Homework Help

My dynamic duo showed up for therapy today (technically, yesterday), asking (in Spanish) if I had anything for them to eat. I nagged, "What did I say about coming in here hungry and asking for food?" and didn't give them anything. They were big babies for a minute until CV asked if I could help him with his History homework.

A little background: the teachers, especially the Special Ed teachers, are very verbal about this "open" policy towards helping students with their homework. Most homeroom periods are pretty much times to simply work on homework. Of course these kiddos would much rather goof off and space out than work on their homework.

So, I always tell my kids that if they ever need help with their homework ('help' is the keyword; I emphasize that I will not give answers, but I will help them get to the answer), they can always bring it to speech therapy or come in before school, during lunch, or after school. This was the first time anyone took me up on my offer. I was pleased about that but not for long.

Soon after he took his notebook out, I thought, boy, I'm gonna have a field day trying to figure out from this language disordered kid what he needs to do. It was like playing 20 questions before I realized what his assignment was. It made me really appreciate a "normal" session where I have absolute control (i.e., materials). I finally figured out that he had to answer 5 short questions based on textbook reading.

Me: Okay, where's your book?
CV: At home.
Me: What?!
CV: My book is too heavy! I didn't want to bring it!
Me: How are you going to find the answers? Do your notes say anything?
CV: No, but my friend let me borrow his homework to copy. It's right here.
CV pulls the "borrowed" homework out.
Me: Don't tell me that!
Me saying in a joking tone: I hope you gave your friend something good in return at least.
CV: Yeah, I gave him a buck fifty.
Me thinking for a moment about BF and how people used to pay him so that they could copy his homework. Quick, get back to reality...
Me: What?! You gave somebody a dollar fifty? Who did you pay?

I turned the paper around...just to see that it belongs to another one of my kids with a specific learning disability and auditory processing disorder! Goodness gracious!

I, laughing inside, lectured him with a straight face about how he needs to do his own work -- and beforehand. Furthermore, if he expects me to help him, then he MUST bring his book. We didn't get through his 3 questions, which must have peeved him because he asked me to call him out of 4th to help him finish. Sucks to be him because I had to leave for a meeting. Otherwise, I would have since I need to make-up one of his sessions.

Later on, my Blackjack boy came in tired and asked for a paper towel. I gave him one, but then asked him, "Do you need a paper towel or Kleenex?" He paused and said, "Paper towel; I got lots of boogersh." "You mean you need Kleenex," and I quickly gave it to him. =P Unfortunately, we regressed to /s/ at the phoneme level (he expressed that he was tired; he came home late from the movies). At the end of the session, he tried to strike a deal with me -- if he produces 60 initial-/s/ in single-words with 100% accuracy, will I give him a Blackjack? Just kidding, he immediately said. Then he asked for money. "What?! No, I can't give you money. That's called bribery, and I am not allowed to bribe you." Then we had a 4-year old argument, "Yes you can!" "No I can't!" Repeat x 2. In retrospect, I should have given him the cheesy talk about how I am here to help him, and he should do this for intrinsic rewards, blahblahblah, but apparently, I was still thinking like an immature 4 year-old.

Sometimes, I find it very challenging to be mature and grown-up around these crazy kids. I'm sure I'll have another story to tell tomorrow, when I see my kiddo who doesn't want "all the ladies" to see him in the Speech Room or the two boys who accuse me of cheating.

For now, I need to finish up an assessment report for my boy who LOVES Scooby-Doo...