Teaching Elementary, My Dear Watson

13 - Games & Music

13

Games & Music

Monday-Thursday, October 17-20

Each day challenged everyone's health, as the unwelcome smog kept Kevin and the kids from taking deep breaths unless they were willing to suffer repeated coughing attacks. It was the price of living in greater Los Angeles. Less rain, more pollution. The air-conditioned rooms provided a welcome respite from the harmful air quality outside, so when the students spent time on the fields, they could cope.

Predictably, the girls won, but the boys did not. This first experience of playing flag football for the ladies was a confidence builder. Everyone liked to win. But Kevin kept a close eye on them, looking for internal conflict. In one game, Sonya noticed that the left guard forgot what to do on a play and walked over, looking ready to criticize. Kevin raised his voice, "Ref, timeout. Sonya, come here." During the short break, he told Sonya quietly that he would handle it and that she was never to get down on any other girl. Kevin then talked privately with the teammate to teach her, clarifying her blocking responsibility on that particular play.

Later, Kevin watched the others as they clustered together, avoiding Sonya. Can't let them ostracize her.

He called them together after the game, their fourth victory without a defeat. "Who is the best center on any team, the only one who has made hikes to the quarterback without a single error in any game?" The kids admitted it was Sonya. They still didn't all like her, and maybe there were negative comments within their sixth-grade class that Kevin wasn't aware of, but all knew that she was important to the team's success. And Sonya was slowly learning to let her play, rather than her mouth, do the talking.

The boys lost repeatedly. Gotta find specifics to praise them on, even though they have yet to score.

So Kevin looked at his roster and singled out each player. One performed a perfect handoff, completing a double reverse, and then continued pretending to keep the ball, faking out two defenders. Three receivers made excellent catches. The quarterback remembered what to do on each play and passed accurately. True, none gained much yardage because the players were too slow. But Kevin made sure they knew he saw their improvement. They practiced and played with energy. "You guys show us what being an Eagle is all about."

The team knew he was proud of them.

*****

He called Monica each night, or she called him. On Monday, it was all upbeat, though she couldn't talk until 8 p.m. after a twelve-hour day. "Hey Kevin, I'm still feeling you with me. We're busy here and I'm working long hours, but thinking of you makes me smile."

Tuesday, it was more of the same. Another twelve hours. She sounded tired. "Hi, honey. I'm beat, but talking to you lifts my spirits. Just gotta focus on work. Lots to do."

Wednesday, she was exhausted. She coughed slightly. "Sorry, I think it's the smog. Even though we're close to the beach, the winds have shifted and it's no longer clear here. But it will get better and so will I."

Thursday, even Kevin felt tired and called Stan to beg off tennis. He left right after school, figuring he could get up early to do his lesson planning.

Monica called, her smog explanation gone. She had run herself into the ground, working far too many hours. She sniffled, coughed, wheezed, and he could almost hear her shudder. "Kevin, I have a miserable cold. Not enough sleep. My own fault."

"Hey Monica, you have to take care of yourself. I want you to get some rest and lots of sleep this weekend. Stay there and take it easy. That's an order."