Lessons from the World Cup...
This has been an unusual week at school...first we had the C to J, then Brazil's loss to Germany. I'm not sure which of these two events has had a bigger impact on my students...I guess time will tell.
We have talked a lot abut soccer this past few weeks at school. It's a natural thing...I love soccer, my students love soccer. It has been a topic to bond over, but nothing prepared me for the game between Brazil and Germany. It was a bloodbath with (spoiler alert!) Germany scoring five goals in 29 minutes. That is only part of the story...not the important part...the important past was Brazil's response to the goals being scored...they quit. The expression on their face after the second or third goal was clear...they were defeated. Sure there were brief moments where there was a streak of almost brilliance, but most of the rest of the game was Brazil chasing Germany around the field, almost getting in their way. At the end of it all, they lost 7 - 1, with the single Brazilian goal being scored in the 91st minute. Embarrassing...
Today, I asked my students the lessons that could be learned from the game...some said, "Never play Germany" or "Don't lay without your best players (really? They're that good???)" but I told my students my observations. They sat in silence...eyes on me. I told them that at times life will seem hard, almost insurmountable (ok...I didn't say insurmountable...I said impossible) and that is when they will have two choices: Give up or Fight...
We talked about high school and life. I told them about the cutest boy and some of the times we have been presented with the hardest times...Give Up or Fight...really, this is what it is all about. What you choose when life is hard, how you accept the challenges and difficulties, what your character says about you...who you are...who you want to be.
I have chosen to Fight most of my life...that is what I want for my students as well...Never give up...Always fight!!
We have talked a lot abut soccer this past few weeks at school. It's a natural thing...I love soccer, my students love soccer. It has been a topic to bond over, but nothing prepared me for the game between Brazil and Germany. It was a bloodbath with (spoiler alert!) Germany scoring five goals in 29 minutes. That is only part of the story...not the important part...the important past was Brazil's response to the goals being scored...they quit. The expression on their face after the second or third goal was clear...they were defeated. Sure there were brief moments where there was a streak of almost brilliance, but most of the rest of the game was Brazil chasing Germany around the field, almost getting in their way. At the end of it all, they lost 7 - 1, with the single Brazilian goal being scored in the 91st minute. Embarrassing...
Today, I asked my students the lessons that could be learned from the game...some said, "Never play Germany" or "Don't lay without your best players (really? They're that good???)" but I told my students my observations. They sat in silence...eyes on me. I told them that at times life will seem hard, almost insurmountable (ok...I didn't say insurmountable...I said impossible) and that is when they will have two choices: Give up or Fight...
We talked about high school and life. I told them about the cutest boy and some of the times we have been presented with the hardest times...Give Up or Fight...really, this is what it is all about. What you choose when life is hard, how you accept the challenges and difficulties, what your character says about you...who you are...who you want to be.
I have chosen to Fight most of my life...that is what I want for my students as well...Never give up...Always fight!!
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