something to remember

that second to my last day at school, as coach avery, was especially fun. we were just sitting there...only the 7th graders from both classes, having been displaced from the blacktop because of the over 100 degree weather AND from the gym because of promotion practice, was sitting together under some trees and canopies bored out of our minds, sweating and staring at the clock, when a one of the girls comes up to me: "Coach Avery, wanna wrestle?" i'm grinning, "totally!" i say. so after i whip her, like it was hard, a crowd of boys jumps up. and it was hilarious. each one was so sure, SO SURE, he would be the victor. but by about the 11th whip job, i think they could see the writing on the wall. or, they were saved by the bell. ;)

almost done!

what a week! i'm almost done and can hardly believe my good fortune. it has been such a learning experience and blessing to have been given this long term assignment teaching p.e. to 7 and 8th grade. on friday we had an honors assembly and i got to represent coach mac (since his last day was tuesday due to his new knee surgery). 7 seventh graders out of about 275 were to be awarded the presidential physical fitness award. it's a big deal. huge in fact. and also a sad commentary on these youth when a little over 2% earns it. They have to complete 5 different skill tests, the mile, pushups, sit-ups, a flexibility test, and do what's called a "shuttle run." that's where they sprint a short distance from one line to another and bend over and pick up an eraser and run back with it. it measures speed and agility. i asked coach mac to explain all this to me, and how good they have to perform. it varies, obviously, based on sex, but the expectations are not unreasonable. as an example, the sit-ups they do are modified. no one holds your knees and you simply leave your hands on the floor and slide them up to a certain point as you curl forward.
anyway, i way digress!
i got to hand those awards out and 4 of them were my kids. so fun! and i spoke too, gave a little 5 second description of what that award meant. and, come to find out, i probably wasn't heard by many people. about 350 or so where there and i held the mike too far from my mouth!
argh!
anyway, the principal introduced me too, and that was sweet because she said what a great job i had been doing.....
oh, and i got lots of applause, like when she first introduced me and i walked up. was a little tiny bit embarrassing and made my throat catch but i loved it, who am i kidding?! amazing how many good kids are out there. and how many many people there are to love.
(i also got to hand out 5 more awards later in the program for outstanding students and these were ones that i had selected.) and this one, i also botched. as i walked up to the podium, i DROPPED 3 of them and proceeded to talk not noticing i was stepping on them. the podium sort of hid that from the majority of the group, but then i had to bend down and get them. so much for being sophisticated.
but it was a great cap on a priceless experience.
always a dork, but covering it up pretty nicely AND ever able to keep moving. ha ha!
and i only have 4 days left. wow. wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (it's been a 6 week job and i'm changed because of it!)