Earlier this summer, Carol Tomlinson helped me form a bridge between the teaching and coaching worlds in her article, "Mastering the Game". Her article is based on a radio talk show conversation that featured Sven Groeneveld, a renowned tennis coaching legend, and his insight as to why he is so successful as a coach. Although the connection between the traits of a successful coach and an effective teacher may not be all too obvious at first, there are eight indisputable traits that help separate the haves and havenots in both the coaching and teaching worlds.
Tomlinson summarizes the eight traits that are essential for any coach or teacher to keep in mind if they truly want for their athlete or student to exceed expectations.
- Recognize that everyone possesses the ability to achieve far more than what they think they are capable of reaching.
- Know the difference between dreams and goals. Dreams are intangible thoughts and goals are tangible outcomes that you can chase down.
- It is vital to master both hard skills (mechanics and fundamentals) & soft skills (grit, dedication, desire...).
- Hold athletes and students accountable for their actions.
- Refuse to give in when an athlete/student gives up on a challenging task.
- Recognize differences in learning strategies and adapt to these differences in order to teach most effectively.
- Observe and analyze athletes/students to identify their strengths and weaknesses, so that you can form an effective plan of action.
- Remember that it is not about getting our names in the limelight, we do it all for the kids.
While these eight traits may seem relatively simple in nature, they work together to form the foundation of a teacher or coach, who is both successful and meaningful. You can view the original piece here on Edutopia.
