Love and Logic for the US Open Finals

I love tennis. I love playing it. I love watching it. I love using the game in my classroom as a metaphor for learning and life. So yesterday, I was excited to watch newcomer Naomi Osaka take on veteran Serena Williams. They were playing for so many firsts: first Japanese finalist, first mother, first modern 24 grand slam wins. Unfortunately, the finals will be remembered for a different kind of first: the first time an umpire instituted penalty points and games in a Grand Slam final that considerably affected the outcome. As I sat in disbelief as I watched a fantastic match unravel into a spectacle I wondered, "What am I going to say to my students?" Many people might think, just ignore it, but the more I reflected, the more I saw the parallels to my classroom and wish the umpire had read and utilized Jim Fay's Love and Logic.

First, everyone brings a certain amount of stress to a situation. There were at least four high profile ads that ran constantly during the Open featuring Serena. From the heartwarming Nike ad featuring home movies to  Chase's "Don't Call it a Comeback,"  and "Serena can buy anything she wants on the go" to the Nicky Minaj's "Queen" there was a lot of hype surrounding Williams. Can that amount of pressure stress you out even if you are Serena Williams -- you bet! The problem with stress is that it can explode with a seemingly harmless trigger and snowball from there. As an educator, I know that my students have stressful situations outside my classroom that I have no idea are affecting them adversely. Something as small as forgetting your gym uniform first period can create so much stress in some students that it affects their entire day. It is my job to recognize when the anxiety is building and not add to it -- something the umpire at the US Open did not do.

Second, don't punish a kid for someone else's mistake. Patrick Mouratoglou was caught by the umpire coaching Serena. Violation of the rules - yes. But should Serena be punished for it? If a student passes a note to another student or looks at another student's paper for an answer, is the second student to blame? Should they get the lecture or the penalty? You can totally understand why Serena kept saying over and over, "it's not fair."

Third, when you see a situation spiraling out of control, don't try to force your authority on it -- you will only make it worse. All the referee had to say was "I'm sorry you see it that way, but it will be marked as a first violation warning." When Serena broke her racquet, it was a clear indication of not only frustration with her game, but frustration with the warning and how stressful the finals were for her. In the classroom, you need to make sure the atmosphere is safe and running smoothly, but the more you try to force a dysregulated student to be compliant, the opposite will occur, and your classroom will appear unsafe to all. The best idea is to anticipate how stressful something is and ease up before it becomes an issue. For example, during high stakes testing, it might not be a good idea to call out a student for a small indiscretion -- you will only create a bigger one.

Next, be consistent. What you do to one student, you must do to all. All the umpires should have been calling out coaching throughout the tournament, not just during the most high profile matches. In a classroom, students will feel targeted if you only see their behaviors and not their peer's.

Finally, remember your actions affect others, not just the one person. At the end of the match, Naomi Osaka was in tears, and they weren't tears of joy. It was probably one of the worst ways to win a match. Also, witnessing her idol having a complete meltdown did add much to her victory. For me as a viewer, it was horrible to watch. In a classroom, it is very uncomfortable to watch your classmate get reprimanded. It makes you distrustful of your teacher and does not make you want to take risks for fear of being punished as well.

So as much as I wish yesterday's final was a celebration of a new generation of tennis champions, it will go down in my memories as a learning opportunity. Of course, with all learning opportunities, the best ones create change for the better. I hope in tennis, love and logic will prevail.