to another interesting Australian discovery; in Australia, there are two different driver's licenses; one is for a manual transmission, and the other is for an automatic. If you only have an automatic license, you're not allowed to drive a car with a manual transmission until you've had your license for four years! Crazy, eh?

Anyway, I should go spend time with some people, feel free to comment, and give me any suggestions about what you might do for that student:-D.

Thanks for reading! More tomorrow!

-Megan

P.S. I've joined a netball team today! Which, from what I can tell, is basically basketball with no backboard....but I guess we'll see...