My First Concern....

Hey Everyone

I was evaluated today by my AA(academic advisor) on my first lesson of my basketball unit. The lesson went really well as I tried to reach out to the haters of basketball. Lots of them seemed quite puzzled when I told them that I hated basketball in phys ed seeing as I'm a basketball player and coach. They seemed to understand once I explained why. I told them that I won't try and make them a basketball player in 8 classes but I will try and get them to enjoy basketball in that time. So we did a bunch of games today that used basketball skills. At the end of class when I asked them if they had some fun, they all said that they did and I told them that I got them playing basketball without actually playing basketball. I told them that if they had fun today, then they will have fun this unit. After class, my AA thought that I did a great job and commended me for having her come in and check out my first planned lesson.

Due to popular demand and hearing from the other grades 9 class that I did dance with on Friday, I was asked to teach dance to the other half of the grade 9's. So of course I did it. It went just like the other lesson and afterwards when we had some extra time, I kept that music on and dance with almost everyone in the class. The boys once again wanted to learn how to do the flip and I showed them and had to flip most of them. The girls actually wanted in on this too and wanted to do some of the other complex moves. At the end, I put on some Usher and we danced the rest of the class away together pulling out some of our best moves. I hope to work with them again.

So down to the real stuff:
On Friday in the staff meeting, the teachers went around and asked about any student concerns. When a name pops up, the teacher that brings the students name up states the concern whether it's attendance or marks. Then asks to see if anyone else has that same sort of problem with that student. One of my basketball players from last year name came up (by my assistant coach too). The said that this student wasn't achieving as well as he thought that he would in his class, he's handed some stuff in late, and he just seems to be a bit depressed this year. When asked, some other teacher's had a similar concern that he does look a bit depressed. I was a bit shocked to hear this as I had seem him everyday and we hang out whenever we can. He's always asking me when we can get into the gym and work on his shot. He's planning to try out for the Provincial team b/c I had told him last year that he was good enough to play at that level. So even though he isn't playing for me this year as he's moved up to the varsity level, we went in twice last we at 7 am to shoot for an hour and bit before class starts. To me, it does not look like he's depressed at all. He's a bit of a quiet guy but I've been able to open him up a bit since I coached him last year.

So hearing this, I didn't mention my experience with him in the staff meeting but I did talk to my CT's back in the phys ed office. I had asked them if I was stepping my boundaries if I tried to reach out to him and find out what could be going on behind the scenes. Both of them said that it was worth a try seeing as he trusts me. So report cards came out today and my opening will be to ask him how his marks are and go from there. I know that he's had a girlfriend in the school for over a year now (which is long at that age I guess) and I haven't seen them together as much this year as I did last year. That may or may not be the case but I'm determined to see what's going on. I seem to bring out something different in him so hopefully I can help him out.