Reviews from

Football - A Novel

Viewing comments for Chapter 48 "Football Chapter 24 part 1"
A mother faces life's struggles.

26 total reviews 
Comment from lancellot
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Hmm, isn't strange that Jimmy is a junior who can't read or write, and Katherine is unaware of it? He clearly has some form of learning disability but he is not in a special class and his math teacher wasn't informed by any school record.

Also, your notes say the novel isn't about football, but, and this isn't a jab, it doesn't say what this novel is actually about.

 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 16-Aug-2021
    The novel is about romance. It may appear as a jab against football, but more importantly it is about Katherine's feelings about football and more of it will come out in the next post, I think, or maybe the one after it. I've finished the novel. I think it's the next post. The child does have a learning disability, plus it's basically only in reading, but of course, does effect math where reading is needed. It is at the beginning of the school year and often teachers don't find o ut about issues until, often, about the first 9 weeks, sometimes later . Once I didn't find out a child was retained until after the school year was over.
    It wasn't my fault. The records weren't available and although I'd had numerous conferences with the parent, I wasn't told. Another situation, I had a sped child. They moved, the parent said he was in first grade. So they put him in first grade. I questioned it all year because in Texas you can't retain a child, so why was he in first grade again.
    At the end of the year, I finally got his records.
    He had passed the first grade. Records are often not received by the teacher. Thank you for the kind review.
Comment from Elizabeth Emerald
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Ingenious idea as regards the geometry dilemma. Sounds as if you know from experience! Excellent chapter. Rich in detail and multidimensional characters. You have an ear for dialog.

Thursday morning [COMMA] when Katherine and Daisy [OMIT COMMA] joined Gabriel and Reggie for their early run, Gabriel asked, "Did you sleep any better than you did Tuesday night?"

 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 16-Aug-2021
    Coming from you this is extra special to me. Thank you.
Comment from Wendy G
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Another interesting chapter. The only thing that surprises me is that notes aren't made for kids with special issues, and kept on file so that all teachers have access to them and can then incorporate different strategies for testing them. Suggestion: "wondering" should be "wandering".
Looking forward to the next chapter, as always!
Wendy

 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 16-Aug-2021
    Teachers don't always receive the notes in a timely manner. I know this from experience. Thank you for the kind review.
Comment from judiverse
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Gabriel may be in love with Katherine, but he keeps making things difficult for her. He shouldn't have been the one to interfere with the grade for one of her students. It could have caused trouble for her. If JImmy had a reading problem, maybe a guidance counselor could have mentioned it. It looks suspicious that she suddenly gave him such a big adjustment in his grade. It would have been better if Gabriel hadn't gotten involved himself, but he's insisted on doing that on so many occasions. She won't feel so stressed once the custody situation is worked out. Pulling for Katherine not to allow Gabe to have such sway over her life. I'm curious about how that dance will turn out! judi

 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 16-Aug-2021
    Coaches always go straight to the teacher. It's what they do. For Katherine not knowing about it, it's because records don't always make it to the teacher in a timely manner. I know that for a fact. Thank you for the kind review.
reply by judiverse on 16-Aug-2021
    You're welcome. It doesn't sound like ea good idea to me for coaches to go to the teacher hoping for a grade change. Especially in this case, when things are pretty sensitive between g
    Gabriel and Katherine. judi
Comment from Jay Squires
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A meaty chapter, Barbara. It sounds like the student's problem with reading, hence his math scores, might be dyslexia, or one of those brain-eye problems.

I'm surprised that the coach (with Jose) and Katherine (with Angie) speak so openly about private matters. I mean, matters that don't really concern them. How did Jose know that Katherine was mad at Coach?

I know that Gabriel and Katherine will work out their problems. One thing about their problems that forced them to restrain from intimacy, it forced them to get closer in other areas.


 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 16-Aug-2021
    He overheard it in the hallway. Remember Coach sending him to his class? Katherine and Angie are close friend. GIRL TALK. LOL I wanted them to get closer in other ways to build a relationship instead going straight to bed. Thank you for catching that.
Comment from amahra
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Being a retired Special ed instructor, Jimmy sounds like he may be, what we called, an audible learner--students who learn better by listening.
Here's something I noticed below:

"I'm sorry, but the schools are being checked by the UIL (University Interscholastic League) to make sure we're keeping up with the student's academics." [Having UIL written out in parenthesis shouldn't be in the dialogue. Dialogue should be just that, dialogue. Then write out for the reader what UIL stands for in the narration.]



 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 16-Aug-2021
    I will correct that. Thank you for the suggestion.
Comment from Begin Again
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Good one, Barbara... I love the normal give and take...with a little sass on the side. They work well together even if Katherine gets a bit touchy...she's good for Gabriel as well. There are learning the ropes of starting over agian. Great job!

Smiles, Carol

 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 16-Aug-2021
    I can promise you in the next post, I think, Katherine gets worse. LOL Thank you for the kind review.
Comment from nomi338
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This is a wonderfully balanced story of a well balanced relationship. I like that they can have differences of opinion and it not damage their friendship as their relationship continues to develop. I believe it will be stronger as a result.

 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 15-Aug-2021
    I agree with you. Thank you for the encouragement.
Comment from Ric Myworld
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The ropes tightening around coach's neck and he doesn't even see it coming, or already knows there is nothing he can do to escape the inevitable. LOL. Thanks for sharing.

 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 15-Aug-2021
    LOL Gabe doesn't have chance.
Comment from Anne Johnston
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Thanks for posting another chapter in this story. It is very interesting. they say the course of true love never runs smooth, but it seems this relationship is being tested over and over. I like that the teacher was able to help this student. So many fall through the cracks because they don't learn the same way as others.

 Comment Written 15-Aug-2021


reply by the author on 15-Aug-2021
    Thank you for the kind review. So true many fall through the cracks.
reply by Anne Johnston on 15-Aug-2021
    You are welcome