Volleyball season.
It's been two weeks since the end of my first season as a coach. Two weeks ago, my high school team lost in the second round of state playoffs. My sweet, talented, second-year team made it to the second round of state playoffs! For the first time ever, a second-year program made it to the playoffs and HOSTED a playoff game! Before the season began, we had 3 goals:
1. Have a winning record.
2. Make it to State Playoffs.
3. Host a playoff game.
It's incredible to say that we accomplished all three goals! I came into this job, and was so excited to begin my career as a coach! I was so excited to be coaching along side my high school coach, who has always been family to me. He and his family have always been such a part of my life since high school. He and his wife have been the best possible mentors this year as a teacher and coach. I have no idea what I would have done without them. When it became official that I was going to be coaching this year, he told me, "Now Annie, I know you are competitive and live for winning, but this is a second year team... These girls are just learning the game. You are going to have to tone it down a little." I was prepared to... in a word... lose. I could not have been more wrong. I have never met a harder working group of girls. They are true athletes. We ended our season 19-16. With losses to 6A schools. Seeing as we are a 4A, second year team- we were inevitably going to get beat by teams that were better than us. These girls played their hearts out, they learned the game, and they wanted to win. This past season was one of the best experiences of my life.
During the season I was team-mom, team-pharmacist, team-watergirl, team-therapist, team-baker, team-motivator, team-chauffer, team-entertainer... you name it. And I wouldn't change a thing. I loved every second of volleyball season and can't wait to begin another. I owe a huge thanks to all the players, parents, coaches, families, and anybody who helped one of my dreams come true.
This is me, coming to grips with the end of volleyball season. It's not going very well. Love my team.
Learning Daily,
Annie
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Why, you ask?
Many people (namely my non-teacher friends) ask me pretty regularly, "Why do you want to teach?" Aside from the next to nothing salary, helping to raise 80 pre-teens, teaching that math and correct grammar are important, and so on... I can understand why people ask. However, for those of us who are teachers, the answer is easy. We teach because we want to make a difference. We want to see that lightbulb go on for that student. We want to make the math-hater warm up to the idea of pre-algebra. We want to see these kids succeed in and out of the classroom.
To those of you who know me well, it will probably come to no surprise that in my classroom, I call my math "Crazy Lady Math." I'm loud, have funny songs/phrases to remember things, have goofy posters in the room, and so much more that drives my kids nuts. Crazy as it may seem, they score pretty well on their tests, if you ask me. So until I can tell that it isn't working, "Crazy Lady Math" it is.
Below are some of the reasons why I adore my teaching/coaching jobs.
- I had one girl who was struggling with math at the beginning of the year. She came to me and asked if we could start tutoring sessions after school. I sent some information home for her parents to look over and discuss when we would start. A week later, the same girl came up to me and said, "Ms. Goodwin, I don't think I need a tutor anymore." I proceeded to ask her if she changed her mind or found a friend to help her study... Her response, "Well, I've never liked math because no one has ever made it fun. I'm getting what we are doing in class now because you make it fun." I COULD HAVE CRIED I WAS SO HAPPY
- My theme song on test give back day: Chumbawumba's "Tubthumping" For those of you who have trouble recognizing the title of the song, it has the famous chorus, "I get knocked down, but I get up again. You're never gonna keep me down." I teach my kids that if we do poorly on one test, there will be another one to make it up on. No need to beat ourselves up and get upset about one test. Another perk of this theme song is that I have successfully introduced a new generation to one of the 90's worst songs. Ahh, sweet success.
- To be honest, these kids are just plain funny. I've gotten drawings of "banana cars" on my tests, excuses for why homework wasn't finished, and so much more. If only I could give bonus points for having a creative imagination.
- In one class, I was teaching 'the four step plan.' With 'the four step plan,' you use the same four steps to solve every problem. While teaching the lesson, I asked a student what the next step was... His response was LITERALLY as follows, "I'm sorry Austin's not here right now, leave and message after the beep and he will get back to you. BEEEEEEEEEEEP!" Priceless. I was so impressed and surprised, that I left a message at the beep and called on the next student. Touche, Austin... Touche.
- Coaching has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. I teach 8th grade, but coach high school volleyball. And nothing can lift my spirits more than a text from a player saying, "You're the reason I love volleyball!" or "Thanks for believing in me tonight!"
More to come!
Learning Daily,
Annie
To those of you who know me well, it will probably come to no surprise that in my classroom, I call my math "Crazy Lady Math." I'm loud, have funny songs/phrases to remember things, have goofy posters in the room, and so much more that drives my kids nuts. Crazy as it may seem, they score pretty well on their tests, if you ask me. So until I can tell that it isn't working, "Crazy Lady Math" it is.
Below are some of the reasons why I adore my teaching/coaching jobs.
- I had one girl who was struggling with math at the beginning of the year. She came to me and asked if we could start tutoring sessions after school. I sent some information home for her parents to look over and discuss when we would start. A week later, the same girl came up to me and said, "Ms. Goodwin, I don't think I need a tutor anymore." I proceeded to ask her if she changed her mind or found a friend to help her study... Her response, "Well, I've never liked math because no one has ever made it fun. I'm getting what we are doing in class now because you make it fun." I COULD HAVE CRIED I WAS SO HAPPY
- My theme song on test give back day: Chumbawumba's "Tubthumping" For those of you who have trouble recognizing the title of the song, it has the famous chorus, "I get knocked down, but I get up again. You're never gonna keep me down." I teach my kids that if we do poorly on one test, there will be another one to make it up on. No need to beat ourselves up and get upset about one test. Another perk of this theme song is that I have successfully introduced a new generation to one of the 90's worst songs. Ahh, sweet success.
- To be honest, these kids are just plain funny. I've gotten drawings of "banana cars" on my tests, excuses for why homework wasn't finished, and so much more. If only I could give bonus points for having a creative imagination.
- In one class, I was teaching 'the four step plan.' With 'the four step plan,' you use the same four steps to solve every problem. While teaching the lesson, I asked a student what the next step was... His response was LITERALLY as follows, "I'm sorry Austin's not here right now, leave and message after the beep and he will get back to you. BEEEEEEEEEEEP!" Priceless. I was so impressed and surprised, that I left a message at the beep and called on the next student. Touche, Austin... Touche.
- Coaching has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. I teach 8th grade, but coach high school volleyball. And nothing can lift my spirits more than a text from a player saying, "You're the reason I love volleyball!" or "Thanks for believing in me tonight!"
More to come!
Learning Daily,
Annie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)