Week 10

Oct. 14-18, 2013

This week, I started to do more of the coursework required for the position. By the end of the week, I was writing reports on all the students seen and sending it to Bryan so he could record it in his notes. I'm also learning about how Mary Anne (supervisor) takes and uses the information we input. Bryan explained to me the graphing system that is used for this and how they chart student performance based on these graphs. However, it is such a complex dynamic (O&M) and there are so many facets to the profession. I wonder how this could be possible.

I'm definitely getting a lot more independence with the students. Bryan is still accompanying me from a distance and sometimes he is working with the students, but I am beginning to feel the independence that comes with this job. I'm always amazed at the students' progress. For instance, Alysia (a student who used to kick and scream and wail on end) was introduced to the pre-cane and by the end of this week, she is cooperating and walking with it up to 15 feet with prompts on her back. Even though there is progress here, I still wonder how the pre-cane actually helps. It seems unstable and I wish there were more support built into it for students like her. I guess I have to wait this thing out and see how it pans.

Some other things to gauge my progress up to this point can be reflected on my lessons with students named Andrew and Dino. This week, Bryan let me transfer Andrew from his wheelchair to the playground rails of the ramp independently, but he still had to remind me to stop and wait for him to explore. I have a tendency to think, "work" often and this reminder was good for me. I'm glad he told me that, b/c after I waited for Andrew to explore, he went from sucking a pole to wrapping himself around something entirely different (which made him happy). On the way back to class, Andrew was smiling. I couldn't believe it! By the end of the week, I worked with Andrew independently without Bryan's provision and I had him go from his wheelchair all the way up a ramp, up stairs, down a slide, and walking back to class in his gait trainer. This was huge!

When I worked with Dino this week, I worked independently with him. I'm pretty sure Bryan left me alone with him entirely. I found some music on my iPhone and played it for him while we practiced touch technique with the cane from his class to the cafeteria. I used to be so afraid of this kid, b/c I've heard so many rumors about how he tackles people and now I am working with him independently. Whoop!

I'm also getting more practice with a gait belt support for Jana (one of our blind students at Paul B.). If she does not have this on, Cate Waller showed me how to use her shirt for support.

I'm learning the importance of not touching students so much and using verbal instruction primarily (especially for this kid, named Jon). I worked with him in the mall independently and we were definitely not getting along, b/c of this issue. He wanted to go his own way and I kept wanting to correct him with physical prompts (b/c he would not listen)!

By the end of the week, I was really working independently with almost every student, but leaning a lot on Bryan's feedback and support.