Teaching Tennis Q and A

[ctoth666]

I'm doing a two week clinic for a rec. department, and I'm running into some interesting problems that I'd like some feedback on. I'm relatively new teaching, and this is a learning experiencing for me as well as the kids. I have a few burning questions, so here it goes:

1. I have 8 kid, ages 6-12. Five kids have just started, and three have taken lessons before, and that's how I've separated them into two separate hours. However, in the first group, two of the kids are older than the other three kids, and frankly they are well ahead of them physically and in terms of coordination/ability. What should I do?

2. In the beginner group I have one kid with terrible ADHD who is a nightmare. He doesn't listen, and he needs constant attention. My last lesson went terribly because he started crying and wouldn't get up off the court, for example. Should I just refuse to teach him?

3. What do you generally recommend doing when a drill isn't going well?


Thanks.

 

[sureshs]

I'm doing a two week clinic for a rec. department, and I'm running into some interesting problems that I'd like some feedback on. I'm relatively new teaching, and this is a learning experiencing for me as well as the kids. I have a few burning questions, so here it goes:

2. In the beginner group I have one kid with terrible ADHD who is a nightmare. He doesn't listen, and he needs constant attention. My last lesson went terribly because he started crying and wouldn't get up off the court, for example. Should I just refuse to teach him?

Rec depts have to strictly comply with government regulations, and I don't think an ADHD kid can be thrown out just like that as it can be considered a disability. Follow the proper procedure so that neither you nor the department gets hit with a lawsuit (parents may file one even if they lose money, just because of emotional reasons). Consult your superior. You may need to issue a warning to the parents first and have someone from the dept be present to observe.

 

[NLBwell]

Welcome to teaching kids. it has a lot of joys but often isn't easy. No one can tell you exactly what to do since every situation is different. General rules are to always keep a positive attitude about the kids - even the difficult ones, sometimes these kids get much more negative attention than positive, so letting them be your helper can go a long way, keep the kids moving and hitting balls at all times, be clear about what they need to do, and make sure that all the kids get a similar amount of attention.
It will help you with dealing with all types of people and can make you a better person.

 

[TCF]

suresh and NLB are right on. When I face a situation with a difficult kid I first try what NLB said, make them my 'helper'. Many times that works.

If it does not, try to approach the parents if possible and ask for some advice on what works with their kid.

As for the 2 older and better kids in the group, incorporate them into the drills, but then let them go play practice points vs each other. Its the only way they will not get bored.

 

[sureshs]

Also, how do you know the kid has ADHD? Did his parents tell you?

 

[ctoth666]

Also, how do you know the kid has ADHD? Did his parents tell you?

Yes, they did.

 

[sureshs]

Yes, they did.

Then you should have a frank chat with them about the problems it is causing you and the other students.

 

[r2473]

Then you should have a frank chat with them about the problems it is causing you and the other students.

Why do you think the parents couldn't wait to dump their kid off for a few hours a week?

 

[sundaypunch]

Then you should have a frank chat with them about the problems it is causing you and the other students.

You obviously are not a teacher, lol.

 

[sureshs]

You obviously are not a teacher, lol.

That is true. I don't like teaching, except to my son. I am more of the "everything is available online, go read it yourself" kind of guy.

 

[sureshs]

Why do you think the parents couldn't wait to dump their kid off for a few hours a week?

Not to be frivolous, but exercise is good for ADHD. At least that is what I have been told. The only real case I know (though I suspect many childhood friends were ADHD before it was diagnosed) is a boy who struggled at school and got into fights and was almost expelled. He then scored a 2390 on the SAT and went off to college, but is back at home now refusing to go back and taking some online course. Untold suffering for his parents since he was born.

 

[Jay_The_Nomad]

Tell the other parents about it and get them to pressure the parent of the ADHD kid. Say that the kid is causing the, to only get 20% of their money's worth. That'll get their attention and rile some feathers.

This is such a ****** bag move though.

 

[HackersRUs]

wow, good luck with that!

I like the idea of making him your 'helper', but if that doesn't work I really don't know!

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

If the "helper" idea doesn't work out for you, talk to the parents and suggest that he takes private lessons for a while. His presence and disruption in the group is not fair at all to the other students. I've had some pretty decent results with some ADD/ADHD students 1-on-1 but cannot imagine how I would make it work with a group lesson (but then I don't teach group lessons).

 

[LuckyR]

Remember your actual job is to make the kids have fun using tennis, not to impart tennis knowledge.

 

[goran_ace]

^^^ This. The OP is teaching beginner kids through the park and rec department.

You cannot exclude the kid with ADHD. Instead of talking to the kid's parents about removing him from class, you should talk to them about how is the best way to get him to respond. Some kids just need a little extra encouragement, others just want to be like everyone else and don't want any special treatment.

As for having a crying tantrum on the court, from my experience I would say send him off to the side or the corner and let him cry/pout and continue the lesson with the other kids. Put him in time out. Tell if he doesn't want to play then he doesn't have to, but he can't just sit in the middle of the court and get in the way of others. Of course you can't really ignore him completely because you are responsible for all the kids on your court, but you pretend to ignore him while you work wit hthe other kids and just keep an eye on him out of the corner of your eye but don't respond to his whining and crying. Eventually he'll stop and then when he's quiet you ask him if he's ready to re-join the group. You have to control your court. You can't let him dictate that court with bad behavior, that only enourages him to act out even more.

As for the groups, instead of splitting them out 5 and 3, I think you really should move one of the older kids up into the other group so you have two groups of 4. With 5 on the court there's always going to be too much waiting around and with 3 you may not have enough people for certain games/drills.

 

[goran_ace]

I've had some pretty decent results with some ADD/ADHD students 1-on-1 but cannot imagine how I would make it work with a group lesson (but then I don't teach group lessons).

I've taught a lot of problem kids myself. It really is a different dynamic sometimes when you get them 1-on-1. This one kid I taught we nicknamed 'the devil child', but if you worked with him one on one he was actually a really sweet kid and full of smiles. Competely different attitude/temperament.

I wouldn't out of the blue suggest that they should book private lessons with you (they may not have the means to pay for privates if they're doing rec dept lessons), but sometimes parents will approach you and ask if you do private lessons and then you can open up that conversation. Other times you might need to guide them to ask that question.

In group lessons, 90% of the time you are going to have a mix of odd characters and part of the job is learning how to manage all that.