kazu googoo

dodgeball 101

last week i received two new students, both girls (which is great as it restores some balance to the gender ratio in my class...). in any case, one was from california and had never played dodgeball.

friday we lined up for my students' favorite game only to have her ask in all seriousness, "What's dodgeball?" Clearly the governator has put his power to use replacing all violent P.E. activities with viewings of Terminator 3.

So how do you explain dodgeball to someone who has never played it or seen it played? I do my best to which she asks, "You try and hit each other on purpose?"

"Yeah, that's the basic idea"

"Okay," she says clearly puzzled by the rationale behind hurling foam balls at her classmates.

She learned all she needed to know 45 seconds later, when an arcing ball crushed the side of her face. She hadn't seen it coming. The last time this happened, we didn't play dodgeball for awhile (and I added a "headshot-and-you're-out-until-the-next-game" rule). I darted over and asked if she was okay and wanted to keep playing.

With a bloodthirsty look she replied, "Yeah, I get it now."

Dodgeball 101!

posted by kazuhank @ 7:37 AM