Metaphor – Teacher as Coach
I think the closest thing that comes to me about my teaching is that of a coach. I coach imparts knowledge and skills to their players, but they do a lot of other things. Good coaches are deeply concerned about the well-being of their players. Coaches push athletes to be their best selves. Coaches challenge their athletes intellectually and physically. Sometimes push causes athletes upset and this can strain relationships, but the coach believes in the possibilities for athlete development. Coaches are concerned about the social climate on the team, how their athletes are getting along and supporting each other. Coaches inspire their athletes through a compelling vision. Coaches walk the talk and demonstrate commitment and perseverance in the face of adversity. Coaches experiment and also use the best evidence from the field, including borrowing from others’ playbooks (giving credit of course).
I think a lot of this carries through into my teaching. I care deeply about my students’ well-being and development. I believe that students can succeed and that expectations on my part are important. Setting clear learning objectives, helping students set goals and guiding them to self-direct. Reinforcing and recognizing effort along with achievement. Establishing a positive climate. Aligning learning activities and assessment with learning objectives, just like a coach aligns training with team goals to build capacity for competition. I use evidence-based methods, but I am not afraid to experiment with new methods with potential to improve student learning.
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