My job is ending. Thank you! This year was not what I asked for or what I was hired for. TLC- right~ therapeutic learning center. No curriculum, no direction, so when I would try and make it more about social and emotional learning, I get, “no we want you to…
Make it more academic- ok, so we will just work on academics. But wait aren’t these kids with me because of emotional issues? How easy it is to learn when you are thinking about past trauma or insecurities or anxiety or being overwhelmed? Sorry, guys~ just trying to do my job.
Names and activities are changed to protect innocent.
RO- mother passed away a few years ago, his aunt became his guardian then she got cancer and died, then moved in with grandparents who speak a different language, sexual orientation is in conflict with their religion. Angry, overwhelmed, obese, feeling unloved. Great sense of humor, loves plants and animals, tender heart, open to sharing, great artist, friends support system.
DP – bullied in middle school, parents divorced, chronic health issues, ADHD, lonely, just wants to belong. Kind and polite to all, wants to be successful but lacks skills, great artist.
RL- Parents that have drug dependency, missed over 100 days of school in middle school, started high school by missing over 30 days in the first 3 months, lonely, feels unloved and guarded. Great sense of humor, kind, can laugh at himself.
VK- trouble with the law from a young age, mental illness, ADHD, chaos at home, a parent that is mentally ill, struggles with academics when depressed. Great sense of humor, loves videos about nature, loves plants and animals. Can be successful if allowed to learn own way.
PG- Strict homelife, poor, large family, ADHD, chronic health issues, anxious, hard on self, mental illness. Hard worker, wants to succeed, loves music, can laugh at self, big heart, caregiver, loves to sing, friends- support system.
PJ- Dysfunctional family, mental illness, anxiety, wants to belong, quiet, angry. Loves animals, good friend, kind.
SL- Dysfunctional family, parents don’t speak English, ADHD, large family, mental illness, insecure about body image, insecure about intelligence, first-generation, hard on self. Great sense of humor, kind, generous, bi-lingual, big heart.
DL- Angry, violent, first-generation, anxiety, mental illness, parents speak little English, a victim of bullying, bully. Funny, sense of humor, great artist, kind, helpful, bi-lingual, hard worker, wants to succeed, big heart, supportive parents.
MK- mentally ill, parent enables, school anxiety, school avoidance, manipulative. Smart, capable, supportive parents, loves to sing, loves anime, friends- support system.
AI- Angry, bully, on a spectrum, low small motor skills argumentative, Good attendance, loves to sing, friends- support system, supportive family.
AZ- Dysfunctional family, alcohol abuse in family, divorce, parents low functioning, poor attendance, chronic multiple health issues, on the spectrum, school avoidance. Loves puzzles, loves physics and math, has friends- support system, kind, generous, helpful to classmates.
There are more kiddos but these are the main ones. So many kids have so many strikes against them. I feel like the only thing I can do is, love them, listen to them, try to give them tools to support them, and remember them.
josburn52 