One way I am giving thanks...

So you might be wondering what I am doing with my time since it definitely has not been spent on my blog.... (thanks Barbara for reminding me that I do have loyal readers out there.. love you!) Everyone always says that special educators have a special and giving heart, and I do agree, yet while I love what I do and who I spend time with everyday, I still get a paycheck. I hate to say it, but I definitely would not do this job as charity work. ( I say this because of all the paperwork and bureaucracy involved in teaching and working with our population,  my statement has nothing to do with the students themselves or the actual art of teaching.) I choose to work in this profession above my other interest, such as architecture and painting because I know I make a difference and I enjoy making this difference. I strive to live a life as an advocate for intellectual disabilities and I am well aware that I have and will always have infinite obstacles that will age me more quickly than normal and will keep my pharmacist in business... lol.
So back to the point of this post.... At the end of September I was up to my elbows with being a saintly, "role-model" teacher at work and proving to my professors at grad school that a nervous, not quite well-spoken 27 yr old, could hack it with my big dog classmates with innate leadership skills. (Sorry, humor has been running deep lately!) Now I know this next sentence will make you question why I am not in a loony bin but bear with me here. I was overwhelmed with urges to do something, give my time and help to others, help those who are not as lucky. I was tired of concentrating on what was hard with my life, why things just weren't fair and why I wasn't getting my just desserts. I needed to break out of this thought pattern and I figured the best way was to help those who I absolutely knew (even though some might say this is open to discretion) were worse off than I was. I contacted Zaban Couples Shelter on Peachtree and inquired about help needed. The Zaban Shelter is a transitional shelter that provides 22 couples with private rooms from October to April. The couples can stay the whole 6 months, receive breakfast and dinner everyday, have access to a clothing closet and work with a case manager who provides help with resumes, disability, medicaid etc.., provided that they observe curfew, abstain alcohol and drugs, help with chores, maintain a job or provide proof of consistent job hunting, and lastly the couples must stay together. I loved the mission of the shelter because he assisted people who were serious about changing their situations. I mean, you cant get a job without an address and you almost cant get an address without a job. So I started working their twice a week in the clothing closet working with a wonderful woman named Vicky. I spent several hours a week sorting clothes into sizes and styles, organizing the mess the closet was in and turning the closet into a functioning and appropriate source of style for the couples. I loved the job! I would help the couples find their sizes and pieces that were either appropriate for job hunting/ interviews or daily life. No holes or stains accepted!!!I began to develop relationships with some of the "clients" and learned of their daily struggles and situations. I quickly realized that the absence of a GED was a running theme. I approached the Shelter Director about starting a GED tutoring program 2 days a week that focused in Reading/ LA and Math. The director was excited to hear about the program and helped me to put it into action immediately. The next week I had 10 clients signed up but on the first Tuesday only 3 showed up. Thursday, 2 more and now I am up to 7 consistent clients. I started with giving them the Brigance Inventory to see if they could test out of 8th grade, Some did and some didn't. This is about where we are now. One, terrific special educator I work with, Rachel has helped me a couple of times and I know she will help more. I now have the clients ability levels and am trying to organize the hour and a half I have with them and how to accommodate every one's ability level. Much like a special ed class I have numerous levels, one client is working on short and long vowels and another is working on thesis statements. I get their, everyone is being patient and showing evidence of the few skills we have gotten to work on.
I can only promise that I will try to keep you updated on what is going on, but to let you in on a secret... I do much better when I receive comments and responses.... hint. hint...