[70Primrose]

This is a vent and a classroom management post. I have a very difficult class this year. Many students with autism, three with Tourette, three with ADHD, one that his dad died unexpectedly about a month ago, one that his dad died 2 years ago unexpectedly, one being raised by grandparents and one that was born with Hydrocephalus and has a myriad of issues. Many of these things overlap. It is also a Title 1 school so low socioeconomic population. I am not a special ed teacher, this is not a special ed class. I have no aides to help me. My vent is the one being raised by grandparents and the one with hydrocephalus. They will not work independently although both are capable. They are sucking the life out of me! I am not able to help anyone else. The one being raised by grandparents was in special ed until 2nd grade (developmentally delayed), then homeschooled for 3rd, now in 4th. I had him tested for everything and he does not qualify. He always had one on one help in spec ed and then with grandma. The one with hydrocephalus has what is called "Cocktail Party Syndrome", look it up. She never stops talking or seeking help. She can do her work on her own, but won't!!! Then I have my other special kids that need me, but are not following me around the room, interupting me, blurting out and driving me crazy! What do I do with these two that will just not stay in their seats and work by themselves? If I tell them they have to stay in their seat and try on their own they go bug other kids for help. I am losing my patience. Seriously they are energy vampires.

[Keltikmom]

Sometimes, you have to give in for your own sanity. Only work on getting them to stay in their own seats. Then, let them do whatever they want, as long as they stay in their seats.

Come report card time, maybe the families will then take you seriously.

[Kinderkr4zy]

If I may, praise the lord for all of your efforts. My kiddo has some a few of the dx's you mentioned and he is a handful and half all by himself. You must be exhausted!

I wish I had a magical cure all for you, but sadly all I have is something you are probably already doing: praise and reward for staying in their seat for a few minutes at a time and then slowly build stamina. I use a watchminder (purchased by my district behaviorist at district expense-you might as well ask what the worst they will say..no) set to alert me and remind me to "reinforce good behavior" every 5 minutes when its really getting tricky, then I up it to 7 minutes, then 10 and so on. If they can be successful at 5, go down to 3 minutes for the first 2 or 3 work period of the day then take it off or you will go crazy being interrupted to reinforce behavior so often and if you need a 3/1 reinforcement schedule (once every 3 minutes) setting small goals like for 2 or 3 work period per day might be more reasonable and progress is progress even if its slow and only for 1/3 of the day. The first 2 weeks is extra exhausting and feels unsustainable but then it get easier because they start to make a little progress with any luck and you dont have to sustain such intense frequency.

Also, and you may also already be doing this, I would give little to no feedback when these students get up and walk over to you. I would tell them in advance that the procedure is to 1. Read the directions, 2. try to get started, 3. If they are not sure what to do ask a neighbor to make sure they understand, 4. skip to an easier problem/question and come back to harder ones later, and 5-raise your hand for help if you have tried 1-4 and cant get started BUT know that you might have to wait a minute. I would type up the procedure with pictorials and attach it to their work area and then if they tried to come over to me and not follow the procedure I would point them back to their seat without talking to them or making eye contact and if they didnt get the hint after a minutes or 2 of wordless averted gaze pointing I would say and repeat 1 word: Procedure/checklist/seat whichever one I felt they would understand best.

Best wishes and prayers for strength...and perhaps a couple of glasses of wine at the end of the day.