You Know You're Teaching an SPD Kiddo When...

I still get comments on the "You Know When..." lists of mine, so I thought I would put together a new one for the teachers out there--

All of those men and women who have spent the last few weeks getting to know our darling kiddos as students in their class.

You Know You're Teaching an SPD Kiddo When...
(a list for teachers and all of us who watch our kids struggle in school)

1. He chews his pencil, both the eraser and the lead, all day long

2. He can’t seem to stay seated for over 30 seconds

3. He constantly wants to get a “drink” but really he is just playing in the sink

4. During circle time he sits virtually on top of the kid next to him

5. You have to remind him that he cannot touch the hair of the girl next to him—no matter how cool it looks

6. You implement Handwriting Without Tears program—because you can’t read anything he writes

7. He wears the same pair of “soft” sweatpants every single day to school

8. He gets out of his chair to ask you a thousand questions all day long

9. He talks through story time no matter how many times you tell him to just listen

10. At recess he climbs on the very TIP TOP of the jungle gym, where he is NOT allow

11. He hides under his table during the fire drills, crying with his ears covered

12. He lit up when he saw the ball pit in the resource room

13. He refuses to eat in the cafeteria on “Sloppy Joe Day” because it smells awful

14. The collar, the sleeves, and a strange place directly in the center of his shirt are all dripping with spit from being chewed on all day

15. He got kicked off the bus within the first 3 weeks of school because he was being “mean” to another student who was “in his spot”

16. He covers his ears when you raise your voice to get the children’s attention

17. He complained that the tag in his shirt was bothering him, but when you offered to cut it out you realized there is only a tiny fragment of the tag left from the previous attempt at removal

18. During art, he spent most of his time trying to glue his hands together instead of completing the project

19. He is very proud of being the first kid in the entire school to do the monkey bars backwards

20. He complains that it is too loud for him to concentrate, when you don’t hear a thing

21. He simply cannot stop himself from using the “off limits” stapler on the teacher’s desk

22. The first week of school he spends asking you a thousand questions about each thing you have hanging on the classroom walls

23. He cringes when you touch him—and if he is upset—touching him just makes it worse

24. He can’t keep his hands to himself when standing in line; he is pushing or bumping the entire time

25. He spends his entire recess spinning in circles

26. He is a little TOO enthusiastic banging the drum during music class

27. He always wants to be the “door opener” or “lunch wagon puller” EVERY DAY

28. He can repeat conversations you had with another teacher in the hallway

29. You find things in his desk that don’t belong there; teacher scissors, bingo markers, beads, crayons and other assorted small fun things

30. The bus ride to school seems to wind him UP UP UP— (and so does the bus ride home)

:)

If you have any more for the list, leave them in the comments below. I already have new ones spinning around in my head for a second list!

H

5 comments:

Stat Mama said...

I probably could add to that list, but I'd say you covered it pretty well lol

Jac said...

Lol got a real chuckle out of this - I'm sure my son's new teacher would too. (to a point that is).

Ellie said...

Every part of his body touches his chair--except his bottom.

Ellie said...

Here's some more I'd add as a mom and a teacher:

He can't hold his head up for circle time or seat work, but can't lay it down to rest at nap time.

His shoes are rarely actually on his feet.

When his shoes ARE on, they are on the wrong feet because he "likes it that way."

He comes to school without a jacket in the dead of winter. And wears his heavy winter boots in the summer.

He cries when given playdoh (or paint, or sand, or cotton balls) to play with.

He cries when you tell him it's time to clean up the playdoh.

This is fun...hope my kid's teachers remember how much fun they are in the midst of their crazy days! God bless the teachers of our kiddos :)

joshua54 said...

Great post! Really helped from the tips as teaching these things to my son who has started going to a Phoenix pre-k and will share this with his teacher too so she can help other kids too who struggle to learn the basics. Thanks for sharing this here.