Kid – 1, Psychologist and Fancy Test Developers- 0
I give tests. I give IQ tests, “Cognitive Tests” (aka IQ tests that are not banned in California), Auditory Processing Tests, Visual Processing Tests, Neuropsychological Tests, Executive Functioning Tests, Social-Emotional Tests, Behavioral Tests, Visual-Motor Tests, Memory Tests…and on and on. Every so often, there are some BAD items that I have to give as a […]
Response to My Own Intervention
As I mentioned in a previous post, I was going to try to infuse a Response to Intervention (RtI) model at my middle school. I was going to step back and look at the wiring of my school and its interventions to help students early on, instead of putting out electrical fires by responding once […]
Professional Gang Costume
I grew up in white, middle class suburbia. I was completely ill equipped to understand the gang culture in the school district I began working in as a school psychologist. The closest I got to experiencing anything gang related growing up was when I saw West Side Story, Breakin’, and Breakin’ Two: Electric Boogaloo. Turns […]
Optimism
A few weeks ago, I packed up my work bag, my coffee mug, and my lunch for the day, and headed outside to get in my not-car. It had been stolen. I turned around, went inside, dropped off all my stuff (except of course I was still clutching my coffee mug. I was going to […]
I Must Have Missed that Day in Grad School When They Taught This
Once again, I feel compelled to show this hilarious clip from Summer Heights High, a mockumentary of high school students. Originally, I thought it was from England, but my fellow school psychologist from New Zealand pointed out last time Australia actually deserves credit. Thanks, Shirley! In this clip, our friend Jonah is getting “Anger Management” […]
RtI is the New Black
I have a confession. I’ve been spying on you. I can see what search terms people use to get to my blog. I get many people to my blog through “School Psychologist Blog” which makes sense, but there are some people who are confused when the search term “Ugliest Girl in School” gets you to […]
Beware of the Scarlet P
“Penny Pingleton, you know you are punished. From now on you’re wearing a giant P on your blouse EVERY DAY to school so that the whole world knows that Penny Pingleton is permanently, positively, punished! Well that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? Well this is clearly something that only happens in Full-Feature-Film-Turned-Tony-Award-Winning-Musicals-Turned-Full-Feature-Film. OR DOES […]
Ass-umptions
As I walked home today at the end of work, I overheard a man talking to my neighbor. I am a somewhat of an eavesdropper so I tuned in as I was walking by. I am also an eyevsdropper,* so I looked at what they were doing too. The man was leaning up on another […]
The Newbie
I feel compelled to write about Dante’s 10th Canto of Hell, otherwise known as my first year as a school psychologist. I’ve been getting many emails lately about how to survive this first year in the field. Every year as a school psychologist in an urban school is a dog-year of learning. So I have […]
All Aboard the Principal Train!
I have tremendous respect for Principals. I have no idea how they do it. When I get assigned a new school, I do my best to get to know the Principal. Unfortunately, they are usually so busy that our interactions are brief and future interactions are usually when one of my students is in serious […]
