teachers

When Students Slip Through the Cracks

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There are many teachings and expectations in education that I struggle to fully wrap my head around. Education is supposed to be a systematic, regulated structure formats, frameworks, and standards we are expected to follow. Yet the reality is, not everything fits neatly into those boxes, and not every student does either.

I am a special education teacher in an alternative education school. Our school serves students from ten surrounding districts within our county. We work with students in grades 7 through 12, and the classified disabilities we support include emotional disturbance, learning disabilities, other health impairments (OHI), Tourette’s syndrome, and others.

Our special education classrooms are structured as 8:1:1, while our general education classes can include up to twelve students. We serve students with high-incidence disabilities in one program and students with low-incidence or more severe disabilities in another, based on instructional and support needs. These decisions are not arbitrary they are intentional, because the needs are real and complex.

Every facet of education matters. Curriculum matters. Standards matter. Data matters. But what matters just as much are the students sitting in those classrooms students who come in carrying trauma, instability, frustration, and often a long history of feeling misunderstood or dismissed.

And this is the part that weighs heavy.

If we, as educators, do not do a thorough job if we allow these students to slip through the cracks of the education system the impact does not end at graduation or aging out. These are the same students who are eventually sent out into the real world without the tools, coping skills, or supports they needed all along. The struggle doesn’t disappear; it just shifts. And when it does, it affects all of society.

Education is not just about passing classes or checking off requirements. For many of these students, school is the last structured support system they will have. It is where they learn how to regulate emotions, resolve conflict, communicate, and survive in a world that often isn’t built for them.

Leftover Salt Potato Cheesy Goodness

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I get bored of eating the same thing, not every day but even once a month. I love taking leftovers and turning them into a first time recipe. For instance, salt potatoes. All though they are so good, sometimes you just need to change things up a bit. So I took leftover salt potatoes, cut them up into small pieces and put each one in a muffin tin. I drizzled olive oil on top, sprinkled cheddar cheese, and Italian seasoning.

Ingredients

  • 1 – 12 Cooked salt potatoes, 1 for each muffin tin slot(however many you want to make)
  • 1 tbsp of cheddar cheese
  • a drizzle of olive oil(I prefer Specially Selected Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil) a GREAT product for the price)
  • 2 shakes of Italian seasoning

Gluten Free Banana Bread, YUM

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Okay, so now that I entered my 50’s, I realized that your body definitely changes over time. This means that you have to put in extra effort to take care of yourself. I was always able to eat whatever I wanted but as of late, I noticed certain foods are affecting me differently so I have been doing trial by error and the elimination process. I find that gluten free foods are definitely beneficial to my diet. Oh how I love banana bread!!

Every little bit helps!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups gluten free flour mix
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ half and half
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 3 bananas, ripe and mashed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

You can use either a 9 inch loaf pan or 4 small individual loaf pans (I like the individual ones so I can freeze them and take them out when I need one or give to a friend).

Whisk together the dry ingredients of 2 cups gluten free flour blend, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, 1 tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix 3 eggs, ¾ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 tbsp of maple syrup, and ¼ cup sugar.

Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients then add the 3 mashed bananas to the batter. Stir until well mixed.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until the top of the bread is lightly golden.

Check the bread after 40 minutes. Take either a tooth pick or butter knife and pierce to see if any batter sticks to either. I usually watch to see if the top of the loaves turn golden brown and base my cooking time on that.

Awesome when served with butter!!!

This is my third time making these but it finally came out exactly how I anticipated it would!

Nutrition Information:

 SERVING SIZE:

 1 (12 servings total)

Amount Per Serving: 

CALORIES: 226TOTAL FAT: 11gSATURATED FAT: 1gTRANS FAT: 0gUNSATURATED FAT: 9gCHOLESTEROL: 48mgSODIUM: 310mgCARBOHYDRATES: 28gFIBER: 1gSUGAR: 8gPROTEIN: 5g

This data is provided by Nutritionix and is an estimate only.