Super Horses Lose to Sharks
There, how's that for an unusual title?
I don't think that there is actually score-keeping during the 4 & 5-year-old soccer matches. If there was, the Horses definitely would have lost yesterday. The Sharks were just on fire! Fire, I tell you! I'm pretty sure that some of those kids are on steroids.
Not to get off topic right away, but I read a story online today about a 33-year-old woman from Wisconsin (imagine that) who, wanting to experience high school because she had dropped out, used her 15-year-old daughter's ID and pretended to be a high school student. She went out for cheerleading and everything. Surprisingly enough, it didn't take long for the school to realize that something was fishy. I would have thought that there are lots of 33-year-olds in high school in Wisconsin. (HaHa, sorry Chad). Seriously, who can't tell the difference between 15 and 33?
That's actually the second story I've read this week about someone posing as someone half their age and attending high school. I think the other guy was somewhere in Arizona. Bizarre.
Anyway. Back to the Horses. The weather was horrible, very chilly and raining the entire time. The Horses had a good first quarter, scored a few goals and had a bit of rallying time. Usually, the game goes like this: one big kid gets control of the ball, dribbles it to the goal and kicks it in (with all the smaller kids trailing along like the tail of a comet). Repeat ad nauseum until the game is over. Yesterday, there were periods of time when there was some de-FENSE! Josiah played hard, didn't goof around too much, actually got his feet on the ball a few times, and most impressively--didn't whine about the cold and rain.
Well, it's been one of those weekends in the D4 household...you know, the kind where things are accomplished and achieved, but the overwhelming feeling is of boredom and ennui. It has been cold and cloudy (and lest you think I'm exaggerating, it was 47 degrees when we got up) since Friday. I feel like we've gotten everything done that needed to be done, and yet...meh...just feel so blah and unenergetic.
Today, I attempted to teach Sunday School to five 3rd & 4th graders. Eeek. I am obviously not a figure who inspires good behavior. Tips, Sarah? Things started off OK, but quickly spiraled into a boisterous chorus of "Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee!", which I'm sure all the other Sunday School teachers overheard and were horrified about. It's not a terribly Christian song, at least not from the bumblebee's perspective. Though I asked them politely to stop, on and on it went, until at last it was 10:30 and time to go.
Sigh. I think part of the problem is that the curriculum used for these older kids is the same as the preschoolers use. And to say that it's corny is an understatement. What 9 or 10-year-old wants to watch puppets? Yes, that's right, I had to bring in puppets and put on a puppet show. I'm still embarassed. For myself and the puppets. I don't think learning about God has to be so 1950s corny. Why not bring the Christian curriculum into the 21st Century? Those kids were so bored, but I couldn't do much more than follow along with the script given to me. I tried to make it interesting...and of course, the funniest thing is that the little girl who started in with the raucous singing is the daughter of the Sunday school coordinator.
It's always the kids you think should naturally be the nicest, sweetest, holiest. The PKs, for example.
Case in point: Hans.
I don't think that there is actually score-keeping during the 4 & 5-year-old soccer matches. If there was, the Horses definitely would have lost yesterday. The Sharks were just on fire! Fire, I tell you! I'm pretty sure that some of those kids are on steroids.
Not to get off topic right away, but I read a story online today about a 33-year-old woman from Wisconsin (imagine that) who, wanting to experience high school because she had dropped out, used her 15-year-old daughter's ID and pretended to be a high school student. She went out for cheerleading and everything. Surprisingly enough, it didn't take long for the school to realize that something was fishy. I would have thought that there are lots of 33-year-olds in high school in Wisconsin. (HaHa, sorry Chad). Seriously, who can't tell the difference between 15 and 33?
That's actually the second story I've read this week about someone posing as someone half their age and attending high school. I think the other guy was somewhere in Arizona. Bizarre.
Anyway. Back to the Horses. The weather was horrible, very chilly and raining the entire time. The Horses had a good first quarter, scored a few goals and had a bit of rallying time. Usually, the game goes like this: one big kid gets control of the ball, dribbles it to the goal and kicks it in (with all the smaller kids trailing along like the tail of a comet). Repeat ad nauseum until the game is over. Yesterday, there were periods of time when there was some de-FENSE! Josiah played hard, didn't goof around too much, actually got his feet on the ball a few times, and most impressively--didn't whine about the cold and rain.
Well, it's been one of those weekends in the D4 household...you know, the kind where things are accomplished and achieved, but the overwhelming feeling is of boredom and ennui. It has been cold and cloudy (and lest you think I'm exaggerating, it was 47 degrees when we got up) since Friday. I feel like we've gotten everything done that needed to be done, and yet...meh...just feel so blah and unenergetic.
Today, I attempted to teach Sunday School to five 3rd & 4th graders. Eeek. I am obviously not a figure who inspires good behavior. Tips, Sarah? Things started off OK, but quickly spiraled into a boisterous chorus of "Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee!", which I'm sure all the other Sunday School teachers overheard and were horrified about. It's not a terribly Christian song, at least not from the bumblebee's perspective. Though I asked them politely to stop, on and on it went, until at last it was 10:30 and time to go.
Sigh. I think part of the problem is that the curriculum used for these older kids is the same as the preschoolers use. And to say that it's corny is an understatement. What 9 or 10-year-old wants to watch puppets? Yes, that's right, I had to bring in puppets and put on a puppet show. I'm still embarassed. For myself and the puppets. I don't think learning about God has to be so 1950s corny. Why not bring the Christian curriculum into the 21st Century? Those kids were so bored, but I couldn't do much more than follow along with the script given to me. I tried to make it interesting...and of course, the funniest thing is that the little girl who started in with the raucous singing is the daughter of the Sunday school coordinator.
It's always the kids you think should naturally be the nicest, sweetest, holiest. The PKs, for example.
Case in point: Hans.
Comments
Be a total hard ass about the rules, but when they follow them, make sure you notice out loud. Get or make a grid with everybody's name and put stickers on for each week they follow the rules. Five weeks gets the title "holiest child" (or something like that ;o)
4th graders LOVE to talk to each other. 3rd graders still like to look smart and please the teacher. The key with using puppets/stuffed animals with older kids is to be totally confident about it. Sell it. (Adults enjoy the Muppets, right? think about why) Unlike with little preschoolers, there is no magic to puppets. Everybody knows how the puppet works, so just treat the puppet like another person you are pretending is in the room.
I don't know if the curriculum has a script for the puppet, or what, but if the puppet is facing a moral dilemma, or is supposed to tell a story, you could just use a stuffed animal and blame everything on, um, I mean, talk for the animal who is too shy to talk.
You'll get it figured out. The first day is always the hardest.
GO SUPER HORSES!!!!!!
The thing that I didn't mention is that I was just filling in for the regular teacher. But I may have to do it again and this time I'll be prepared.
I'll bring a flame-thrower.