Today at work, I received a new assignment for my job. For the foreseeable future, I will be an all day, one-on-one para with for a young man who is new at our school. In addition to a behavior disorder, this particular also has a PDD NOS (part of the autism spectrum), a speech disorder, and is intellectually disabled. Because I am the only staff member (including certified teachers) who has experience working with ID students in the building, I was a natural fit for the position.
He is a very sweet, young man who unfortunately had a major meltdown on his first day at the school. They put him right into the main classrooms at our school, which was obviously going to work for this young man. For the time being, we are keeping him away from students and classes, and letting him get adjusted into the new environment. Gradually, as he adapts to the new school, we will start letting him attend class, and work on more and more assignments. In the meantime, I am trying to work with him on a little academics here and there (primarily to see where he is at academically), with frequent breaks in between. I am also taking time to bond with him, so I can get to know him, and vice versa so he can have someone to feel comfortable with at school.
I am very excited to have been given this opportunity, and it is a major responsibility on my part. Unfortunately, there is a first impression of what this young man is already like among many of the staff members and students due to his behavior on his first day. One of the things I am trying to do now is to convey to others that this is actually a very nice young man who will act out if we don't work with him in the appropriate manner.
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