Lessons Learned

Have I mentioned that my degree is in Special Ed?  Here one of the lessons learned from my days spent attempting to mold young minds... Do NOT turn your back on your class!

The wisdom of this became apparent to me one day while watching a group of cheerleaders from a local college try to teach a few routines to some of the older girls at the special ed school.  The girls tried to follow

 the cheerleaders instructions, but just weren't able to get the hang of it.  Finally, in a last frustrated attempt, the cheerleaders pulled out the simpliest cheer they could think of.  It consisted of an easy chant,  "WE WANT TWO!"  They demonstrated how to clap while saying "we want" and then hold up two fingers on the word "two".  Easy, right? 

I can only guess that the reason the cheerleaders held up their index finger and little finger to form the "two" was that it was easier for fans sitting way up in the stands to see.  Anyway, the cheerleaders encouraged the girls to practice the cheer then proceeded to turn their backs to the group in order to lead the cheer, spiritedly shouting "WE WANT TWO!" along with a chorus of young voices. 

I'll admit that the girls did wonderfully on the clapping and the shouting.  What the cheerleaders didn't realize is that the girls, after fumbling around trying to figure out how to get their fingers into that unfamiliar "two" position, gave up and made a seemingly mutual decision to use a more common gesture.

The cheerleaders, still happily leading the rally, turned around to discover that, with one exception, all the girls were gleefully shouting "WE WANT TWO", clapping and proudly waving.... a one-fingered salute with which they were much more familiar.  (I'll admit watching this made my day.  Actually I'm betting this would be even easier for fans to see from the stands!)  The only exception...  well, she didn't really have much of a choice as she only had hooks to work with after all.

For some reason, the cheerleaders never returned.  Guess the extra credit wasn't worth it after all.