Coaching as an Identity

Recently, I have read a couple of news articles which resonated with my lifestyle as a coach and teacher.

This article on football coach Blake Nill captured the relationship I have with many of the rowers I coach. This relationship is often misunderstood, and I feel Coach Nill captured it quite well.

Another article on the passing of rowing coach Jack Nicholson encompasses coaching as service to people. While we live in an age where sustained volunteerism has declined, I am fortunate to have employment in two areas I love - coaching and teaching. Providing guidance to young people through sport and education fuels my life with purpose and intent. The lessons I learn in these sectors will guide me in being a better husband and a future parent.

The Balance of Visual and Audio Stimulation for Students

I was recently on a trip from Regina to Saskatoon for rowing business with a lawyer friend of mine. In our varied discussion, he referenced how due to increased visual stimuli that young people are exposed to, there has been an over stimulation of the frontal lobe of their brains, where other areas are underdeveloped.

I have no way of substantiating what 'study' my lawyer friend referenced. Regardless of this, it did get me thinking about the amount of visual stimuli used in classroom practices today, and if this practice has gone too far in that direction.

Do classroom teachers consider the amount of audio learning, such as lectures, storytelling, audio book, music, podcasts, etc., to counterbalance what may be an over-stimulation at home of visual stimuli for our children?

Investment in Learning is a Team Effort

One of my favourite things about being a professional coach is the overlap in lessons I learn in the coaching world that I would like to apply to teaching when I am no longer a substitute teacher. I've had some time for introspection, and tweeted the following today:

Life is all about learning, and sometimes you need to adjust your compass to continually grow.
— Garett Mathiason (@GFMathiason) May 28, 2014

I feel it is very important to regularly take stock, and see how changes can be made to make a more positive impact on students. By being humble, we can look internally to see how change can be made. An important part of this is building a trusted learning team for students. In the coaching world, there is an Integrated Support Team (IST), which can include assistant coaches, trainers, managers, massage therapists, physiotherapists, biomechanists, mental trainers, etc. The Head Coach is the lead, and like a President/CEO, is a portfolio manager. Others can offer more specific training in an area, and as long as it is done under the same vision, then this team approach is very effective.

It is equally important to accept criticism, and reflect if change is warranted. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable, in that if you are open to change and have a student first approach, the growth we experience from changing our compass benefits not only the students we teach, but us as teachers as well.

More Thoughts on Seeking Failure: My New Approach to Goal-Setting

This TED talk by Adam Kreek has inspired me to change the approach I take with the athletes I coach in regards to goal-setting.

While I still use SMART goals, in different contexts I invite the rowers to "seek failure". During our winter training, I have them pick a goal for a workout distance that they do not think they can accomplish, and attempt to attain it. The vast majority of these rowers are now tending to improve at an increased, bigger rate with this approach. I believe, this is because they are no longer having a self-imposed capacity on their ability.

I am intrigued to use this approach in teaching. I think that by students seeking understanding beyond the limits of right or wrong, and encouraging further in depth discovery, is in a way, "seeking failure". If a student believes, but seeks, more in depth understanding in an infinite way, what are the possibilities?

The Value of Failure, and Thoughts on Celebrating Excellence

Failure

After watching this TED talk below, and also reflecting on other readings, I feel enlightened about the value of failure.

Failure provides the opportunity to learn, and to stretch capacity. There is tremendous gratification in learning when the process is continual and student-driven.



Genuine Excellence

Often in education and in sports, we provide standardized awards for participation. I feel we have gotten away from the celebration of excellence, since it can be viewed as exclusionary. I feel that we can and should celebrate excellence. The real question is, what is excellence? To me, excellence is celebrating and releasing the talents and abilities of students. ALL STUDENTS HAVE UNIQUE TALENTS AND ABILITIES THAT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED. Our classrooms and schools should go further than conventional recognition for traditional achievement (Honour Roll, school-sports achievement, etc.), and celebrate the unique qualities that each student will add to our society. The important thing is this recognition must be GENUINE, and MEANINGFUL for each unique student.

A Reflection of Differentiation in Coaching to Teaching

As I was preparing for my rowing coaching practice, I was able to reflect on how the design of my workouts differentiates for each athlete's abilities.

In the winter, I coach every member of the Regina Rowing Club on the Concept 2 rowing ergometer. This is different from the "on water season", where the group I coach becomes more specialized as athletes approach their focus competition. 

One workout I use is called an Accuracy Workout. This involves each individual pulling as accurately as possible, a pace relevant to their best all-out pace. With this particular workout, all athletes, from the biggest and strongest, to new, young or old, and inexperienced participants, are all on the same level, since everyone has the goal of being close to their own individual pace.

This workout is further differentiated, where new participants will do technical practice, and then complete 1 x 5000m instead of 2 x 5000m. Also, when rowers are particularly young, I have them complete 2 x 4000m instead, so they can finish at a similar time with everyone else.

This particular workout has made me think about how I will differentiate based on varying abilities in the classroom, be it reading/writing, mathematics, or physical/social differences. While no classroom and differentiation are the same, leading a classroom where all students feel included, and are challenged and excited to learn at their level, I think will be one of the most important challenges in my teaching career. Finding the "Art and Science" of this differentiation is something I will try my best to learn.

Completion! Now Onwards and Upwards...

I have now completed all components to receive my Bachelor of Education Degree in Middle Years Education from the University of Regina. Whooohooooo!!!!!

 A couple of celebratory songs....