Friday, September 10, 2004
Coaching vs Teaching
I love coaching. I love teaching. I live for that "Ah ha" moment in teaching when a student makes a connection and a concept goes from impossible to easy. I get a charge out of watching a swimmer accomplishes a goal and you can see the pride on their faces. Both jobs let me communicate and see growth.
Even with all these similarities, coaching and teaching are different beasts. I think one major difference is why kids participate in each activity. I have found (and I work with a very unique population) most of my math students hate school and have little motivation to learn. Conversely, most of my swimmers love swimming and just need me to direct them to where they want to be.
Coaching helps me balance teaching. In my perfect world all students and all swimmers are all self motivated. Both want to succeed and will do what it takes to be their best. Coaching helps me see this perfect world and strive for it in my classroom.
Even with all these similarities, coaching and teaching are different beasts. I think one major difference is why kids participate in each activity. I have found (and I work with a very unique population) most of my math students hate school and have little motivation to learn. Conversely, most of my swimmers love swimming and just need me to direct them to where they want to be.
Coaching helps me balance teaching. In my perfect world all students and all swimmers are all self motivated. Both want to succeed and will do what it takes to be their best. Coaching helps me see this perfect world and strive for it in my classroom.
