Week 7

After finishing "The Tipping Point" by Gladwell, I had no new reading material at home. One book that I read a couple of years ago that I was interested in reading again was "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" by Michael Lewis. This book is the story of Michael Oher and is the basis for the award winning movie "The Blind Side" starring Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. This book has two major storylines. The first is the change in strategy of football over the past few decades to a game that emphasizes passing and the importance of the left tackle position. The second storyline is the story of Michael Oher. Oher was a young African-American growing up in extreme poverty in Memphis. Oher attended over a dozen public schools in Memphis, and was just passed along through the educational system without ever really learning anything. Taken in by an white, upper class family, Oher is finally given a chance to succeed. With help, he begins to slowly succeed in school. After raising his grades high enough, he is allowed to play sports and this is where the two storylines intersect. Oher becomes a well-known football player and is a highly recruited left tackle. Eventually, he attends college at Ole Miss and graduates with a college degree and goes on to play in the NFL. Having already read this book, I can say that it is one of my favorite books I've ever read. More than football, though, this book is about second chances, overcoming obstacles, not letting others' expectations define you,  and love. I would recommend this book to anyone, regardless of whether you like football or not!

My life circumstances have changed greatly since I read this book the first time. The first time I read "The Blind Side", I was working on my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, now I am working on my Master's Degree in Education. Before, I was a player on multiple athletic teams, now I am a coach for multiple teams. My reactions while reading "The Blind Side" are much different now than they were before. In the "Blind Side", Lewis talks about the way the teachers in the Memphis educational system just passed Michael Oher from grade to grade without taking any interest in him. Oher was dismissed as being "unable to learn". Finally, Oher found teachers at a school, though, who took an interest in him. They helped him learn how to learn and how to help himself. This was powerful to read as a future educator. Reading this made me realize the impact that teachers can have on the lives of their student. One teacher can change the entire course of a student's life. Next, I was reminded of the impact that sports can have on a person's life. The lesson here doesn't apply to just sports, it applies to any activity. Students can experience so much personal growth when they find an activity that they enjoy. This is why I think it is absolutely essential that our educational system not emphasize standardized testing so much that elective courses and other school activities are cut out of the lives of our students.

My Reading Log
11/14 11:30-12:00 am
11/15 10:30-11:40 pm
11/19 12:00-1:00 am