Saturday, April 29, 2006

i've got a buggy!!

ms. h has her squashed bug, and now i've got the shyboy (who didn't smile at me until a couple weeks ago).
baseball is his passion, and the season has started. he invited me to a game (which surprised/shocked/amazed his other teachers when i mentioned it to them). i couldn't believe he actually asked me if i'd go to his game, so, of course, i went. it was so wonderful/painful to watch. he's an amazing ballplayer. but he gets so down on himself if he makes a mistake...which he also does in my class. he played short for the first four innings then was moved to pitcher. and i could see his whole body crumble after each bad pitch. i could imagine how his face fell (because it happens in my classroom when he doesn't understand something)...

and now i know why...his dad is an asshole of the highest calibur. while i may disagree with parents and get irritated with parents, i'm not one to call them horribly nasty names unless absolutely warrented. but this dad...it disgusts me when i think about it. after every single play/pitch/at-bat, dad had a comment...and you can bet your butt it wasn't in any way, shape or form encouraging. most of them were ridiculously demeaning, and some were even downright nasty. i hope shyboy couldn't hear him from the stands (although i'm sure he heard it after the game).
i made sure to try to counter whatever dad was saying by cheering extra loud. i think i embarassed shyboy.

i talked to him the next day in class, and i made sure to compliment him on everything he did well. after class, i told him that i thought about going down to say bye when i left and tell him how well he was doing, but i figured his baseball buddies would give him a hard time about that...apparently it isn't cool to be buddy-buddy with the teacher. i got a shyboy smile from that one.
i'll be going to more baseball games...and maybe i'll bring a bullhorn or something to drown out nastydad.

5 comments:

Trixie said...

You and Ms. H. are wonderful people for taking the time and interest in your students. I guarantee both shyboy and buggy will remember your efforts and how important you are to their lives.

Keep up the great work!

Friend of Ms. H.

Ms. H said...

Oh my gosh!! I am SO glad he had you there to root for him...what a great change from Crankydad you were! Bullhorn? You don't need no stinkin' bullhorn...just let me know when the next game is and I'LL lend my loudself to the cheering. Crankydad won't have a chance!!

Anonymous said...

One of my favorite students had a dad like that, always on the sideline at the football game, yelling for him to do more, better. He also pulled him out of basketball practice early many times, resulting in his son--who did his career project in my class on going to the NBA--getting less play time.

Father and son were arrested for the murder of a family member this past fall. Keep an eye on your kid for me, will you?

"Ms. Cornelius" said...

That dad will never be happy with shyboy, and shyboy will mourn this all his life.That dad- what a Bastard.

M said...

I'm glad shyboy has you to praise him. The dad sounds like a complete dickhead.