Skip to main content

Day 3

 


Day 3: Lessons from the Everyday Moments

Life of a Support Facilitator

My day started with a knock on my door. One of my students stopped by just to say “hi” — and, of course, to grab a fidget toy! Those small visits remind me how important it is for students to have a safe, familiar person they can check in with at any time.

I walked to my first class, but mornings can be tricky — students are still arriving, routines are just starting, and it takes a little flexibility to make things flow. I just had to make it work.

Morning Collaboration and Flexibility

My next stop quickly became one of my favorite moments of the day. My assigned student was absent, so instead of sitting idle, I helped the teacher get another student back on task by creating a quick token system. It worked beautifully! Sometimes the simplest strategies have the biggest impact.

During recess, I chatted with the 4th grade team before heading to collaborate with a colleague on assessment and curriculum planning. These quick hallway and planning moments often spark the best ideas — and strengthen our support network.

Afternoon Patience and Perspective

Upstairs during math, my student needed extra time to finish copying something from the lesson. I realized it was a perfect opportunity to practice patience — to listen first before trying to redirect. I worked with the teacher to adjust the schedule and reassured the student that she could catch up on her work later. Sometimes, the best teaching moment is knowing when not to push too hard.

In my last class of the day, I walked into a science experiment — dissolving sugar cubes in hot and cold water! The energy in the room was contagious. One student asked if she could have gum, and I’ll admit it — I gave in. (It’s the little things that make their day.)

After lunch, I met with the 5th grade team to collaborate on class shirts, discuss a student’s schedule, and plan reading intervention time. I love these team moments where creativity and problem-solving intersect.

Lessons I Learned Today

Today was full of small but powerful reminders. I learned that:

  1. I’m a safe person for kids because I’m familiar.

  2. I need to put the needs of students first.

  3. There’s always another perspective to consider.

  4. I can take a step back and reflect before reacting.

  5. There’s a chain of command, and I need to respect it.

  6. It’s impossible to make everyone happy — and that’s okay.

  7. As educators, we’re on stage all day long, modeling behavior and attitude.

  8. Change brings emotion, and that’s part of growth.

  9. Sometimes you just have to say, “It is what it is.”

  10. And most importantly, I can always do better.

Final Reflection

Every day as a Support Facilitator brings a mix of planning, surprises, laughter, and lessons. Some days I’m testing, some days I’m teaching, and other days I’m just listening. But no matter the task, every interaction matters.

Today reminded me that growth doesn’t happen all at once — it happens in small, daily reflections, in choosing patience over perfection, and in finding joy in the everyday moments that make this role so special.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 12

🌿  Week 12: Choosing Gratitude in the Uncomfortable This week, I made the conscious choice to lead with gratitude. I knew my mindset had to shift if I was going to give my best — not just to my students, but to myself. Each morning, my daughter Abby and I started our day by sharing something we were thankful for at school. It was grounding and intentional — a reminder that even in hard seasons, there is good worth naming. Monday I began the week thankful for my administration and ready to reset my mindset. A morning in-house meeting reminded me that I am not alone in collecting data and that sometimes support shows up where you least expect it. I left that meeting with clarity and a lighter load. Throughout the day, I worked across grade levels — from SIPPS decoding polysyllabic words to practicing partial differences in math to coaching students on plot structure in a leveled reader. I even stretched my comfort zone by teaching small group inside the general education classroom. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 11

  Week 11 — “Finding Gratitude in the Hard” This week, I began to feel discouraged. Every day felt heavy, and each morning I struggled to find the motivation to walk through the school doors. Monday set the tone early, and before I could settle in,the day was moving at full speed. One student started the day struggling from something that happened before he even arrived at school. His behavior reflected it all day long. Even though he wasn’t on my schedule, I had him join my 5th-grade reading group just to reset. After time to decompress, he was able to return to class calm and ready. Moments like this remind me how crucial it is to seek the  “why”  behind behavior — especially for students with autism. Everyone has hard days. He didn’t need consequences — he needed understanding and a reset button. At the end of Monday, I learned I would be completing an initial IEP for a student I’d never worked with before. I’ve never written an initial IEP on my own — all my students ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 27

  Week 27 — Perspective Monday was President’s Day, so the week began Tuesday with a full schedule. A couple of my students were absent, but I was able to see all of my morning groups before lunch. After lunch I followed my typical schedule and then attended grade-level collaborative teaching groups at 2:15. We discussed data and upcoming 5th grade science test questions. After the meeting, I rushed to make copies and immediately began tutoring a 2nd grade student after school. I completed diagnostic testing before the hour ended and was then asked to meet with my mentee. She had a lot happening both personally and professionally, so I simply listened. That evening, I received frantic messages from my oldest daughter. My younger daughter, who has autism, decided to play hide-and-seek without telling anyone — and she could not be found. After searching for 30 minutes and calling family members, Abby finally emerged from hiding. It became a difficult lesson between a neurotypical sib...
Post a Comment
Read more