I surmise that if a coach can teach a kid how to
play football/basketball/baseball or any of the popular
European/Caribbean futbol/soccer, there are rules, principles
and penalty infringements that even a disadvantaged youth
seem to grasp extraordinarily well. A certain structure.
Children look up to coaches, ideally as a father or mother
figure, they seem to lack otherwise. I wasn't talking about
the yelling and abusive language some coaches seem to engage
in. Nobody wants a "Bear Bryant" type in their face. They may
be getting enough of that at home.
No, today's teacher has to be a life coach and mentor to get
through to these kids, even if their living conditions may be
afoul, it's no reason for them to not be given the opportunity
of a "basic" education. Basic education does prepare one for
higher education, if wanted. When Jim mentioned that one youth
said he couldn't read, I thought,why not? Who gave up on him?
I blame the parents and the system that allows a child to be
"passed" through because someone refused to follow through on
this kid and wasted taxpayer money.
He might have been dyslexic, sight problems, hearing problems,
or hungry! I'm not a teacher, but unless a kid can see and hear properly,
someone is dropping the ball and passing kids to the next grade illegally and
depriving him/her of a thorough and efficient
education and that teacher and school should come under scrutiny
by the local, county and state boards of education.
At a club I frequent, a man was trying to choose songs on the jukebox.
He came over to me and asked me for assistance. My regular glasses
had to be replaced, so I was wearing reading glasses. I realized
he couldn't make out the print on the machine, so I said, "here, try
these". He did. To his surprise, he realized his sight had
changed making it difficult for him to read small/fine print.
He began laughing because he thought he was going blind. I suggested
he see an eye doctor right away. In the meantime, I gave him the glasses. He
was overjoyed that he could still read. They were steel-rimmed, so a man or
woman could look the same. I had other readers
at home, so it was no biggy to me to give them away.
I realize that doctors may not always be able to do pro bono work
but that's what the guidance office is for. If a teacher just take
a little time recognizing that kids may have hearing/sight problems
that they can recommend a kid be checked by a physician when they
are not retarded/disabled/mentally challenged, etc., maybe
Asbury Park kids CAN succeed. Just an opinion.
--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "oakdorf" <oakdorf@...> wrote:
>
>
> If a kid can take direction
> > from a coach, why can't they succeed otherwise? What's wrong with
> > this picture? Let the coaches TEACH!
> >
> >
>
> Teachers get in trouble for yelling or motivating kids...or whacking them on
> the head...
>
> not that all oca
>
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