"Do you understand the words that are a-coming out of my mouth? "

Date:  Spring 2010

Age/Gender: 4 & 5 yr old boys (both with articulation delays; English speaking families)

Locale: Yellow Room (Paras/Teachers: Misti and Rayma)

Alias: "K" and  "C"

It is a fact of life, that little boys LOVE big boys.  Little boys just seem to be magnetically drawn to men; they idolize them.  If ever a male stops into one of our classrooms (or anywhere in the building, in fact) . . . our little boys are just instinctively drawn to his side.  They continue to demonstrate their fascination in their "newest hero" by bringing multiple items of interest to drop in his lap and/or by rattling off dozens of questions . . . leaving scarcely enough time for one question to be answered before the next is asked. 

Misti's husband, Chad, often drops by our school (at about the time our students eat lunch) to leave a meal for her or to to pick up their daughter.  Of course, there are several little boys who are always ecstatic to see him walk through the door.  On one particular day, one of our little guys (4 year old "K") had just finished up his lunch and luckily managed to catch Chad all by himself.  All of the other children and teachers were still seated at the lunch tables.  Little "K" excitedly made his way over to Chad and started rattling off all kinds of unintelligible information to him.  Our little "K" man has a pretty significant articulation delay.  Although Chad didn't truly understand a single syllable "K" was working so hard to communicate, he pretended to understand every utterance; taking conversational turns, replying with head nods, smiles, and by interjecting a short word now and again.  This, of course, thrilled "K" to no end and even furthered his interest in this "new hero."

On the opposite side of the classroom, one of our 5 year olds, "C" (who also has an articulation delay, though not as severe as "K's"), was still sitting at the table next to Miss Misti.  He watched and listened intently as "K" and Chad conversed.  After a minute or two had passed . . . "C" tipped his head a bit sideways (as you see a listening dog do sometimes), leaned his little shoulder sideways into Misti's arm, raised one eye brow, and while keeping both eyes on the conversationalists . . . he asked Miss Misti (his own articulation delay blazingly apparent), "Is he speaking SPANISH?!?!"  

Reminded me of (giggles): 

  RUSH HOUR 2

James Carter: Who died, Lee?
Lee: You!
James Carter: Detective Yu?
Lee: Not Yu, you!
James Carter: Who?
Lee: You!
James Carter: Who?
Lee: Do you understand the words that are a-coming out of my mouth?
James Carter: Don't nobody understand the words that are comin' out of your mouth.

My Apologies and a Quick Program Review

A few words of apology and quick review of our program:

Toward the end of this past school year, I was told several very adorable stories that I had intended to share via this blog.  The last month of school however, always tends to feel like complete chaos for all of those involved within the field of education.  There is much to be done during those last few weeks and it is last minute work that cannot be completed earlier in the year.  Therefore, I must apologize to those who went out of their way to share their humorous experiences with me, as they sadly didn't make their way here (I was swamped with many other details during that time).


As a quick review, our program houses two special education teachers, a number of our paraprofessionals (paras), our SLP and her paras, our secretary, SpEd district coordinator, and several itinerant/related service providers.  We have 5 preschool classrooms on site and also provide SpEd services to eligible students within the Head Start program; a great majority of whom attend Head Start on the west side of our county . . . which we often refer to as "The West Side."  I am ultimately responsible for all students and paras within two of our on-site classrooms, as well as our West Side paras and kiddos.  Our other special education teacher is responsible for the other three on-site classrooms and those paras.


I have much more contact with my own Paras (my "team") and clearly get to know the children on my caseload much better than I do those from our partner team.  It is for this reason that I am better able to more accurately recall some of these fun stories/experiences that took place within my own team's setting, than I might from my other colleagues.  I apologize in advance for any facts I might mix up in regard to either team and for any stories that I've forgotten altogether.


Now . . . I'm off to proceed with the two or three tales I can recall . . . followed in only a few short weeks by our new school year and all of the fun, new experiences which await us  . . . and just how is it that this summer seems to be passing so much more quickly than those previous?!?