It’s no secret that countless students eagerly wait for the final
bell to ring—not to go home, but to play a team sport. Why is that, and
how could we get students to show similar enthusiasm for learning during
the actual school day?
Great coaches have an edge when it comes to inspiring today’s youth
to greatness, and parents, classroom teachers, administrators, and
reformers should take notice of the following traits of effective
coaches:
- Encourage Failure: The best coaches encourage
failure, and they don’t harshly penalize students for making mistakes.
Instead, they review with an athlete what he or she did wrong and move
on with the next play. In the classroom, the permanent nature of grades
and high-stakes testing damages moral and reinforces futility and
despair. Too often, well-meaning teachers do too much to ensure that
students never fail. But if kids never encounter adversity in the
classroom, it’s doubtful they will successfully manage it in real life.
Like coaches, teachers should encourage students to try daring new
things, and rethink how failure can turn into even greater, more
meaningful success.
- Acknowledge Individual Progress: On the field,
coaches praise athletes for reaching their fullest potential—whatever
that may be. In September, I spoke with legendary cross-country coach
Joe Newton who over 50 years has led York Community High School
in Elmhurst, Illinois, to 28 state titles. “I’ve got three guys on my
team that are like 250 pounds,” Newton says. “They’re out there in front
of the whole team at the team meeting. I said to two guys, I said,
‘Look at their bodies. They’re not made for running and they’re out here
every day busting their butt.’ I said, ‘I just love guys like that.
That’s what our program is all about.’ Then I gave them the old shot:
‘You choose to be average. You choose to be good. You choose to be
great.’ Those guys don’t ever score a point for us, but in my eyes
they’re great because they come out and they give me what they’ve got.’”
How many teachers would say as much of a math or history student,
trying equally hard, but only managing to earn a D?
- Affirm the Power of Hard Work: Great coaches help
players see real improvement. I coach varsity cross-country, and at the
start of the season, I discuss fitness goals with my athletes. It’s not
long before many of them are sporting six-pack abs, along with
impressive race times. Even my slowest runners revel in achieving new
personal records, in turn motivating them to continue working just as
hard—or harder. In the classroom, teachers should provide students with
analogous goals and measurements for progress to encourage (rather than
discourage) continued growth.
- Affirm the Power of Teamwork: On the playing field,
no matter how talented an athlete, victory is impossible without
teamwork. The best coaches cultivate productive relationships, and their
athletes revel in accomplishing something they couldn’t do alone. More
still, the entire team is only as strong as its weakest player, and it’s
the job of that team to help that individual improve. In the classroom
as well, pursuing individual academic competence must remain paramount,
but teachers should encourage students to support each other. Too often,
students compete against each other for high grades and standardized
test scores. Just think of what happens when all of the players on the
same team compete against each other for possession of the ball—they all
suffer.
- Teach the Value of Struggle: During training, my
varsity cross-country runners follow a strict diet. They aren’t allowed
to have sweets or soda, except on special occasions. If they show
repeated signs of struggle or a lack of progress, I know they haven’t
kept to my workout plan and nutritional regimen. To ensure future
compliance, I work them even harder. Eventually, those that stick with
it quickly show signs of improvement, not just in their race times, but
also in their overall health and appearance. With academic dishonesty
reaching ever-greater heights, in the classroom we need to do a much
better job of showing students the value of learning through struggle.
Just as on the field, by taking shortcuts, they only cheat themselves.
If you’re a coach, what other lessons could teachers learn from your
practices? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.