Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Parrots and Summer School

As you probably know, we have two pets.. Leila (Big Dog), the black lab.. and Zoey (Little Dog) the mutt.

After these last two weeks of summer school, I now know what it feels like living with a parrot. I have a little one who says everything I say, just like I say it. Even if I whisper something to my assistant, super hearing boy can hear it and restates it just like I said it.

Yes, the little guy has some special needs... but give me a break, dude.. let me say "I'm running to the bathroom" without repeating it.

Sure.. there are times when it's cute. Even funny. You know, when he says things from movies and such. Or even when I'm laughing and he mimics me. Cute. Not - so - much when I'm telling a student to wipe their bottom (yes, I have to tell kids how to go to the bathroom.. do you pity me, yet?) or asking a student to complete a task. But, I hit my wall today when he repeated my bathroom statement and when I said to him, as he was hitting me mercilessly, "No hit teacher! No hit teacher!" I thought maybe he understood when I said that and he repeated it. Turns out he didn't, he was just repeating what I said.

And yes, I do say things like "No hit. No hit teacher." These kids need very explicit instructions, so grammar tends to go out the window.

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