Floral Kindness

As the academic year draws to an end, the IEP meetings are increasingly heated. I try to bolster myself the best I can, reminding myself I have tried to be the best practitioner I can every day.


After my second meeting involving lawyers on both sides on a Monday, a teacher pulled me aside in the hall. Usually this means I have more work coming or a child hiding in a bathroom, but this was not the case! She wanted to tell me I exuded such a calm energy, and was just so positive, she had watched me the entire meeting. She said I reminded her of a Gerber daisy. That kindness made my day.



Photo Credit: hyperboreanchaerie.wordpress.com

Vindication

As a new practitioner to school psychology (first year getting paid!), I of course have some trepidations about my skills as anyone working without a net should. A new decision from the Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education from the department of special education made it possible for school psychologists to find children with attention issues eligible for services without a doctor's diagnosis. This has led to a massive influx of attention assessments for me, resulting in a need to be extremely well versed in all the facets of attention and cognitive processes.

I had a student in first grade referred to me for an attention assessment. I sent home the appropriate protocols to the parents and teacher, and did a classroom observation. Looking at the student, it did not look purely attentional. I took my notes, mulled it over in my head and waited for the protocols to come in. I got both in just before vacation, and lo, they were inconclusive. I had just purchased the BRIEF, as I had been seeing an increasing number of students looking more executive functioning than attention impaired. Surprise! The student came up with issues in memory and executive functioning, not attention!

I would not have diagnosed that particular student as having an attention disability, because the evidence was so inconclusive. It was a wonderful feeling, scoring the BRIEF, to find yes, my instincts were on point.

Things that are awesome

Another super stellar day that makes me want to rip my hair out and choke someone else with it. So, now, a list of things that are awesome to balance out the horror.

1. Super friends willing to drive getaway cars and alibi my crazy self, who clearly understand this crazy bs life.
2. My partner, who lets me call to rant, rave, shout, and curse.
3. Cat yoga http://www.moderncat.net/2007/11/16/perfect-gift-yoga-loving-cat-owner/
4. Coffee
5. Old-er school hip hop (including Lauryn Hill's Doo Wop (That Thing) and B2K's Bump Bump Bump)
6. New business cards, and new business card holders
7. Hugs from first graders, and the way they really do believe when I tell them things are going to be okay.
8. Safe shoes with colorful dresses.
9. A boss who has my back, and is confident in my skills even when I'm not.
10. Spring is finally coming to New England.

What is awesome to you?

"But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air."

I don't believe in coincidences. I believe that we are where we need to be -whether that is easy or hard - for some reason. We may not know why now, or ever, but we have a purpose and a lesson greater than ourselves as individuals. We just need to be open to that experience - open minds, open hearts - to be able to live to our own fullest potential.


One early morning I woke up, and checked my facebook. A friend had posted a link to a video on youtube, about the red sox/yankees rivalry in one home. It was a bit of a sad video as the father (a red sox fan) was harsh with his young son (an about 4-year-old yankees fan). The boy's older brother (about age seven?) stepped in to comfort him, which redeemed the video. I then clicked over to the "featured" tab, to see what was new. And through no coincidence I found this performance by Sarah Kay at TED: (make sure to stay tuned to the end - she does two poems, "B" first, and "Hiroshima" at the end)






Things have been hard recently - hard at work, hard in life - but hearing these words reminded me that I'm not alone in that; that other people are struggling, too. Its not about who has it the "worst", its about how we are handling what we are given today. Someone else feels like "When you step out of the phone booth and try to fly and the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape." And that each day is called the present for now, so I should try to focus on that, making an impact today, not when I get around to it, when I'm feeling better, or when I have time. To be the "permanent shadow of positive light" for the people in my life - my students, my coworkers, my friends, my family, my partner. I don't want to change anyone, because I wouldn't learn from them if I tried. I want to support them, to listen to them, to be there in a way that in however-many years it takes, they look back and think, "Miss M. was there for me" or "Meghan accepted me for who I am", even though I am imperfect myself.

"I believe through any trial there is always a way"

I found myself singing "The Inscription of Hope" this afternoon. We sang this song with Central Middle School's choir in... 1996/97? Written by Z. Randall Stroope, it is attributed in part to a writing found on a basement wall during the second world war, by a Jewish person hiding in Germany. I hope you enjoy it.



Colburn Children's Choir sings an "Inscription of Hope" at their annual Winter Concert in Los Angeles, Ca, December 2008

Today I had the fortune to go to yoga for an hour of de-stressing. I will also have a body talk session tonight, which I am looking forward to.

Yesterday, my wonderful partner took me on a surprise visit to my alma mater Clark University. Of course, I visited for a few moments with papa Freud.

Continued praise

The appointment on Friday went very well. We're testing more things (including my thyroid and cortisol levels), and hopefully we'll find some answers. I am so thankful for wonderful doctors, access to comprehensive medical care, and all the wonderful people who support me.

BIG praise!

As some of you know I've been battling health problems since May 2010 and my weight since, well, as long as I can remember. I've come to believe these two things might, in fact, be connected. Despite consistent dieting my weight hasn't gone down. I met with Dr. Adolf Karchmer at Beth Israel yesterday. I must admit I was not the kindest patient around, but he was still wonderful. We decided that a consult with an endocrinologist may be helpful. I got the call just a few moments ago - they will see me tomorrow.

I don't know who specifically to thank, but I'm giving all the praise I can. Thank you Dr. Karchmer, thank you Dr. Gavrilla for having an opening, thank you family who made me so stubborn, and to the higher power out there as well.

Hoping and praying things go well tomorrow. I don't expect definitive answers, but hopefully a start!

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

This month's NASP Communiqué, (Jan/Feb 2011, Vol. 39, #5), featured an article by Jeffrey J. Froh, & Giacomo Bono entitled Gratitude in Youth: A Review of Gratitude Interventions and Some Ideas for Applications. I encourage you to read the article, it is a good primer on how we can increase cour gratitude and that of children (and thus over all quality of life).

If you have any trouble accessing the article (which could happen, I'm not super internet savvy), let me know and I'll email a copy as well.

Today I am thankful for..

• February vacation
• Sleeping in
• Beautiful, luxurious soaps
• A new job for a dear friend
• No class this week
• Good television marathons to watch on DVD while slowing producing reports
• Optimism, resiliency, hope
• Access to quality health care
• The possibility that maybe, someday soon, I'll have the answers I'm looking for
• Coffee.