Welcome to the world of professional sports. In the past few weeks we've read about prescription drug abuse, alcohol abuse, illegal drug abuse, spousal abuse and child abuse among professional athletes so I'm thinking it's time to introduce you to our new scholar as he plays and interesting version of basketball and football. So waiting not very patiently in the tunnel to the stadium for his formal introduction is a second grade scholar that has increased our class size to seven scholars with emotional and/or psychological issue. Ladies and gentlemen please give it up for NoFouls.
It's recess and we are outside on the basketball court. Sides have been chosen rather unfairly in my opinion but I guess no one cares. Our newest scholar is responsible for making the inbound pass to start the game but instead takes two dribbles with the ball and runs to his right trying to shoot. His lane is blocked and despite the calls from his teammates to pass the ball he reverses course and without dribbling runs to the other side of the court. He then stops and despite being triple teamed shoots and misses badly. An opponent rebounds and after a couple dribbles picks up the ball and sprints with our new scholar in pursuit towards the other basket. When just short of the basket he stops to shoot but our scholar bangs into him. The opponent calls a foul. Our scholar responds in a loud voice there are NoFouls in this game.
A couple days later we are again outside at recess but the sport is now football. The playground in the area for football is covered with about a foot of wood chips so it is well cushioned. The game is one hand touch. NoFouls team is kicking off and the game is on. The opponent is moving up field in NoFouls direction when NoFouls just jumps on him and tackles him and tries to wrestle the ball away. Flag on the play. NoFouls is hugging the fence for two minutes. This time the opponents kick off. A teammate of NoFouls gets the ball but NoFouls wrestles the ball away from him and heads toward the end zone. There is one opponent to beat and rather than avoiding the opponent in this game of touch football he just barrels into him and knocks him over. Flag on the play. Give me the ball the game is over.
Occasionally when I watch professional sports and I see aggressive play that leads to fights I stop and think to myself. How many of these professional athletes were designated as emotionally disabled in grade school. Maybe I'll get out a device and see if I can find the answer. If I find it I'll let you know the results.
As a reminder NoFouls is in the second grade and the aggression he exhibits on the play ground carries over to the classroom. Sadly for Gnu and I he has chosen MiniJ as his most popular target. These two have gone face to face and chest to chest once or twice daily and had to be separated. Unfortunately for us MiniJ has already figured out how to push NoFouls hot buttons so with these two new scholars in our classroom it is going to be a constant battle to maintain order. In addition it is going to be a constant battle to focus on strong academics and not slip into nothing more than a room to warehouse scholars with major personal problems.
Thank you again for reading the blog. To keep everyone current here is a scorecard update.
My Scholars
The Collector - 4th grade
Yo! - 4th grade
EM - 3rd grade
Uh-Uh-Uh - 2nd grade
The King - 3rd grade
MiniJ - 2nd grade
NoFouls - 2nd grade
New Scholar - yet to arrive but you've met him, he's called Grrr! Presently on hold waiting for further evaluation.
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