References to magic makes us feel closer to Beth Foraker and the National Catholic Board on Full Inclusion. But that’s not the type of magic we’re thinking about today. We’re moving beyond the call fo kindness today. We want to know that every day there is something worth finding. And for each person, that hunt is very different.
There is something important about reminding people about the hope of Winter. While references to magic of holidays is really deeply ingrained in every single thing advertisement of this time of year, magic happens every day with students. And it is important to celebrate that. If you live in a place that has seemingly lost contact with the greater world or even the sun, you know in a few days the sun will return and that Spring will eventually show up. Even if you are making a random holiday gift this time of year in the company office that is a mess because you’ve been working as an elf with a deadline. But we wouldn’t want to close out 2019 without a few quick notes.
Cold Colds
We hear the coughs and the sneezes, and we really do try to convince most of our students to keep their hands washed and communal surfaces clean. But it’s going to happen: the students will share some virus or bacteria with someone else, adult or child. The weather drives us together and we are sharing much more than we would all like to admit this time of year.
We politely will remind everyone that while culturally everyone has a different level of ‘clean’, it has been repeatedly documented that washing one’s hands with soap and water is a proven way of helping the human body avoid illness. Especially for the students who have fragile immune systems.
it has been repeatedly documented that washing one’s hands with soap and water is a proven way of helping the human body avoid illness
ParaEducate
Speaking of Winter…
A general reminder to everyone that not every culture has a holiday event this time of year. The reminder of some festivities is important but does everyone some good to remember that not everyone is looking forward to break or that memories of time off of school is a good thing. By this time of year, it is hard to remember that some students do not look forward to being at home all day alone. Or that the social media/texting drama rises up while checks about phones being off is unavailable.
It would be hard to fathom doing this because so many students are excited to be off for school, even for a few weeks. But under that nervous energy are the things many students do not say. This is the reminder that we hope everyone can be kinder to each other this time of year.
Since We Did Mention Break…
Have you thought about what you’d like to see improved when you come back? Do you have some idea of how to make it stick? Remember when you get back, it is time to check in with the students and remind them of strategies and procedures. To reinforce the things the school values. Be ready to hit the ground running.
The Plot Line
A plot line in ELA is fairly defined. We give the students this line with a partial triangle. On the left, we talk about all the things we have in a story to start things. In the center, we look at things like “Rising Action” and “Climax”, these are the things that make us keep reading to find out what next and what the goal of the entire story is trying to achieve. On the right, we look at the ending, formally called a denouement.
Just as the Plot Line is a tool, it is the metaphor for watching a character change. And we here at ParaEducate are about to change. Our trusty blog which we have faithfully published (almost always) on Thursdays during the academic school year, is about to move. We’re moving to Monday postings.
Our trusty blog which we have faithfully published (almost always) on Thursdays during the Academic school year, is about to move. We’re moving to Monday postings.
ParaEducate
Why? Because change is good. We’re trying to convince Renay that it is. But we also need to have more time to recharge through the week. Our other choice was Friday and frankly, Friday no one wants to read or find solutions to things that make them puzzle about students they are working with.
Speaking of Change
ParaEducate will be off for Winter Break from now until January 13, 2020. We will post through some infamous Monday Holidays.
If you celebrate: enjoy. If you do not, still enjoy the time off.
We will take off for vacation season until January 13, 2020. Do you have any comments about this week’s blog? Do you have a question for us? Would you like to have an opportunity to pilot some materials at your campus? Find ParaEducate online here, here, here, here, and on our website. ParaEducate is a company interested in providing materials, information, and strategies for people working in special education inclusion settings for grades K-12. ParaEducate, the blog, is published during the academic school year on Thursdays until 2020, unless a holiday. Starting January 2020, ParaEducate moves to a Monday publication date. ParaEducate shares their findings at conferences, through their books, and their academic adaptations.
