Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Is the NYC School System Idling in Neutral? | Ed In The Apple

Is the NYC School System Idling in Neutral? | Ed In The Apple

Is the NYC School System Idling in Neutral?


Have you ever coached a kid sports team? a dance group? a band or orchestra?  Kids vary widely in talent and the effort they put into getting better. As a coach, you try and hone your coaching skills; maybe you use the camera on your phone to show the kids their footwork or instrument fingering.  You may take a coaching course; what are the most effective exercises for the kids to practice?   I coached soccer and took a US Soccer Federation Coaching License course; each session was 1.5 hours in the classroom with film and 1.5 hours in the gym or on a field, it was rigorous; and only for the “D” license.
We played in the Metropolitan Soccer League; we were the only “American” team, the only non-ethnic team. We probably got cursed at in many, many different languages; our kids played hard, they were pretty good. Some kids went on to play in high school and college, for most it was just fun, and, our parents weren’t as passionate as the GottcheeGreek AmericansGjoa or the Brooklyn Italian parents.
God, in her wisdom didn’t distribute talent equally, to kids, or, coaches.
Some kids weren’t the most gifted but they made up for it in effort; conversely other kids with “natural” talent never responded to coaching.
On the other hand I didn’t go beyond the “D” license, I’d like to think my CONTINUE READING: Is the NYC School System Idling in Neutral? | Ed In The Apple