Fight of the Week Friday-The Week of the Lasts
Welcome to Fight of the Week Friday! Every Friday, we dive into the dramatic, hilarious, and sometimes downright ridiculous battles that unfold in everyday life. From ballet studios to school hallways, no fight is too small to teach us something big.
The Week of the Lasts
The Usual Fight: “I Want to Go First!”
But this week? My students flipped the script.
“Last” became the new “first.”
🥇 Enter the Culprit: Little Sissonne
Sissonne has been my
student for three years. Small, confident, and a little louder every year, she
thrives on attention and knows exactly how much influence she has over her
classmates.
So when it was time to
demonstrate galops, the class scrambled to the corner to fight for first place.
Except Sissonne.
She strolled over,
calm as ever, and declared:
"I want to go
last."
That one sentence
changed everything.
Suddenly, last in line
became the hottest spot in the room.
Everyone wanted it.
Children shuffled
backward, squeezed behind one another, delayed the music, and refused to
"sacrifice" themselves by going first.
One child even tried
to crawl under the line just to claim the last position. Another burst into
tears when they realized they'd been pushed into second place.
First was misery.
Second wasn't much better.
And I stood there
thinking:
"As a teacher, you prepare for fights over first place, but no one warns you about the battle for last."
🥉 The Sticker Twist
At the end of the
week, Sissonne surprised us again.
For the whole week, for every exercise, she insisted on going last. But at the end of the week, for the last run and leap, she suddenly chose to go first.
Why?
At the end of every lesson, my younger students run, leap, and earn a sticker. And wouldn't you know it, we had just opened a brand-new sticker pack.
The pack glittered
like treasure.
The shiny star sticker
everyone wants was gone before anyone else even noticed it existed.
While the others
fought over last place, Sissonne quietly claimed the prize she actually wanted.
I'll never ask.
Some mysteries are better left unsolved.
- Clear class organization is VERY important
- Rewards are powerful motivators, but children often value them in ways adults don't expect
- And never assume you know a child's motives. Sometimes there's a strategy hiding behind seemingly random behaviour
Thanks for joining me in this week’s ballet battlefield. Lesson learned? Maybe. Entertainment guaranteed? Always.
💬Have you ever witnessed a child use their genius for evil— in the studio, classroom, or even at home? Share your story in the comments; I’d love to feature some of the best ones in a future Fight Friday!
👊 Revisit last week’s fight
Scarves, Bags, and a Little Denial.
For this week Fight Friday, we have three fights for the price of one. Scarves, bags, and a little denial. Think of it as a special edition — a countdown of chaos from the ballet studio floor.
Read the Previous Fight
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