today was better. i was very intentional with my actions and my choice to make it a good day...praising the students for good work and heading off problems and fights before they got out of control. i was hoping that chuy would see the way i've been problem solving with the kids for the past 3 months and absorb some of those skills to do the same thing himself...but he's not quite there yet. these kids still need to learn life skills. marcos, omar, and marisol have been here since they were babies, and they've grown up with 4 other kids and 'moms' that are always coming and going. they haven't had consistency like children do with their parent(s). i think that this is one of the main reasons they are lacking in problem solving skills. when omar gets angry, he bursts into tears. when marcos gets angry, he yells 'no' at the top of his lungs over and over. when marisol gets angry, she shuts down and is unapproachable. it's such a crazy and quick change. i'm trying to avoid getting to this point and instead we have been talking through their anger and involving the other person. some times it seems like all they want to do is tattle or get angry! i understand that they're 6 and will still have fits from time to time...but still. they can learn how to work through a problem, and that's what we have been and will continue to be doing.
i found out tonight that we don't have school on monday. apparently every month there's a 'suspension of labor' day. works for me!