Getting Started...Finally!

Teachers,

I spent a long time trying to think up cool names for this blog. "Brainstreaming" was already taken, and most of my other ideas were either comically melodramatic ("Mainstream Heroes") or hopelessly maudlin ("The Very Best and Last Hope of Deaf Children").

Although I've been tinkering with using this format to communicate with my kids' families, this is the first time I've attempted to use something like a blog as a resource for our mainstream teachers. The potential seems enormous, but I know from experience that much depends on my own consistency and your own participation. Even if you can't make time to be a regular part of the blog, I figure that it's one more resource at your disposal, and any psychological and emotional scarring from reading my rambling essays will most likely fade in time.

There's one little bullet-point on SCOE's list of 12 Civility Principles that really smacked me upside the head when I read it for the first time. It reads:

• Respect Other People's Time

My track record in this is rather abysmal. I'm the guy who leaves messages that get cut off after two minutes every single time. My boss gave up trying to read my emails years ago. Her comment: "I found that if I take the time to read the whole thing, I'm usually glad that I did."

I know how busy you are. I want you to know how grateful I am for your support, and for your cheerful willingness to take extra, special-needs kids (and adult support staff!) into your classrooms. I know your rooms are already bursting at the seams.

I'll do my level best to keep things light and interesting here, without wasting too much of your time. :)

"Following" the blog is the easiest way to participate, as you can elect to have any updates sent to you via email. If you've any questions, please feel free to ask here or contact me via the traditional channels - I'm happy to help in any way I can. I may also use your questions to develop the resources here for everyone to share.

Thank you all, for everything.

-Jason