Another Update

Re: Scooby-Doo Boy for whom I stayed up late writing a report for~
During the triennial IEP for my Scooby-Doo Boy, the psych and I figured out that the reason why Scooby-Doo Boy appears to "perseverate" on Scooby-Doo...is not really because he is perseverating, but because he 1) obviously loves the cartoon Scooby-Doo and 2) has a doggy named Scooby-Doo! LOL

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Re: Big Kid School~
I went to another supervision meeting and before my co-students came, the instructor was discussing with my faux mentor (unbeknownst to her, I consider her yet another mentor; she is also an SLP who just completed the coursework for the BCBA program). He shocked me when he said:

1. Despite us being given the quiz questions and answers to remember, people still didn't get 100%! Crazy talk!
   
2. I asked him my feared question: Do you think this (rote memorization of practice quiz questions) will prepare us for the national board certification exam? Of course he said, "No. You will REALLY need to study everything, not like this [I think he wanted to say "BS"] where you are just memorizing answers to practice quiz questions." Fabulous.

On the other hand, I filled out a mid-course evaluation last night and gave my honest input. I defended the instructor a little bit (e.g., he appears to know what is and is not ABA like the back of his hand) and then expressed concern about not being prepared enough for the exam b/c they have "conceded to complaints about having to study everything in a chapter for a 10-question quiz. The instructor is always reminding us that we are in the business of building behavioral repertoires. If that is so, then why are you enabling us?"

*I didn't realize how 'passionate' I felt about all of this. I pulled out all the stops with my limited vocabulary, using "conceded"! I haven't said that word since I studied for the GRE! And that was in '04!

In retrospect, I didn't mean to call out the program director who created that evaluation (and whose project/company was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize; this person is truly amazing). Still, I am selfishly concerned about not being prepared enough to pass that exam.

I will admit that I am at an advantage for a few reasons.

1. I recently graduated, therefore it is not as difficult for me to revert back to full-time employee/part-time nerd as it is for the others who have been out of school for many years.
   
2. BF is used to me being a student (and we live together).
   
3. I don't have (my own) babies or kiddos.
   
4. Nor do I have a second job (one job exhausts me enough!).

[End of rants.]

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Rewind to earlier in the day~
I saw as many kiddos as I could today before the IEP and meeting. My 2nd period boys made me happy. I told them straight up that we were going to do two things -- first, we are going to work on this worksheet and get this "boring" stuff out of the way, and then we will play a game [a.k.a. language activity]. (After I opened my big mouth about the "boring" comment, I realized that that was not the best motivational instruction.) They didn't put up a fight and one even started on the 2nd page, even though I said they only had to do the first page! I was thrilled!
They, too, are a pair that have taken a few trials and errors of re-grouping and a lot of unsuccessful sessions (they practically sleep through the sessions), but putting them together has been a great move. Unbeknownst to them, I saw them together one lunch period and immediately re-grouped them the next week. To reiterate, I have found that my best group dynamics are those that have a buddy system -- a little healthy competition keeps the kids going (and awake).

Third period was another trial-and-error b/c I "owed" one of my boys (the one who automatically closes the door so that "the ladies don't see" him in speech) a make-up session yet I had to see my 7th period pair earlier. Turns out Previously Stanky Attitude Boy who likes to accuse me of cheating didn't show-up but Previously Ditcher did along with Ladies' Man and they are actually homedudes. That was a great relief because now I know I can always pair them three together. My only concern is that Ladies Man seems to slack off a lot when I don't see him individually (or when he is too challenged).

And what the deuce was up with the weather? Yesterday was crazy hot and today was freezing! I need to get some sleep. Tomorrow, I see N320, meaning I need to mentally prepare myself for another half-hour groping session.

The great thing about working with N320 is that he will help me get my Individual BCBA Supervision hours...of which I need 37.5 hours! Hopefully, before the end of my program, I will have figured out the function of his groping behavior (amongst others) through a functional analysis assessment, found a replacement behavior, and successfully implemented a behavioral support plan. Whewee...