When looking at a classroom dynamic and if one were to
compare this to a sport team’s dynamic, one could find many similarities. Let’s
decipher some of those similarities:
·
Both are looking for positive results, they may
be to win or to get an “A” aggregate.
·
Both have a leader who is there to facilitate
and manage their success, the one is called a coach the other is called a
teacher.
·
Both rely on group or team work to achieve their
goal.
·
Both require a degree of self-discipline and
group discipline.
As we can see there are many similarities between a coach’s
job and a Teacher’s job. Jake White the world cup winning coach started out as
a teacher. Much of what he learnt as a teacher he has I suspect brought into his
coaching philosophy. Of what I observed from the Springboks under his guidance
was a well organised, well drilled, fit and prepared team. Much of these
elements are what is needed for success in a learner.
If we were to look at a rugby team we have 15 players all
different sizes all have different skills, strengths and abilities. Some are
fast, some are strong, some are tall and some can side step, some are large and
some are wiry. In a classroom we have learners with different skills and
differing levels of knowledge, some are loud some are quiet some work hard
others are disruptive; some have loads of energy others are calm and
collective.
What happens to a team without a coach? What happens to a
class without a teacher? The team would have many chiefs and few Indians, no
clear direction and no organisation. The class would be in disarray no
discipline, no guidance on work to be taught in fact no one would be working at
all, and this all spells chaos.
Controlled competition means success, a coach’s job is to
hone his team’s competitive energy and co-ordinate this to form a winning
formula. A teacher needs to hone the learner’s energy to succeed and bring the
best out of them by facilitating there competitive energy by channeling it
toward doing well in their work.
Thoughts and comments...
