(no subject)

[charliesmum]

I've been reading Charlie this book called "The Math Wiz". It's about a boy who is really good at math, but terrible during "PE" i.e., Physical education, Sport, or Gym class. In the book he is upset because he is always picked last when choosing up teams (and I can't help but wonder if there is a class all Gym teachers go to where they learn how to be as insensitive and cruel as possible)

I liked the book because it was about a boy who was good at maths like Charlie, but always got picked last in gym class. I have no idea if Charlie has suffered that humiliation yet, but I know I have, and it got me to thinking.

When I got to high school, I finally found a large group of friends, and it turned out they, too, had suffered the humiliation of standing all alone in the gym, waiting until the last team captain rolled his or her eyes and said "I guess I'll take (insert name here). My college friends were comprised of the same sort of people, and that helped me get over the trauma that had been Gym Class grade school through junior high.

Since people on flists are also comprised of a bunch of people who share similar interests, I was curious as to how many of you had the same sort of experience - were you chosen last? First? Don't remember and don't care to? So, I did a poll. (I love polls)

[Poll #518569]

Comments

[gehayi.livejournal.com]

I was not only picked last, I was the one that the teams fought not to take.

"I'm not taking HER! She'll lose the game for us!"

"Well, I'm not taking her. YOU take her!"

I tended to try to sneak out of the gymnasium when this was going on. Or pleaded a sprained ankle. (Which was honest--I have weak ankles, and tended to sprain at least one ankle once a week.)

Gym made me cry a lot. I knew I wasn't any good at it (lack of small motor control, plus a leg that was already starting to go lame), but I tried so hard. Yet everyone, including the teacher, made fun of me. So much for effort being what counted. I knew THAT was a crock. Just one of the many lies that grown-ups tell kids.

Oh, and I almost didn't graduate from grammar school because I was so bad at gym. I was an A student (except for math) but I couldn't do well enough to scrape by a passing grade in gym. If my mother hadn't taken on the entire West Hartford school board, I never would have gotten past sixth grade.

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that kind of thing happened to me, too. I never understood why teachers would give kids that kind of power, at the time in their lives where they reveled in being mean to others.

Anyway, I'd pick you for my team. :)

[jessii-6.livejournal.com]

First: that's mean. In my school they always gave you a passing grade if you came to all the classes and generally 'tried to do' something at all. It's stupid to fail someone for PE.
Second: I <3 your icon

[crossbow1.livejournal.com]

Arrgh! You gave me a flashback!

Once when we were playing softball, my team won, and I said something like, "Hey, we won!" and one girl said, "What do you mean WE won? YOU didn't make any runs!"

I wouldn't say it scarred me for life, but I was about as pissed off as I've ever been.

[sookail.livejournal.com]

Um...I was you, in a way?
Until they discovered I had myocarditis - I was 9 then - awful to say, but it made me real happy, not having to go to PE anymore, for, like never O_o Got really good with sneaking off 8P