P.E. Teacher not ENTIRELY Evil

Had a lovely chat with the gym teacher today. Her explanation: When kids forget their sneakers she has them write a note "to remind themselves" (ahem) to wear sneakers on gym day. This takes place during the warm-up exercises in the gym, where kids really can't play in street shoes. So that's what Summer was doing. Then, they all went outside, where they were going to play on the grass, which should have been fine in Summer's shoes. But the sixth graders were having some sort of cider press demonstration on the grass, so Summer's class had to do P.E. on the blacktop.

Not sure why they couldn't use some other patch of grass on the multi-acre school grounds.

Anyway, Summer did fine, and at the very end, the teacher said "Stop," and everyone stopped, including Summer, but then apparently Summer lost her balance and fell on her knee. 

A semi satisfactory conclusion.

Thank yous go out to my friends for helping me work out what to say and how to say it, particularly Dr. Allison, whose magic words, should you ever need them, are:

"Help me understand."

As in, "Help me understand, Ms. Gym Teacher, how my kid got hurt in gym if she was not allowed to participate in gym per the nasty little note in her backpack."

But we're moving on. We're letting it go. This was Summer's advice from the beginning. I had asked her if she thought I should talk to Ms. Gym Teacher, and she said, "Mom, sometimes you just have to let things go." Then she told me the following story:

Summer: "In our math journal there was a problem about a made-up class of kids who voted on their favorite season, and summer got the most votes. So I said "Hey my name got the most votes!" and then Frank said--"

Me: "Frank?"

Summer: "Yes, Frank. Frank said 'That's kind of bragging, and anyway, Summer isn't a very nice name. And then Julia said 'I think Summer is a very nice name' and then Veronika said 'Yes, I think so too.' So I just decided to let it go with Frank."

Me: "First of all, I probably should not be saying this, because I am a grownup, but FRANK made fun of your name? Second of all, it's nice that you have friends that stick up for you."

Summer: "Yes. Anyway, sometimes you've just got to let things go."

I'm beginning to think that Summer is going to turn out alright.

Comments

[Maggie]

Okay, so here's my question (actually two): where were you when I was in elementary school -- okay, I actually do know where you were -- but why weren't you advocating on my behalf in gym class around the whole painful picking-me-last-for-the-kickball-team-thing?? And wait, a second question -- where was Summer to help me keep it all in perspective??

[Jill]

I guess I was cowering in a corner. Or busy striking out and making our softball team "Spokane," which we pronounced as if it rhymes with "propane," lose.

[Heather Z]

I'm glad you got an answer! It's hard to let things go, especially when something is really bugging you. And as the mother of a 9 year old who still brings up grievances from Kindergarten, I am impressed by Summer's approach.

[Shaina]

oh man, i love that girl so much. she is way too smart for her own good!

*still waiting on you to call and say you're visiting...;-)*

[Maggie]

What was the name of our winning team?

[Jill]

Did we win?

[Maggie]

Don't you remember? We actually had a championship-winning team! Remember that picture of all of us grinning in our yellow shirts and appallingly short 70s' shorts? I'm not sure how else to describe the team except that one of our teammates later died when she got hit by a train?

[Jill]

Let's take this offline.

[Jeff Z.]

Let's all hope that Frank's parents are not lurking.

[Jill]

I actually like the name Francis. It's Jeff's middle name, after his Grandpa Francis, and I considered it for Oscar. I think St. Francis was groovy. But my mom told me that Grandpa Francis told her that it had taken him over 80 years to come to terms with his own name, and Jeff's grandmother told me that it would be a terrible thing to do and that Grandpa had been called "Francie" as a boy. (Growing up on Indian reservations in the Dakotas. For real.) So all I'm saying is, if your name is Frank, I personally think that's cool, but maybe you shouldn't be making fun of other people's names.

[Sue]

Hey Jill, I'm glad the sneaker/gym teacher saga ended well. The baby is gorgeous as are the big bro and sis.

I got your birthday message and sent you an email but I'm not sure if I have your correct email addy. But just kmow I got the message and it was very sweet of you.

Sue

[lee]

Heh heh -
remember I was going to name my baby Frank? or, rather, I didn't want to bec I thought it was an ugly name?