A few things I've learned...

So to get the ball rolling, I'd like to take a few days to document a few things I've already learned from my teaching experience. It's difficult to put them in order so....i'll just start!

• Everyday I spend time with amazing children who have some 'extra special' qualities!  These children, as are all children, are wonderful, inspiring, loving, little creations.  They are also strong-willed, stubborn, and emotional characters.  Why do we, so often, take the second set of qualities and classify them as negative?  It's control- as adults, we feel like we are supposed to be in control.  As a teacher, who am I to try to put a lid on (control) a child's learning?  I am there to guide, support, engage, and lead, but not control!
• Communication is always present!  Even though young children, and children with disabilities, don't always use words, they are always communicating with us! Positive and negative behavior, glances, tears, smiles, hugs, hits, and many, many other actions are forms of communication!  Always be mindful of a child's behavior as a part of communication!  
• All they need is Love...and Discipline!  Those precious screams and tears from telling them no are NOT going to be as cute when the child is 16 and is still being treated like a 6 year old.  It's okay & in ALL cases, appropriate, to discipline children, YES, even children with disabilities! (This is a soapbox of mine that will probably show up MANY, MANY times).  SET LIMITS and STICK TO THEM! While my students know that  I love them, and would do anything for/with them, they also learn that I mean business...when it's time to work, it's time to work! When it's time to play...Miss Amanda will be right in the middle of it! :)
• Read and Sing, Read and Sing, Read and Sing! Of course it's silly, and yes, you will look like a crazy person in front of other adults, but embrace it- they're just jealous the children like you more!
• Oh yeah- it might not always be a good idea to use shaving cream as a sensory activity for children who try to eat everything....USE COOL WHIP or WHIPPED CREAM! :) Tastes much better.

More to come.... :)  Manda