Just a little heads up. I WILL be MIA for awhile. The educational assistants will be going on strike tomorrow and therefore no work for me and no school for Isaiah. I will be attempting to get him to do some school work at home. I could send him to school, but there would be nobody there to keep close supervision on him as he needs. So for his safety, it's recommended that he stay home. This kiddo can be a real handful and I'll need to be keeping him busy. If you see me online on MSN...I'll likely be letting Isaiah do some online work/games. But if you wanna chat to Isaiah, I'm sure he wouldn't mind! Another way to practice his typing/communication skills! hehe

So until this strike clears up, you might only see me on here in the evening. Depends on how much energy I have left at the end of the day. :P

Its always good to take a break from the internet--You get so much done!

Have a good week.............

Enjoy your time with Isaiah!

Try to enjoy your time with your son....how long do they think the strike will last, do you have any idea? Seems unfair for the kids.... :(

I guess we'll be seeing you soon then! :D

When i was in sixth grade my teachers had a strike--No school for a week! It was awesome! But since it is jsut the assistants leaving...the burden will be placed on the teachers....I think it would be unlikely that the kids will feel like they got jipped because the assistants are gone for a bit..

I'm going to ask a stupid question.

EAs are really a foreign concept to me. When I was in school, there was no such thing as an "Educational Assistant". Since I no longer participate in school, I don't know if there are any here. The news article said that even Parochial schools have EAs.

So, what's an EA? Are EAs degreed professionals or is there any kind of certification attached? What, exactly, do EAs do all day? I remember that in our school the special ed kids would have extra teachers - for those classes I can understand it. But in regular classes? The article seemed to mention that EAs were present all through the school and their absence would disrupt the entire school.

Could you be a scab EA and do the work while the others are on an illegal strike? If so, and the strike is indeed illegal, would the EAs that struck be fired? Would the school hire scabs?

That's a good question. I didn't really think about what an EA is. I assume it is just people that take some of te burden off the teachers...but Lena works on the bus..maybe it is whast we know as support staff??

Well, Lena's son is getting gypped because he can't go to school without the EAs there....that's what I meant...

Ahhh..

Yeah, GYPPED is the correct word! :grump:

An EA is a person who works directly one on one with a child with special needs. They have to go through all the training, schooling and special programs and are certified. We didn't have EAs in my school, either. There were "resource teachers", but they're different than EAs. EAs are constantly at the child's side throughout the day. They deal with therapists as well and are expected to be trained by them, too. So yes, they are "professionals"...somedays I wonder....but yeah....:P

Isaiah has an occupational therapist that sees him every 2 weeks. So if the therapist integrates something new, she trains the EA and calls me and sends notes home and we work on the same things together. Isaiah did have physio therapy, but praise God she's no longer neeeded! :D Isaiah's been line dancing in gym class and has been loving it.

Clay, what do you mean by "scab"? Sounds like the dead skin coming off of a sore...

Now my job as bus monitor is not quite like an EA. More like a paid volunteer. :D I am going through training. I've already had wheelchair training as in how to properly buckle down a wheelchair. Which I can do under one minute! :bounce: I've had WHMIS training and tomorrow I'm supposed to have a course with a bunch of other stuff as in fire extinguisher use...fun! I still have to call up to see if it'll still be there since not just EAs are on strike, BUT also taxi drivers and that falls under the company I work for. So...:dunno:

Scabs are my favorite people in a strike. They are the folks who work during a strike - either by not going on strike or by taking a job to replace striking workers. By calling them my favorite people in a strike, you get my position on strikes. I don't like 'em. I'm glad I live in Texas where I can choose whether or not to join a union.

The degrading name was stuck on them by strikers, though.

WAHOOOO! LENA HAPPY!! :booyah:

http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Story/20060222-001/page.asp

No strike! No strike!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

That's great news!
:thumbsup:

I just got back from training and I've decided while driving in the warm sunshine and with a clear mind that I'm gonna be lying low anyway. I've had ALOT to deal with recently and I still need to muddle through some rough patches.

For starters, I need to pound on a musical set of keys instead of this keyboard if I'm to be playing piano in church soon. I just feel so tired and beat. I've been snappy and confused and just plain irritable. I still miss Maria...it all still seems so fresh. I'm thinking of going to visit her grave. I'm longing to talk to her hubby, but Abe thinks it's still "too soon, give him his space:...whatever the heck that means. I've been having VERY strange dreams which I prefer not to say. They've been disturbing. So, yeah. I'm much too wound up to enjoy much these days. I need to take up my music and other hobbies for a bit.

And PUHLEEZ don't make a fuss if you do see me online. It helps nothing. :(

We'll miss you - and we promise to not be too hard on you if you do show up.

sister, you've gotta do what you've gotta do....you know you're in our thoughts & prayers...

Well, you know we'll still be here when you need us!