Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent. -Marilyn vos Savant

I don’t usually post on Fridays because, well, no one generally reads it.  Today, begged for a post and as usual, one of my students delivered one right in my lap.  This student desperately wants to swing on the playground.  We have those belt swings (see photo to left) and the children have a lot of difficulty getting into the swings by themselves.  This child has trouble getting in,  plus she also hasn’t mastered the whole leg-pumping part once I put her into the swing.  I show her what to do and give her directions.  I model and demonstrate, but I won’t push her.  She won’t try if I do.  Her face shows determination, extreme concentration and if possible, she would swing on sheer will alone.  But there are roadblocks…”Mrs. Meeuwse, I am trying to put my butt back where it belongs.” she says.  (And haven’t we all had that problem before?)

I continue to encourage and model and direct her in this important endeavor.    “Isn’t there an app that will teach me to swing on the iPad?”  she asked today.  I assured her she didn’t need the iPad to learn to swing…and frankly, I was a little nervous about searching for a “swinging app.”  “But I’m learning to read and do math on the iPad.  Why can’t I learn to swing too?”  I explained that there are just some things we learn by doing over and over and by not giving up.

While there are so many things my students can learn on the iPads, there are just some things we learn the old fashioned way….by putting our butts back where they belong… and trying.  (Hmm…wonder if this applies to writing Friday blog posts?)

Happy Friday!

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