Are you ready for some football???
(Click on the pictures for a closer view)
Line up!
Catch!
Run!!
(O.k. I don't know the correct football terminology, but you get the idea.)
Now, before I can even begin to tell you about the football game,
I need to remind you that this is just my blog.
It is where I can get things off my chest.
It's just my thoughts on paper.
(Or rather online.)
I am not trying to preach.
Not even close.
It's just when I feel strongly about something,
I find it helps to write about it.
It brings me relief to get it all out
without interruption or arguing with anyone.
It's just me and my keyboard.
I don't expect everyone to agree with me
and it's perfectly fine if you don't.
Really.
I'll start with last Friday...
Last Friday, all of my day care kids had left early
and I was the only one left at home!
This never happens.
So, I took advantage of it and decided to surprise
Landon and pick him up at school.
I hadn't been to his class room since school started
and wanted to see him with his class.
There were about ten minutes left of class when I got there.
The students were playing a game something like 7up/heads up.
The ones at their desk had their heads down and the others
would tap them on their heads and then they had to guess who
tapped them. They played nicely and quietly. I was impressed.
But, once the game was over...
It got LOUD.
So, loud that the teacher had to use a microphone to be heard.
No matter how many times she asked them to be quiet,
they still continued to talk and talk and talk...
LOUDLY.
What in the world?
For the record, Landon was pretty good,
but I know darn well he would have joined in
with the rest of them had I not been standing there.
Peer pressure is like dominoes. One falls and they all follow.
I felt really bad for the teacher and could feel her frustration.
Today a note was sent home for the families regarding
the students behavior. There will now be warnings and
consequences for disrespectful behavior.
I am all for it and support her 100%.
Now, on to the game.
Today when the bus dropped off the kids,
we walked to the elementary school to watch
Landon play flag football.
Before I go any further I need to point out that I think
Shawn Bainbridge is an excellent coach!
I watched Coach B. line up the boys in a single file.
He had each boy take a turn running a little ways out,
turn around while catching the ball as he threw it to them and run back.
While he was doing this at the front of the line,
the boys in the back of the line were doing everything they shouldn't.
I bit my tongue while they gave each other wedgies.
I bit my tongue while they spun each other around on their shoulders.
I bit my tongue while they "tackled" each other over and over.
But, when one of the bigger boys "meanly" shoved a smaller boy so hard
to the ground it about knocked the breath out of him....
The Momma Bear in me came out and I roared!!!
O.k. I didn't roar, but I did go up to Coach B and
point out what happened. I know. I know.
"You did what????"
"Why did you do that????"
Not because I thought Coach B. wasn't doing his job.
He was doing exactly what he was suppose to be doing.
Coaching.
He shouldn't have to babysit while trying to do his job!
I wanted those boys to know that even when their
Coach/Teacher isn't watching them, someone is.
Always.
I know it's hard to speak up and look like a "jerk."
(That's the nicest word I have for it.)
I get in trouble a lot for speaking up and I try to hold it in.
But, sometimes I just can't do it and it causes ripples.
But, just imagine the waves we would get if we all started speaking up.
At least where kids are concerned.
It might not seem like such a big deal now, but if
they are allowed to behave this way now in grade school,
what is going to happen when they get to high school?
Oprah had a show on the other day promoting the movie
"Waiting for Superman."
This movie is basically about how the teachers and school system
are failing our students. That the teachers are just there to collect
their paycheck and don't care about the students because
they are protected by the union.
Now, I realize there are teachers out there like that,
but I am curious to see if the movie shows how our
students are disrespecting our teachers.
How the students can make the teacher's lives miserable too.
That there are two sides to every story.
At what point do the teachers finally throw in the towel
and say "O.K.You win."
How much can you take before you really don't care anymore?
So, whose fault is it?
The students, the teachers or the parents?
I think we are all guilty and need to work on this together.
As a team.
We are all on the same side, and we all want the same thing.
Respect and Success.
Nothing ages you more than starting a sentence with...
"When I was a kid....or when I was in school..."
But, here I go anyway...
When I was in school, there was no monkeying around in class.
(I know the proper way to say it is, "there wasn't any"
but, it's my blog and I can say it my way!)
There was no monkeying around in sports.
There was no monkeying around on the bus.
You went straight to the principal's office
or stayed after school
or worse, you were expelled!
It was a scary thing!
(Even more so once you got home to your parents!)
Landon's teacher's note today stated that they would
be starting to use those exact things.
It's a start.
I hope it works.
