Male Translation

So this one's a different post -- it's still work-related, but it's not about my kiddos. It's actually about some adults I work with.

This year with the 320s has started off quite smoothly since That Crazy Lady is gone, there is a new teacher, and 2.5 new aides (the .5 was here from September through December of last year). Lately, the teacher's been giving me a hard time about the .5 aide who tries the same line on my every single time he sees me (even though he's married with a kid and knows my status, too). Today, I realized his predictability reached a whole new level.

This morning, I e-mailed the 320 teacher to ask if I could use their second classroom to see my regular Special Ed kiddos. I also gave the heads up that during 7th period, I was going to pull in a girl with ASD who has an aide...and I bet the .5 Aide was gonna go back to the teacher and be like, "yo, did you see her??"

So my session began and as the girl and her aide were walking in, the teacher hustled the staff, including .5 aide, out of the room and closed the adjoining door. Not a few minutes later, the .5 aide came in from the outside door. I was already in full swing but stopped my student, stood up, and said, "Mr. [.5 aide], can you close the door so I can turn on the A/C?" He did, got his drink of water, and then left. In my mind, I was like, c'mon, did he really have to get a drink of water right now and distract us, knowing that we were in session?

After my session, I went to debrief with the teacher.

320 Teacher: Oh, I didn't put 2 & 2 together! I thought the aide was your student's mom and you were about to hold a meeting.
Me: no, no, that was the aide...
320T: Yah, [.5 Aide] caught a glimpse of her and told me that she's not the mother, but she's an aide here, too. I said,"well, did you introduce yourself to her?"
320T: He said he met her.
Me: Wait, what? No he didn't.
320T: Yes he did.
Me: When? Just now when I was working??
320T: He said YOU introduced them.
Me ROFL: You know what I said? I said, "Mr. [.5 Aide], can you close the door?" You call that an introduction?!

Classic case of a male interpreting a simple statement to feed that macho ego of his. That was pure comedy!

~~~~

Okay, I can't resist telling a quick story about one of my 320 kids. This one has a tendency to script, vocalize to stim, and cuss people out (i.e., echolalia). He's also been getting a bit grabby with me, like he'll grab my arm with a good grip even though he's a little guy.

So I was at the teacher's desk looking over attendance logs when I felt a hand on my rump! I quickly turned around and saw 320J looking up at me and saying in a loud and clear voice, "Hiiiii!!!!"

If he hadn't gotten my attention inappropriately, I would've been giving him the hugest social praise party; the kid spontaneously initiated an appropriate greeting with clear, purposeful intent! He walked all the way from wherever and "touched" me to get my attention (vs. hitting, kicking, screaming). Too bad it just wasn't with the right kind of touch...