Alex and I went to the final Chess Club meeting of the year. I finally got Alex to play a game of chess . . . he lost to Brandon. After Chess Club Alex helped me go through all the sets and make sure everything was in order for the club equipment to be put away.
Because he failed his physical test in Martial Arts yesterday, we had to go back today. Not really having the time to go home, we went to McDonalds and had a small ice cream cone while we waited for class.
Alex failed his test yesterday because he was not yelling loud enough. In fact, he was barely mouthing the words. We have been stressing the importance of yelling with him, and letting him know that if he does not yell loud enough today, he will not get his orange belt. He seemed to understand, and determined to pass.
At the beginning of class, Alex was not yelling. Instead of keeping his mouth closed, he was moving his jaw up and down, sometimes with his tongue sticking out. It was very obvious that he was not yelling. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. We spent a whole evening coming to class again because he would not yell loud enough, and he was doing this. When it came time for the test, he started vocalizing, but not very loud. When they told the rest of the kids to line up and get their stripes, Alex was once again pulled aside . . . he had not passed. Yesterday it was Alex and another boy who did not pass; today it was Alex alone. Yesterday's teacher was not there today, and the instructor today did not even know that Alex had been in class yesterday, so this was not a case of Alex being singled out. He simply refuses to yell.
While the instructor worked one-on-one with Alex for a few minutes, I could see the fear in his face. He was glancing at me occasionally, and I was probably wearing a scowl that would have melted iron. Still, Alex would not yell. Instead of punching or chopping with forceful intent, he was just putting his hand out. Instead of a forceful, guttural yell accompanying the hit, he was just saying 'dia'. Really, no better than yesterday.
Finally, the instructor allowed Alex to get his stripe. When he tried to give Alex a high-five, Alex snubbed him (as is usual for Alex). The instructor called Alex back and made him give him the high-five; Alex hit only one of the instructor's two raised hands.
Alex SAYS he loves Martial Arts, and does not want to quit. He SAYS he likes it, and he seems to be learning. But we've got to work on . . . what? Discipline? Or Attitude?
No comments:
Post a Comment