Observation Journal Entry #10
Mar. 11th, 2013 08:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aelfieToday was a normal day of observing and interacting with the students.
One event stood out. I'm working with "my" student, helping him write his State paper and another student comes over and starts boasting that he can get his work done without any help, why does he need help? It's obvious that he's trying to get a rise out of the student I'm working with, and unfortunately it's working. I looked the student in the eye and said "--- that's gloating. No thank you. Sit down and finish your work."
On my drive home, I pondered the situation, and more importantly, my reaction. I wonder if I was identifying with "my student" too much. I could see he was getting upset, his volume was increasing, his voice went up in pitch, and his words rushed out of his mouth. And I was starting to feel defensive....and I can't help but wonder if that's what fed my reaction. This student I'm working with is..."special", no diagnosis, but you can tell something isn't quite...normal. I've been asked to focus on helping him complete his work. No problem, I did this for months last year. And the gloating student was rubbing "my student's" nose in the fact that he was able to get his work done without needing help.
Basic, normal 10 year old, completely developmentally normal bullshit. Annoying isnt' it?
How is an adult, a damaged adult, who couldn't navigate these waters successfully at age 10 and still struggles with personal interactions supposed to help a group of pre-teens through this period?
Interesting question...need to ponder some more.
Latest picture of the plant....just 5 days of growth.
We've been warned that all this activity may end up killing the plant. Which would be very sad, but it's death has been fascinating to watch. All the little spikey bits along the top look like flower pods that will bloom. I wonder what color they will be!
One event stood out. I'm working with "my" student, helping him write his State paper and another student comes over and starts boasting that he can get his work done without any help, why does he need help? It's obvious that he's trying to get a rise out of the student I'm working with, and unfortunately it's working. I looked the student in the eye and said "--- that's gloating. No thank you. Sit down and finish your work."
On my drive home, I pondered the situation, and more importantly, my reaction. I wonder if I was identifying with "my student" too much. I could see he was getting upset, his volume was increasing, his voice went up in pitch, and his words rushed out of his mouth. And I was starting to feel defensive....and I can't help but wonder if that's what fed my reaction. This student I'm working with is..."special", no diagnosis, but you can tell something isn't quite...normal. I've been asked to focus on helping him complete his work. No problem, I did this for months last year. And the gloating student was rubbing "my student's" nose in the fact that he was able to get his work done without needing help.
Basic, normal 10 year old, completely developmentally normal bullshit. Annoying isnt' it?
How is an adult, a damaged adult, who couldn't navigate these waters successfully at age 10 and still struggles with personal interactions supposed to help a group of pre-teens through this period?
Interesting question...need to ponder some more.
Latest picture of the plant....just 5 days of growth.
We've been warned that all this activity may end up killing the plant. Which would be very sad, but it's death has been fascinating to watch. All the little spikey bits along the top look like flower pods that will bloom. I wonder what color they will be!