Mid-South school helps students with dyslexia grow through sports

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - The Bodine School in Germantown is one of a kind. It's the only school in the Mid-South dedicated to teaching children with dyslexia.

Marko Pavlovic is the P.E teacher at The Bodine School, but he means more to his students than his title implies.

At a school where most kids come in with low self-confidence due to reading related challenges, Pavlovic is making his students believe in themselves by starting the first sports teams in the school history.

"The first challenges for most of these kids is they don't have any belief in themselves," Pavlovic said.

"Most of them have never played sports before. With sports here, I try to build self confidence, that belief that they can actually do stuff. That they are good. That they are strong. That they are smart. That they can do stuff like anyone else."

Pavlovic's students say his confidence-building approach is working.

"I'm glad he started it because it goes to an inspiration to all the kids that want to be something great," said Bodine student Aubrey Nlee.

Pavlovic has also become popular among the parents of the students at Bodine.

"They're saying it's changing their families," Pavlovic said.

"It's changing the lives of these kids. For the first time, most of these kids are smiling. They're developing social skills as well. They're making new friends on the team."

Bodine principal John Murphy says Pavlovic was brought in as the school's mission to expand physical education, but the results he's seen excites him about what's to come.

"I can't say enough about the dedication of Marko and how he has brought us to the highest level and we're going to continue to grow," said Murphy.

2017 will be the second year the school will field sports teams.

As of now, Bodine has boys and girls basketball, soccer and ever dodgeball.

Pavlovic says he wants to add tennis to that list in the near future.

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