Statistical Reasoning in Sports;  my first thoughts were, “Um….I’m not a sports person (like, at all) and statistics is my least favorite of all the maths (because I was not great at it).”

Perfect.

After the initial shock, I realized that teaching Sports Stats (as we called it) was just another challenge for me to overcome.  I knew it would make me a better teacher, it would strengthen my math skills, and I would probably learn some sports along the way. And let’s be honest, I finally landed my dream job, at my dream school so I wasn’t going to say no.

Challenge accepted.  I knew the Stats.  You knew the sports.  I prayed we’d help each other get through the year.

As the year went on we did just that;  I taught you some stats and you answered my endless questions about sports.  We learned about the “hot hand”, hypotheses testing, winning streaks and losing streaks.  We rejected things;  we failed to reject things (whatever that meant?!).  We even did a March Madness bracket based on statistical concepts we learned.  All along the way you taught me bits and pieces of sports based on your experiences playing and watching games.  We always had someone in the room that knew about swim, or football, or softball, or golf;  so someone always patiently answered my questions.

Here we are at the end of the school year; the end of your fourth year at our school.  You have all worked so hard for this moment which is evident in the list of impressive college acceptances and even more inspiring future goals.  And even though we’ve spent an entire school year together, the time has just slipped by and now here we are at the end.

We watched the baseball documentary, Fastball.  I was moved.  I had no idea how elegant the game of baseball is;  the dance between a pitcher and a hitter (the guy with the bat is called a hitter, right?) requires so much skill, finesse, and of course math.  This was the moment.

Suddenly, I was very aware of all the baseball players in our class and what positions they play and all of a sudden now I know that the pitcher is a big deal, and the catcher is a big deal, and all of a sudden I knew that everyone that has  to hit that baseball with a bat is a BIG. DEAL.

All the bits and pieces of sports you have been sharing with me started flooding into my mind.  

Then I started to wonder about all of you, and the sport you humbly said you played.  You don’t just play football, you’re the captain, aren’t you?  You’re not just on the basketball team, you brought our team to the CIF Championships, right?  You don’t just play volleyball, you’re playing in college on a scholarship because you’re that good, huh? Wait, I saw you at the signing ceremony in the gym because you are a star softball player. Then I started to wonder more…that wasn’t just some random pair of shoes you were painting, or dance you were performing, or song you were singing, was it?  Hold on, that’s YOUR painting on display in the Art Show?  That was YOU up on stage at the Pop Show?  

That was the moment it all clicked for me. It just clicked. I didn’t get a chance to know you.  I didn’t get a chance to really get to know how amazing you are.  All of that is just starting to unfold for me and I’ve only got a couple more minutes with you before you go off into the world and do amazing things.  For the first time I am starting to see you clearly.  You are the captains of Varsity teams.  You are the starting player at each of your games.  You are athletes.  You are award winning artists, musicians, singers, dancers, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and leaders.  I am so blessed to have taught you.  What a privilege it has been to be your teacher! I know, for a fact, that you taught me far more than I taught you this year.  And for that, I’ll always be grateful and I’ll never forget any of you.

I don’t want you to leave yet, but I know you must.

Your last year here was my first year and I finally feel like I have my bearings;  I can finally stop and take a look around.  And I know I don’t know some of you at all.  We didn’t spend a lot of time together.  I didn’t find the time to get to know you.  I just want you to know that I see you just as clearly as I do anyone else in our class.  And I wish I had more time with you.

Be brave.  Do amazing things, even if they scare you (like teaching Statistical Reasoning in Sports scared me!).  You’ll learn and grow from each of those experiences in the most rewarding ways.  

Thank you for a great year,

Mrs. Vandenberg