I left the classroom today with a certain sense of satisfaction.

Right! It's February!

Every year, February is the time of year when I can finally begin to feel that most students (NEVER say ALL) are moving in the right direction.

The 12th graders are beginning to see the "exit door" to high-school opening wide and many are really buckling down.

Most of the 11th graders who were problematic behavioral -wise in 10th grade have decided they really want to try taking the upcoming 11th grade finals and have dropped some of their "wasting time" behaviors.

HOWEVER,

It's the 10th graders who make February into FEBRUARY!

I finally feel that they have settled down and adjusted to life in high-school.

The move from Junior High to High School is quite a move for everyone (expecially as our school is SO large, 1700 students!) but for some it is really difficult. Particularly those students who came to us from the mainstream, where they were the only hard of hearing students in the entire school. They often were treated as "the poor things" and simply did not do many things that were hard for them.

Here they had to adjust to a framework where the excuse "But I don't hear well" simply doesn't carry weight! Neither do any of the other students in our program!

Most forms of acting out and "drama" have seemed to die down. Life is so much easier without them!

Ah, the joys of February!

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