Student Teaching - Week #11

By Rebecca Verhage – Walsh Elementary

It is crazy to think that my time here in Chicago is almost up. The students just finished their first quarter this last week and for the most part, they did pretty well. Those that didn’t do well didn’t because they hadn’t turned in assignments. The students worked really hard near the end of the semester to bring their grades up a letter grade or so since their seventh grade scores are what determine their acceptance into the high school of their choice. I never realized that the Chicago Public School system was so much like applying to colleges where you can actually go and do school visits and all of that. However, it does get students thinking about their future at an early age which is probably a good thing.

This week at school I was asked by one of my students to go to her volleyball game. It was only their second or third game of the season and they were going to be playing a neighborhood school. They were nervously chatting about it during the day because their opponents were a coed team that could spike! The other team was pretty good and I could see why our girls would be intimidated to play them.  

The science teacher and I went to the game together, but despite our efforts to cheer them on, our girls lost the match. They did have some good rallies during the game though. And we weren’t the only fans either. I was surprised at how many students are either involved in sports or were there to support their peers by cheering from the stands.

Some of my students were sitting next to us at the game and it was hilarious to hear their comments and cheers as we watched. One boy pointed out a guy on the opposing team and was telling me that he was a part of a local gang. His comment was, “I can’t believe a guy that’s in a gang would do something as feminine as play volleyball!” That comment made me think of how important having after-school programs and sports are for kids at this age. It can keep them out of trouble and hopefully out of gang activity too. Also, I was quick to try to refute his statement about volleyball being just for girls by pointing out that it is an Olympic sport. He didn’t buy it. All I can say is that there is never a dull moment around these kids. There is no way of knowing what things will come out of their mouth. That’s what makes teaching middle school so much fun!

While I was at the volleyball game, one of my boys asked if I was going to go to a basketball game too since I made it to the volleyball game. Of course since he asked, I had to go.

I took one of my teacher friends with me, and we were both impressed by the skill of the students. Our school’s security guard is their coach, and he did a really good job with the team. I appreciated how every player had a significant and mostly equal amount of playing time. From what I could see, their coach didn’t differentiate playing time based on skill or grade level but played them all so they could all game experience. The only exception to the amount of playing time allotted was the point guard who played most of the game. It was fun seeing my students excel in basketball when some of the same students struggle academically at times. It was also fun to see a pair of brothers interact on the court when they are more likely to avoid each other in the halls.  I think basketball is a really good outlet and motivational tool for most of these kids. It gives them the drive to work hard in school so they can play and teaches them to work together to achieve their goals. I also think it is important for me as a future teacher to realize what is important to these students so I can find ways to connect and relate what we are doing in school to things they will understand and find important.