PE story

[CW1992]

Thought I'd share this story. Last week in school Brittney (9-1/2 yrs old) was supposed to jump rope for some sort of skill test they were doing in PE. She can't jump rope very well - left BPI - she pulls the rope over her head the best she can, then jumps it. She said that the PE teacher, some of her classmates, teachers walking by - like her computer teacher, office lady, even the school custodian - saw her struggling and they were all trying to give her pointers and be helpful. I asked her if she explained to them about her arm and she said "no" that they were trying so hard to show her how (she thought that was cool - all of them trying to jump rope). Well yesterday Brittney comes home from school and said that in PE she had to run 5 laps around the track. She says, "NOW is when I could really use one of those teachers' excuses that you keep offering to write for me! I hate running laps!!"

[Tessie258]

O.K. I am negative about some of the school experiences my children have had so I was wondering....did she have to run laps for punishment for not jumping rope correctly? My son actually had to serve a whole week in "in school suspension" (ISS) because a teacher wouldn't let him go to the bathroom so he walked out and went anyway.
I have seen some really unbending teachers.

[CW1992]

I'm sorry T - your experience with teachers has really been awful. I can't understand how any teacher could be so heartless as some of the things that your son has had to go through and I trully am sorry. Our experiences with teachers has always been good - even in different schools in different states. Her PE teacher just expects the kids to try their best and tries to help them if they can't do something. What I meant by the post was that Britt has never told the PE teacher that it's tough for her to jump rope (or do push ups, etc) because of her arm - she just does them the best she can and that's all that the teacher expects or wants from any of the kids. The PE teacher was trying to help her learn how to jump rope along with some other teachers who happened to be walking by. But - Britt is a good runner - she just doesn't like to run laps. She was kidding me that NOW she wanted to tell the PE teacher more about her arm and how she couldn't run laps because of it (which is bull!) She was teasing. She ran 5 laps in 12 minutes! Not too shabby! But - of course on the jump rope skill she only jumped the rope about 5 times in one minute and the other kids did waaaay more than that but that's OK. I'm sorry again Teresa for all that you and your son have been put through.

[Kathleen]

I loved to jump rope... but I needed a longer rope because I had one arm that went out to the side instead of up and around

Maybe this would help...
OK now this will give my age away!!! LOL... like you don't know it already... LOL

When I was young we used old broken clothes lines so I could have a longer rope. when the rope went over my head and my arm did not go up in the air but out to the side I still had enough rope to jump and not trip myself...

They did have ropes then with wooden handles but they were to short for me to use.

You don't really need to measure the rope. You cut it longer then the ordinary rope and she wraps it around her hands until she can get it over her head and under her feet because of the drag of the bpi arm she needs a longer then ordinary rope. She will learn to adjust it until it's just right for her... she will find the right length herself!!!! It takes a little determination and practice... but she will do it! and just as fast as the other kids with the extra length to allow for the arm movements...
Hope that works for Brittney...

I am not sure but I think school jump ropes come in standard sizes and those of us whose arms go out to the side may have difficulty using them... She may find jumping rope more fun too...

Cartwheels & jumping rope who knows whats next... LOL... Maybe a track star...


Kath

[tina arvizu]

It sounds like your daughter has a wonderful outlook on things. I hope Gabrielle does as well when the obsticles of life hit her. Good job mom! You have raised a strong little girl!!!!