School Reports and Tee-Ball

Well, it's that time of year again with the local Winter Round Robin Tee ball competition behind us and reports upon us. I coached the senior Tee ball team this year, even switched a class to do it...not that anyone cared. The teachers would just re organise the sports sessions and I'd only find out when I'd signed in and turned up and even once dragged all the equipment out. I'm only doing it because its Miss 11's last year and the kids who usually go into tee ball and softball have limited resources to help them for the games ( ie: the teachers don't know how to pay). Our school fields Gr 5 and 6 for this comp and the other field Gr 6's only and the mixed/boys teams are usually all boys against our MIXED boys and girls. Anyhow, the teams played excellently and played against some tough competition but held their own with consistency in their batting: 8,10,8 which was brilliant. I love it that I can stack a batting order to maximise the children's run rate and no one is none the wiser. Their fielding was excellent and apart from the big hitters at some school( which is no real skill in tee ball) they kept most hits to within two throws of the catcher, they watched, made excellent decisions on where to throw and were only beaten by a maximum of 4 home runs in one comp, which was their worst loss. I won't be switching any classes for softball in term 3 as it seems that after a while your contribution is taken for granted a bit because you are ALWAYS there to coach...so if I have a morning off I will coach softball but I will coach on the day of the comp provided I have no presentations or tests to undertake. I don't expect a thank you every time but being told in advance that training has been changed or canceled would be nice.



School reports and the "celebration" of mediocrity. When did a 'C' become so acceptable and an "A" so unobtainable? I have missed nothing but noted the subtle shift in this trend by the Govt and education system to place all our children within a 'benchmark' of acceptability. They have utilised the AIMs/NAPLAN system to set the benchmark since 2003 then revamp the reporting system to reflect the inadequacies of the education system by making a mid range mark reflective of the abilities of the majority as being acceptable instead of the aim for the best you can be 'A'. So that's right kids, just be a sheep and learn like everyone else, don't try too hard because unless you are 6-12months ahead of your peers, you get no recognition for it anyway.
As an educator, I should be embracing of the this new system ( so I am told) as it allows many students to feel equal to their peers, sorry, I'd rather have my students ( and my children) striving to be better than acceptable. If a 'C' is celebration, than why bother to apply yourself too much if you are on track for the 'C'. Miss 11 had fallen into this trap because she was denied the 'A' she deserved because her chronological age placed her at a disadvantage as the work is graded by year level not age, she knew she was good, even better that others in her class but could but could not get that elusive 'A'. 2IC and I were even told in 2004 that she was on 'A' in English but the 'A' was removed by the principal because no one else had achieved that level in the school at that time. So now we celebrated mediocrity in our children instead of allowing them to shine upon themselves and others creating a sense of "if they can do it ,I can do it" Ad Altoria.