Personal+Narrative+PT

Trying something new can be difficult. Teaching someone something new can be even more difficult. It's even worse when the person you're teaching begins to be discouraged and starts giving up. This situation does not look good for these two people. But who knew one thing could change the results extravagantly.

I was riding my skateboard down the street and caught one of my friends, Ben, watching me. I can tell he wasn't actually looking at me, but he was looking at my skateboard. I got off my skateboard and had a conversation with him as I walk towards him. Our conversation lasted for a while, and one of the topics that came up was about skateboards. He was interested in the skateboard I was riding since it wasn't any ordinary skateboard. He knew how to ride the regular skateboards, but he didn't know how to ride the RipStik that I had. I decided it was the perfect time to teach him how to ride it.

I couldn't remember how I first learned how to ride the RipStik. I became so used to it that I just know what to do when I ride the skateboard. I started off by showing Ben how to get on the skateboard. It was tricky getting on since you couldn't stand on it for more than five seconds before falling off. I helped balance him on the skateboard and maneuver him around to show him how it felt. It took a few tries to help him get on, but he eventually got it. Now that he knows how to get on, he needed to know how to ride it. I told him to get on the skateboard and push the front tail and the back tail opposite of each other. This was the part where he began to struggle. Every time he got on the skateboard, I had to give him a little push to help him go a little faster. He can balance himself every time I give him that push, but when that little push was gone, he starts to slow down and fall. This occurred over and over for the next hour and a half. At this point, I could tell he's being discouraged and wants to give up. I kept telling him to don't give up, and that he's going to be able to ride it soon. After a few more attempts, he passed my skateboard back to me and said he gave up.

I was a little disappointed in myself. I really didn't want to see him give up, but I didn't know what to do then. I remembered how he was able to balance himself at every start when I gave him that push. I had an idea, but I didn't know if the results would be astounding or negative. I asked Ben to try it one more time if it's going to be the last time he does it. He took my skateboard and placed it on the ground. Just as he got on, I gave him a stronger push than I had before. He became unbalanced this time and tried to balance himself again on the skateboard. He was able to balance himself again, but somehow also he began to move the skateboard. I can tell from his facial expression that he was very surprised.

Ben finally knew what he needed to do to ride the skateboard. He borrowed my skateboard about everyday just to practice. He eventually got better than me and bought his own skateboard. I felt really good about myself on that day, knowing that I was able to teach someone something new.