Junior highers can be very cruel at times and take every opportunity to point out deficiencies in each other whenever it is to their advantage. They think that by making fun of someone else they can make themselves look superior. Usually junior highers are able to bounce back without any problem after some good-natured ribbing, but putdowns, ridicule and the accompanying embarrassment can be very damaging to relationships and to self esteem. A few years ago, a tragic story in a small town in Missouri made national headlines when a 12 year-old boy brought his father's gun to the school and killed a classmate who had repeatedly called him "chubby ". Then he turned the gun on himself and committed suicide."He was relentlessly teased about being fat,"said his teacher. "But neither of these boys were problem students. "While such extreme behavior is rare, it illustrates the magnitude of feelings that young adolescents carry with them when they are struggling with issues regarding their physical appearance. This is why it is so important for us to avoid situations in which kids might be looked down on because of ability, handicap, appearance, or physical development in general.
As a junior higher, I was a slow developer and not athletic as other boys my age. Because of that I did not enjoy my P.E classes at school. I enjoyed playing games and good competition as much as the other kids,but I hated when they would choose up teams. I was inevitably chosen last,simply because I wasn't very good at sports, and it was humiliating every time it happened (even though I didn't blame anyone for choosing me first. ) My label as a klutz was difficult to overcome, even though I caught up with most of my classmates in high school and did fairly well in sports later on.
This is why chapter 12 includes some games that are great for junior highers. Almost anyone can play them because they require little in the way of skill or ability. Why make junior highers suffer through like football, basketball, and volleyball when only a few people can excel at them? There are plenty of other games available that are fun,physical and very competitive ( which junior highers love) but downplay athletic ability. These are the kind of games we should play with junior highers. I visited a junior high gym class recently and watch a seventh-grade coed volleyball game. What a disaster! The kids hated it and couldn't wait for it to be over. Most of them were unable to return the ball successfully over the net. It was humiliating, especially for the boys. I was tempted to step in and show them a few games that were both fun and easy to play.
Despite all that you or anyone else can do, there is no good way to prevent junior highers from experiencing some embarrassment as long as they are around other people. It's normal and inevitable. But a junior high worker will at least be sensitive in this area,avoid putdowns and ridicule, and try to find ways to help each person feel accepted, liked, and important.
