VBS Tonight

Well Tonight went SOOO well.....

The kiddoes did so well. Flamingo had memorized a verse Exodus 20.3 and she had been practicing for 3 whole days. But then the pastors wife up and changed everything and another girl said the same verse...:( O-she was heartbroken for a second.....but she knew she knew it and she quickly smiled past it as sh elooked at me. And to make it even better she won the award for the most points in her age group-WHOOT!O-she was pleased!!!!Talk abt a frown turning upside down-eh? :)

Monkey boy stood up and recited the wordless book he had learned. Its a little wordless book with different colors and no words. Page 1 is Yellow=Heaven, page 2 is black=sin, page 3 is red=Jesus's bloood he shed, page 4 is white=makes our sins white as snow, page 5 is green=grow( read your Bible)
He was too cute and so brave-eh?

Stinger was very quite as usual, but he did go up and get his certificate and he was all smiles. Something tonight I just cant get over was when we were sitting down and eating. Stinger sat at the end of the table(he always chooses this seating deal)He always insist that Flamingo and then Monkey Boy sit on each side of him, and I noticed another little boy take this seat he usually insist on for them. I thought to myself "oh-no....." So I sat down next to them just to monitor. I listened and Stinger was actually talking to this kid. I COULD NOT believe it!!!!! He was actually having a conversation with him-it was AWESOME!!!!!Ill share it with you as it was so awesome and funny too...LOLOLOL It went something like this:
Stinger- "Do you like Hannah Montana?"
Other kid- "Why , do you?"
Stinger- "NO!!!!-She drives me crazy!"(Stinger cant stand her-but Flamingo is always wanting to watch her)
Other kid- "No-I dont like her either-thats girl stuff"

LOLOLOLOLOLOL-eh?

Stinger- "Do you like Sponge Bob?"
other kid-" Yeah, I like Sponge Bob"
Stinger- "guess what?....Monkey boy likes that girl over there..."
...bunch of giggling........
It was going so well I could actually get up and go talk to some parents and leave him alone with this boy. I cant remember the last time I have been able to not monitor his interactions and interceed for him when he gets stuck or something goes wrong etc when it comes to him talking iwth other kids.

But teh conversation was too funny-eh? But it was AMAZING. I have NEVER seen him open up to someone like that -a KID-his OWN AGE!!!!!!So it was a VERY -WOW- night for me at least. AND he let this kid sit NEXT TO HIM!!!!I still cant get over it!

I know-it sounds so trivial. But its a MONUMENTAL turning point for Stinger-and a BIG thing for him to do. Maybee I think Maybee.....he's starting to realize that kids arent all the bad guys like he has experianced(thanks Public School for teaching him such good socialization)ugh and people say PS is soo important for this..........not in Stingers case...anyway......I wont get that ball started right now-LOLOLOL
Maybee Stinger is seeing that peers can be trusted, and maybee even fun? Which of course means BIG things and more steps to come hopefully-ykwim?I can only think its because hes got more confidence and isnt being put down anymore like he was at PS with his peers and no help came from his teachers in dealing with this.

I spoke to all the kids tonight as I was tucking them in for bed. Telling them each how very proud I was of them. How they all made such good choices and sang so pretty and participated so well. They all beamed. I love to see them so proud of themselves and their faces-its the most beautiful thing in the world-as any parent Im sure can attest to-eh?
Anyway-PROUD MOMMA BEAR tonight...again...LOLOLOLOLOL

Last Day of VBS

Well tomorrow is the last day of VBS.
We will be going to the church for awards and certificats and hot dogs :)Should be really fun. The kids are realy excited-LOLOL, especially since they saw the certificats. I talked with Stinger tonight and he said he only wanted to go so he could get his certificate! LOLOLOL How funny! He then wanted to make sure the hot dogs would NOT have mustard on them-LOLOLOL He cracks me up;)
So thats the plan for tomorrow. Then Mal-Mart shopping this weekend in Brigham. I forgot to mention abt our experiance last weekend. The major road to Logan has been closed but Mrs K mentioned that there was an alternate route-a detour so to speak. So we decided to take a look and try the detour. BIG MISTAKE. Wash board roads, one way roads, over high areas and curves. Basically a Suburban nightmare-ughhhh-it was SOOO not fun! LOLOLOL So we got to Logan finally, and we didnt want to go back the same way so we had to take the canyon road-which took foooooooooor -----ever. So basically no Sams for awhile-LOLOLOL.
But Ill put the pool out and the kids can play all weekend :) And I can CHILL! Sounds good eh? Low key sounds oh so nice with our busy week we've had......LOLOLOL.
Dh has soem painting projects he wanst to do thsi weekend. He got some rust paint stuff and so hes gunna be out in the garage all weekend-I just feel it-LOLOLOL. We got rid of our riding mower and have bought some more push mowers. Stinger just LOVES to mow-LOLOLOLOL.So its Mom, Dad and Stinger usually mowing.... But hes also got a beater rider thats his project-so hes trying to fix it up over a period of time. Men-They've got to have their projects ya know. As long as its not a car I'll not loose my mind ;)LOLOLOLOL-he-he;)

Vacation Bible School and What-Nots

Well things are running ard here this week....
Monday was the start of Vacation Bible School again. I was unsure how the kiddoes would do as the regulars who come up from S. Carolina to do it will only be coming up every other year an it will be the pastors wife etc the other years. But they all have been enjoying it.

Stinger has been actively participating in EVERY activity and he's eating the snacks in the middle at breaks-WHOOT!!!!Hes just been doing wonderful-standing for our pledges, and songs. Speaking of-This year has been the first year I have actually heard of the Bible pledge and Christian Flag pledge. First for the kiddoes too. I thought it was rather interesting and wondered if it wa sjust something teh pastors wife had thought up to do. But I asked Dh abt it and all growing up he learned these pledges too. Must be a S. Babtist thing? But three kids walk in holding the American Flag and the Christian flag and the Bible and stand up at the front. This is a big thrill too for the kids to walk at the head of the line holding these things-LOLOLOL.

But that is how VBS is started each day with three pledges-American, Christian, and then Bible. Interesting......-eh? Pstors wife calls everyone to attention and then salute( ahnd on heart) and then they recite the pledges. Stinger thoinks its very strange-LOLOL-you know how he is aboutstarting thinsg that are just a bit different. But hes okay with it and hes doing VERY well with everything.

Flamingo is counting pennies every night to get them ready for the offering the next day. All the pennies the kids bring in are going to a missionary family in Chicago. They have contests every day to see which side's bucket weighs the heaviest. So Flamingo goes ard seeing how many pennies she can find each day...LOLOLOL

Monkey Boy is doing very well too-he raises his hands to say the blessing each time someone asks-LOLOLOL He's alwasy volunteering for every little thing....

The topic this year is "Do Right". Daniel is the book being studied and the kids love listening to the stories-as do I :)

This week also we are starting back with Mr. B interacting with Stinger at the house Mr B comes every Tusday at 4. Mrs. K comes to the house every Wed at 4 to see abt behavior help and any issues we are having. So its been a running ard week with VBS also every night at 6.

Stinger actually talked with Mr. B this week though! WHOOT! So we are getting there-just baby steps-but at least they are steps. No running away, no hiding....GOOD baby steps. :)

Tomorrow we are going to the pool and then to Wendys for some burgers, then off to VBS at 6. Last week Stinger and Flamingo girl jumped off the diving board!!!!!It was a bunch of big breaths for me!!LOLOLOLOL. But they both were adamant abt trying it and they loved it and are anxious to do it again tomorrow! LOLOLOL

But thats abt all thats been going on. A bunch of what-nots! LOLOLOL
My garden is going great. But absolutely NO cucumbers this year I guess...sigh...O-well....

New Developments...

Nah......-no Dr updates-LOLOLOL-they never called today-so Ill call tomorrow.

Anyway-this weekend we moved Stinger and Monkey Boy into the same room-I know!!!!! *gasp* LOLOLOL

Things have been going VERY VERY well though :) WHOOT!!!!!!!No more Monkey sticky fingers-he loves it!LOLOL He says its like having a sleepover every night!
And Stinger-boy-hes doing okay too :)I know-I cant believe it either!
He still gets a certain time each day when he can have his alone time in there-which I think he REALLY needs to feel okay, and Monkey Boy has been doing realy well abt keeping out of things and playing realy well with his toys now!
So maybee thats just what he needed-to feel included in Stinger's life-eh? He seams to be in such better spirits and isn't whining as much and crying all the time. WHOOT!!!!
So Id say its a SUCCESS-eh? !!!!!:) WHOOT!

So what to do with an empty room..hmmmm.....-well shucks I need a school supply room! LOLOLOLOL;)
So Ive been moving all my things into there and all the paper for fun times and pencils-all the games too-its now our fun room! COOL-eh?

So anyways-thats our new development-LOLOLOL Im just thrilled though how the two boys are getting on-its wonderful to see and Monkey Boy-he's so happy now :)

The kids have been in our new pool and just been loving it-ALL DAY! Man-I can barely get them to stop and come in to eat-LOLOLOLOL But they have been having so much fun. Its good to see Stinger outside too. Hes been loving taking charge and playing games and Flamingo and Monkey Boy have been loving his direction-LOLOLOL-good thing eh?;)
But its been so nice.

Last night we witnessed something truly breathtaking. It was abt 10:00 at night and I was taking Tink out potty and some birds abt knocked me over. I thought I was going nuts-which has been happening alot lately-LOLOL;) There was abt 4 of them and they were just swooping in the night air. They were larger birds and had that white stripe underneath their wings-are these nightinggales?
So I quickly and quietly went back in and called the kids out and we all sat under the tree and watched them. They were so close and they were so beautiful swooping. Ive never seen anything like it-WAY cool!I thought it was breathtakingly beautiful-though I couldnt see them all too well and it was dark-it was really neat. The kids thought it was too-they could literally touch them they came that close.Thrilling for sure.

Flamingo has a swallow nest outside her window too. We watched them day by day build it up from nothing. She thinks its so neat-that shes like that Cinderella cartoon when she wakes up and sings with the birds and that all the birds adore her-"...of course thats why they are there by my window Mom!!!"LOLOLOL Shes oh too funny!
She's got a love of nature like me thast for sure-shes always pointing out beautiful things and wanting me to see them with her. Which is really nice :)She's got that tender animal lover heart too-broken so easily. You should hear her scold the boys when they smoosh a bug or try and ruin an ant hill-LOLOLOL

I am so blessed. Each and every day I realise this more and more simply looking and talking with my little angels. And boy-they teach me every day too-each and every day. I wouldnt trade my life for anything. Bliss...pure bliss...

Parental "Rights" to Classroom Visitation

This is pretty lengthy, but we have been having a discussion abt this on one of my boards. I thought this was really good info-if not ludicrous!
ANOTHER reason to homeschool our special kids in my honest opinion....
So basically they can do what they want, when they want and we as parents cant even observe the classroom even in cases of suspected abuse? C.R.A.Z.Y-PERIOD!
> >
> > As a general rule, no parent has a "right" to visit
> > his/her child's classroom. The only exception to this general rule
> > is that, as a part of an evaluation or reevaluation of an eligible
> > (exceptional) child, a parent may require observation on a
> > reasonable basis by a professional designated by them. The purpose
> > of such an observation, however, is not to observe the classroom
> > that the student is in. Rather, such an observation is for the
> > purpose of observing the child within that environment.
> >
> > The United States Department of Education's Office of
> > Civil Rights has held that no requirement exists in federal law
> that
> > would require classroom visitations as a part of special education
> > due process procedures. OCR's rulings on this issue, of course,
> > relate to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The
> > requirements, however, of the IDEA have been interpreted no
> > differently. The recent amendments to the IDEA have not changed
> the
> > requirements of federal law on this point. As was observed
> recently
> > in an Oregon SEA decision, see, Hillsboro Sch. Dist., No. DP 99-
> > 102, 4 ECLPR 117 (June, 1999), the IDEA insures that parents will
> be
> > able to participate in meetings and that they will be able to be
> > accompanied by experts, and nothing in the IDEA insures that
> parents
> > will be able to participate in discovery like tactics on school
> > grounds during school hours. Reference to Appendix A of the new
> > federal regulations, which extensively discuss parental IEP
rights,
> > yield no different results. In the absence of some express
> > authority for the proposition that an observation is allowed,
> > observations must be deemed to be at the discretion of the
> > district.
> >
> > At the state level, the following is a quote from
> Samuel
> > R. Bashore, Chief of the Division of Regional Review, Department
of
> > Education, to a June, 1986 response to the Education Law Center:
> >
> > Your letter is correct in concluding that neither state
> > nor federal law give parents the explicit right to observe a
> > proposed special education placement before the parents agree to
> > that placement for their child. I do not find any language in
> state
> > or federal special education law that reasonably supports your
> > conclusion that this right is implied in law to be part of parent
> > involvement in the decision process regarding either an initial
> > placement or a proposed change in placement.
> >
> > Federal and Pennsylvania special education regulations
> > do accord parents attending their child's preplacement IEP
> > conference the right to meet with their child's teacher and the
LEA
> > supervisor. 34 CFR Section 300.344; 22 Pa. Code Section 341.16.
> If
> > the parents need a description and an explanation of the proposed
> > placement and program, it can be sought at the IEP conference.
> > Based upon that description and explanation, any questions the
> > parents may pose at the conference, and any modifications that the
> > parents may wish in the IEP, the parents may decide whether to
> agree
> > to a proposed placement. This IEP conference process, along with
> > parent review of the child's education records and evaluations,
> > appears to be the mechanism that the law intends for parents to
use
> > in making informed decisions about their child's proposed
> > placement. I cannot agree that this mechanism necessarily includes
> > visits to the child's proposed classroom while it is in session.
> >
> > On the general issue of classroom visits and
> > observations, there is nothing in the Public School Code, State
> > Board of Education regulation, or PDE standards which gives a
> parent
> > the right to visit or observe a classroom, regular education or
> > otherwise. Whether parents may visit their child's classroom while
> > in session is a matter governed by whatever policies have been
> > adopted on this subject by the district board of school directors.
> >
> > Most Districts that nonetheless allow visitations
> > severely restrict such access, if they allow it at all. There are
> a
> > number of reasons why most Districts strictly limit parental
> > visitation. Principal among these are privacy rights of other
> > children who are present in the classroom. Other reasons are that
> > parents are generally not trained educators, their presence can
> > interfere with student discipline and professional evaluation, and
> > liability concerns. Of additional concern to Districts is the
> issue
> > of direction and control. A parent who is present in a classroom
> is
> > not under the direction or control of the classroom teacher,
> his/her
> > supervisor, the administration, or the Board. Thus, if an untoward
> > incident occurs, there is no ability to discipline or otherwise
> hold
> > the parent responsible. Finally, in this post-Columbine era,
> > security is an issue. Many districts today actively discourage an
> > environment in which it is usual to see strangers in the schools.
> >
> > A quick review of recent OCR and state SEA decisions
> > turned up numerous decisions that are in accord with the above
> > principles, the most succinctly stated of which is a Washington
> > State decision, In re David M., 507:488 IDELR (1986). Other
> > decisions supporting the principle that classroom visitations are
> > discretionary with the District and not subject to the
jurisdiction
> > of a special education hearing officer are Pittsfield (MA) School
> > District FAPE, 352:62 IDELR (OCR 1985); Lake Bluff Sch. Dist. 65
> > (Visitation/Procedural Safeguards), 29 IDELR 915 (OCR 1998); Kent
> > (WA) Sch. Dist. No. 415 (Retaliation), 29 IDELR 914 (OCR 1998);
> > School Dist. of Philadelphia (PA) (Retaliation), 24 IDELR 1188
(OCR
> > 1996); Edwardsburg (MI) Pub. Sch. Dist. (Due Process), 16 EHLR 100
> > (OCR 1989).
> >
> > It must be noted that some of the decisions above-cited
> > suggest that a part of an evaluation in a particular case may
> > necessitate a visit by a professional for the purpose of observing
> > the child in his/her environment. This might be necessary in a
> > particular case in order to assure that an evaluation is
> > appropriate. However, this should never form a basis for allowing
> > visitation of proposed placements.
> >
> > If the Congress of the United States or the
> Pennsylvania
> > Legislature had envisioned that a situation could arise where it
> > would be necessary to allow a parent into the classroom in order
to
> > provide a FAPE, there would be regulatory or statutory authority
> for
> > the same. Instead, all explorations of this issue, including an
> > extensive review of Federal caselaw, have concluded that such
> > authority does not exist.
> >
> > The only exception, offering a contrary conclusion, was
> > set forth in "In Re the Educational Assignment of Michael C., a
> > student in the United School District", Special Education Opinion
> > No. 337 (1988). In this Appeals Opinion, Past Secretary of
> > Education Thomas K. Gilhool, without citing any authority for his
> > ruling, held that the parents were entitled to visit their child's
> > class to observe instruction so that they can participate more
> > knowledgeably in the development of their child's IEP.
> >
> > Secretary Gilhool's decision is not totally out of line
> > with the concept that, in the case of an evaluation, it may be
> > necessary for a professional to observe a given child in his or
her
> > class setting. It, however, lacks any legal basis for its
> > conclusion that a parent has a right to observe classes generally.
> > Certainly, it cannot be cited for the proposition that a parent
has
> > a right to observe a class or classes that a child is proposed to
> > be placed in.
> >
> > Additionally, Secretary Gilhool's opinion in Michael
> C.
> > may no longer be cited as controlling authority in support of the
> > argument that parents are entitled to visit their children's
> > classrooms following the Courts' rulings in Muth V. Smith, 646 F.
> > Supp. 280 (E.D. Pa. 1986) and Muth v. Central Bucks School
> > District,839 F.2d 113, 130 (3rd Cir. 1988), rev'd on other grounds
> > sum nom., Muth v. Delmuth, 491 U.S. 223 (1998) (quoting Hensley v.
> > Eckerhart, 461 U.S. 424,433, 440 (1983)).
> >
> > The Muth decisions collectively held that
> the "Secretary
> > of Education of Pennsylvania (Gilhool) is an employee of
the "state
> > educational agency," and as such, may not review a decision of a
> > hearing officer in an initial due process hearing on appeal."
Muth,
> > Supra. Accordingly, the Courts' decisions in the Muth cases
> > effectively serve to invalidate and overturn any Appeals Opinions
> > issued by the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education. Therefore,
> > Secretary Gilhool's decision in Michael C., Id., is no longer
> > controlling or binding in the area of parental visitation of
> > classrooms.
> >
> > In conclusion, parents have no "right" to visit
> > classrooms under Section 504, the IDEA, or the Pennsylvania Public
> > School Code. In the absence of a statutory basis, such a right can
> > only be conferred at the discretion of the local district.
> >
> >
>

Okay Im bored Already......

Sheesh....... okay well I know Im bored as Im finding just soo many things I need to do( which I dont have to do) LOLOLOL Does that make any sense.
Ive set up our notebook, with folders for every subject.
Ive gone through each lesson
Written it down, paraphrase of course, for each day.
Im fixin to go in and transfer everything to that websight *need to do* ;)
Ive done this for every subject except for History and Science(still waiting to receive these ones)

Can you tell Im sooo ready to GO!!!LOLOLOL

I figure if I write them down-LOLOL, then all Ive got to do is check it off each day. I know it probably wont happen-but incase anyone comes knocking at our door-Ill be good to go. Ill highlight for the day, then cross it off once understood or completed etc.

This will be our first year actually keeping track of things-so can you tell Im being a little paranoid-LOLOL

But Im bored-as soon as I finish Im bored-I just want to get started soo bad and I dont think I know what to do with myself-LOLOLOL

the websight details to get on and look can be emailed upon request

I started Flamingo on a latch hook project-shes thrilled of course, Stinger liked it too-so Ive got to get a project going for him as well. He wants to start a cross-stitch project I have with a bear and a honey tree with bees buzzing all ard-go figure that one eh? ;)LOLOL
Dh doesnt think its quite appropriate-LOLOLOL, but we shall see if its to hard for him.
Monkey Boy is still going through the whines every time anyone breathes. Its gotten REALLY bad. Weve tried corners, in room, spankens, you name it-so we are doing the no treats for the day etc-and a big treat if he goes the day without-kinda working...LOLOLOL
All I know is that isnt going to fly real well in K-so Im trying to nip it in the bud but its not going too well.

Its raining again today-blah weather....should be good for my things( notice I said things) LOLOLOL growing out in the garden :P Ive Gotta lot of other things growing out there that havent been identified as yet...LOLOOLOL

Our Planning Websight :)

Okay well-I havent gotten all my goodies yet-Im missing Science and History-on the way. But I found this websight-its VERY Mamma friendly-LOLOLOL
Its where Im going to keep track of everything we are doing with Stinger throughout the year. VERY COOL-eh? Ive already gotten our schedule up and running. I put the starting date abt Aug 14-but we will start whenever Flamingo and Monkey Boy start.
You can view the sight by just clicking on the picture to the right with the mamma and child its under the Title " Our Hive of Learning" :)
WHOOT!!!! So anyway-in case you all want to tag along with us-there it is :) LOLOLOLOL

BEE stings......

WELL WELL WELL....THIS is some helpful info to have ard OUR house! LOLOLOL Thought you all might be interested in it too? :)

BEE STINGS...THIS REALLY WORKS!!!Posted by Diana Terry on May 28, 2008 at 12:26pm in IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU

View Discussions

WHO KNOWS? IT MAY BE WORTH TRYING.

This information may be something to remember, as this season will soon be here again...

It might be wise to carry a penny in your pocket while working
in the yard......... BEE STINGS !

A couple of weeks ago, I was stung by both a bee and hornet while working in the garden.

My arm swelled up, so I went to the doctor. The clinic gave me cream and an antihistamine. The next day the swelling was getting progressively worse, so I went to my regular doctor. The arm was Infected and needed an antibiotic. The doctor told me - ' The next time you get stung, put a penny on the bite for 15 minutes'.

That night, my niece was stung by two bees. I looked at the bite and it had already
started to swell. So, I taped a penny to her arm for 15 minutes. The next morning,
there was no sign of a bite. We decided that she just wasn't allergic to the
sting.

Soon, I was gardening outside. I got stung again,
twice by a hornet on my left hand. I thought, here I go again to the
doctor for another antibiotic.

I promptly got my money out and taped two pennies to my bites, then sat
and sulked for 15 minutes. The penny took the string out of the bite immediately.

In the meantime the hornets were attacking, and my friend was stung on the thumb.
Again the penny. The next morning I could only see the spot where the hornet had
stung me. No redness, no swelling. My friend's sting was the same; couldn't even tell
where she had been stung.

She got stung again a few days later upon her back---cutting the grass!
And the penny worked once again.

Wanted to share this marvelous information in case you experience the
same problem. We need to keep a stock of pennies on hand .

The doctor said that the copper in the penny counteracts the bite. It definitely works!

Please remember and pass this information on to your friends, children,
grandchildren, etc.

How Far Should Teacher Go to Include Children with Autism?....

Um......HELLO! As far as they would go for any other typical child in their class to see that they succeed! ....sigh.......PEOPLE!!!!!UGH.....LOLOLOL
PROBLEM- teachers are only taught how to teach the typical students -to teach "in the box" so to speak.
Sollution- more teachers need more training to get out of that box they are in!
=========================>money school districts dont want to spend
=========================>the child gets blamed for teachers lack of training..PERIOD.
Do they honestly think these kids ASK for disabilities, to recieve "special treatment" so they can be set apart in front of their peers?...please!....-they just want a fighting chance to succeed like their other peers have.
All I can say is that those incharge better get a grip-and soon. Disabilities are not going to just dissapear and Autism classifications wont either. Its no wonder why NEA and Dept of Ed are worried abt homeschoolers......those numbers are rising too.
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The story of Alex Barton who was "voted out of kindergarten" has raised a lot of strong feelings among parents who see their children (or their younger selves) in Alex - and worry that teachers are no more tolerant of differences now than they were decades ago. This is, of course, a real and legitimate fear. And, while schools are theoretically more inclusive of children with autism than they ever were, it's my impression that most parents don't feel their kids are truly a part of the school community.
With all these concerns on the one hand, it's also the case on the other hand that schools and teachers are pressed very, very hard to provide "special" accommodations for increasing numbers of students. It's not uncommon for a regular ed teacher of 21 students to have 6 students with Individualized Educational Plans in her class - and only minimal special education training and support. At the same time, schools and teachers are also required to prepare all of those students for stringent, high stakes tests - tests that are extremely challenging to students with special needs.

Right now, I'm in the middle of reviewing a book called Asperger Syndrome in the Inclusive Classroom (Betts, Betts and Gerber-Eckard). The book is intended for teachers, and describes some very time-and-energy-intensive accommodations that can (and in their opinion should) be made for the child with Asperger syndrome. The book, for example, describes a teacher as selecting reading material for the entire class on the basis of one autistic child's special interests - and then engaging the class in discussions and activities focused on those interests. It describes a teacher calling a family of a child with autism prior to the start of the school year, providing the parents and child with a special tour, and creating a photo-based visual plan, schedule and map for the child.

From a parent's point of view, of course, this kind of positive and special treatment sounds fabulous. That, I'd like to think, is what inclusion is all about. But from a teacher's point of view, it sounds overwhelming. Should the teacher be expected to provide not one but six or seven students with a special tour and set of visual aids? Should she select reading materials to accommodate each student's individual interests?

In short, how far should teachers go to include children with autism in their classroom? Is there a limit? Should teachers be rewarded for taking extra time to support their students with special needs? What are your thoughts?

Florida Teacher Reassigned.....ugh

Oh yeah........now she can just be some other poor childs nightmare come true-BRAVO people!GET A CLUE!!!!It just amazes me the stupidity of some people.......
Yeah-can you tell this topic gets right under my skin-LOLOLOL
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Update: Florida Teacher Reassigned After "Voting Out" Boy with Autism

This article was printed on the TC Palm (Florida) website on May 29th: Morningside Elementary kindergarten teacher Wendy Portillo has been reassigned until further action may be determined, according to St. Lucie County School District spokeswoman Janice Karst.
...Portillo was reassigned out of the classroom at the district offices on Friday, as soon as Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon heard about the incident, Karst said. She said it could be up to two weeks before the district's investigation on the matter is concluded.

Portillo has been a St. Lucie County teacher for 12 years, and at Morningside Elementary for nine, Karst said.

Barton said Tuesday morning that Alex had officially been diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. He is not in school, but misses the one friend he made in the classroom, she said.

"He's a little better today," she said. "He's just being Alex."

Barton said she thinks Portillo should be fired.

"She has no business being near children at all," she said.

As to the news of Portillo being reassigned, Barton responded, "That's just a slap in the face."
For folks who are interested, there are a number of autism advocacy groups involved with this situation. The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network has been particularly active; you can find out more at their website.

Ahhh...... Lazy sleeping in Summer.....LOLOLOL

Yeah....back to reality......LOLOLOL;)Who are we kidding...LOLOLOL
Well at least I dont have to get Flamingo on the bus every morning for awhile-Thats a plus-eh? I LOVE having her home:) She's always asking me to carry her-LOLOLOLOL-just wants in every way to be close to me-LOOOOVE it!Im lovin being outside with all of the kiddoes and working in my garden :)

I had a WONDERFUL B-Day :)We celebrated on Sunday. The kids and Dh woke me up(after letting me sleep in) with a Happy Birthday song :)Then all the kids brought me their homemade cards they had made-VERY sweet! :)We had a really nice breakfast and then waited for Papa and Nana to show up.

It was so nice to see them. Its always nice to get hugs and kisses from Mom and Dad-Ill never get to old for those-ever! LOLOLOLOL

They got me a really nice dish set. They have an ivy pattern on them-really pretty- I love them. I washed them all and put them up in the cupboard so I can look at them(the cupboard with glass shelves). I was going to replace all my dishes with them-but I realized after I opened them up that they are really nice and I want to take good care of them-that wont happen if we use them every day. So we will have them for Sunday meals and company and Holidays I think. That way they will stay nice and it will be nice to have something special to eat on for special times-eh?

We had lasagna for dinner. I used your recipe C-with mushrooms etc-it was a great hit as always. :) YUMMY! Then we followed up with cupcakes with candles-Dh was too cute with this :)I wasnt expecting that. So I blew out my candles and made a wish-dont ask because I cant tell you....you know the deal! LOLOL:)

What can I wish for though really-I love my life! Its not perfect-Im not living on a farm...yet...LOLOL;)Still missing my horse...LOLOLOL, but its as near perfect as Id have it. Ive got 3 beautiful kids whom I ADORE, a Dh who supports me and is there for our family in every way and who works so hard so I can stay home with the kiddoes. Relatives, family and friends who are so caring and thoughtful and are always there to listen to me whine, cry, or laugh. Ive got beautiful mornings where I can open the windows and listen to all of our birds singing me good morning. The air is crisp and clean. At night I have beautiful stars to stare in awe at. I AM soooo blessed.
Frequently I go out at night and just look up at the stars. They are so beautiful-it reminds me of camping with my Mom and Dad and Grandparents when I was little-how lucky I am to have that every night here. I am so greatful for all my blessings. Late at night when things are quite its pretty overwhelming when you look up at the night sky and realize how really vast it all is and how small you really are in the scheme of things. But it also humbles me to know what a Wonderful Father I have up there-who has stood by my side through all these years. Molding me and creating me to be the mom, the wife, the teacher I am today. Who would have thought it-eh?
Beautiful, Peaceful, Wonderful. Yep-Perfect enough for me.

My Certificate of Empowerment :)

Whoot!!!!!!!!LOLOLOLOLOL Go Mamma Bear!!!!

CERTIFICATE OF EMPOWERMENT

As bearer of this certificate you are no longer required to depend on the advice of experts. You may step back and view the entire world-not just your home, neighborhood or town, but the whole Earth-as a learning experience, a laboratory containing languages (and native speakers thereof), plants, animals, history, geology, weather (real live weather, in the sky, not in a book), music, art , mathematics, physics, engineering, foods, human dynamics, and ideas without end. Although collections of these treasures have been located in museums for your convenience, they are to be found everywhere else, too.

This authorizes you to experiment; to trust and enjoy your kids; to rejoice when your children surpass you in skill, knowledge or wisdom; to make mistakes, and to say "I don't know." Furthermore, you may allow your children to experience boredom without taking full responsibility for finding them something to do.

Henceforth you shall neither be required nor expected to finish everything you start. Projects, books, experiments and plans may be discontinued as soon as something more interesting comes along (or for any other reason) without penalty, and picked up again at any time in the future (or never).

You may reclaim control of your family's daily life, and take what steps you feel necessary to protect your children from physical, emotional or social harm.

You have leave to think your own thoughts, and to encourage your children to think theirs.

Each person who reads and understands this is authorized to extend these privileges to others, by reproducing and distributing this certificate or by creating another of his/her own design. Those who don't feel the need to obtain approval to experiment, to think, or to do things they've never seen others do are exempt, as they didn't need permission in the first place.




Sandra Dodd

A Different Drum-beautiful

I cant rememebr if I posted this-it says I did-LOLOL, but I dont rememebr reading this-LOLOLOL
Anyway-it moved me-maybee because I AM homeschooling now-eh? ;)
It bears repeating anyway....Enjoy....

A Different Drum
Dateline: 2/15/07

By Kerry Jones

You will be extremely happy to know that you have nothing in common with me. You glide along through life like a leaf down a crystal stream. You tend to steer in the direction everyone else is steering, and the road ahead of you is well lit and mapped out. Your children have been welcomed with open arms by everyone they've met, and your home is a bastion of peace, harmony, and good will. Best of all, your homeschooling experience has been the most rewarding and inspiring era of your life, and you've never doubted your calling for even a moment. See? I told you that you have nothing in common with me.

Me . . . well, my life has been slightly different. My leaf tends to get stuck against every wet rock of the stream, my steering has been out of alignment for as long as I can remember, and the road I am on has been steep, winding, and many times even closed for construction. My children, both with special needs, have been stared at, frowned upon, and pitied in their turn, and my home can feel much more like an open battlefield than a fortress at times. And frankly, I've been tempted to quit homeschooling more times than I've been tempted to cheat on my diet, and that is saying a lot. However, while my life in no way resembles yours, you needn't feel sorry for me one bit. I like my life . . . actually, I love it - - every little bit of it - - because God made me especially for it.

So many things in life seem designed with the "average" person in mind, don't they? Airplane passenger seats are designed for an average size person, standardized tests are designed for the average student, and medicine doses are prescribed with the average person in mind. The first time I saw children on a park playground laughing at my son because he couldn't control the jerking tics caused by his Tourette Syndrome. Our society caters to the average person . . . the average family . . . the average way of life. Unfortunately, I just can't squeeze myself into that mold.

Homeschoolers used to be marginalized too, but over the years, they have become more accepted and respected. Within the homeschooling community, there are now groupings that help people fit in. There are Christian homeschoolers, unschoolers, Classical schoolers, Waldorf schoolers, Montessori schoolers, and traditional schoolers. Would you believe that I don't fit into any of those either? We are Christians, but aren't really homeschooling for religious reasons, we read the classics, but our exposure to Latin consists of what is written on the backs of our coins, and my worn-out lesson plan book would attest that I am a far cry from adopting unschooling in the near future. I suppose I simply don't assimilate well.

Strangely enough, though, my life is far from impossible. Someone had the good sense to design a few things with the irregular person in mind. TiVo invented a way to automatically record any show that happens to concern Jane Austen - - my current obsession. Tombstone miraculously created a frozen pizza that is half cheese and half supreme - - the only way my family will eat it. I recently saw a magazine in the library for people who garden on their deck. I truly thought I was the only one guiding squash vines around the railing posts. And thank heavens for Time4Learning.com, a multimedia homeschool curriculum that is so well suited for the out-of-the-box learner.

I have learned over time that the kingdom of God is certainly an upside-down kingdom, and that swimming against the current is actually inevitable. Praying for my enemies, returning kindness for evil, and forgiving those who are beyond forgiveness are part of the inverted life I've been asked to lead. So, I shouldn't be all that surprised that my leaf takes a few hits as it heads downstream. The image I see in my mirror each day looks different from any other image I see in the world around me because God has asked me to model a life that is far from average. In fact, I think God delights in the fact that I am abnormal . . . unusual . . . exceptional.

Because of this, I know that when I hit the roadblocks of life, I can find a way around them. When my children face the challenges of being different, I can remind them that means they are on the right track! When the normal battles of life take over my home, I understand that I will win the war in the end. And when I have laid my head down on my pillow at the end of a difficult day, and wondered why God has called me to this thing called "homeschooling" - - I will remember that it is because I have been called according to His purpose. Called to be different.


Kerry Jones is a freelance writer and web maintenance engineer in North Carolina. She has two sons, and has been homeschooling since 1999. For more information visit her website at Simply Write