Coaching vs.Teaching

In an article on “Edutopia”, entitled “Lead, Don’t Lecture: A New Approach to Teaching” by Ninive Calegari, several teachers from different parts of the country share their experiences with students when they use a different approach than the traditional “sage on the stage.” Each educator states what we all inherently know to be true – that learning is something that needs to be fostered. Each of the teachers explained how learning about each students needs and building on those needs was much more effective than just providing instruction to the entire class.

One of the teachers shared a concern that has been one of mine in recent years and that is the struggle of knowing that thoughtful lessons that require students to delve deeper into concepts is more beneficial for students and realizing that the pressure of standardized testing allows for less time spent on these kinds of lessons. Coaching students takes time and overwhelmingly what I hear from colleagues is that there is not enough time because of the demands placed on them by districts to incorporate strategies to improve test scores.
Reading these accounts reminds me how important it is to provide opportunities where students can learn from experiences that I can design so that their learning is meaningful.

Response to “Stage Craft: Taking Cues from Theater Class to Help Make Math and Science Fun”

http://www.edutopia.org/math-science-emotional-impact

Carl Engvall compares the attitudes of students participating in football or drama with those in his science or math class.  According to Engvall, the key difference is intrinsic motivation.  Football players and drama participants have a vested interest in their  activities.  They want to do well, therefore they will practice drills, rehearse lines, and work as a team to perform in front of others.  They will even solve unexpected problems along the way without adult prompting.

The challenge that faces science and math teachers is to make their classes equally motivating.  The way to do that is to present issues that are relevant and meaningful to students.  That means studying topics that are close to home and directly affects students’ lives.  When students learn about something that they care about, the learning sticks and  is easily transferred to other areas.   It can be difficult to find those interesting topics, but not impossible.  Teachers need to be on the look out for motivating experiences.

Another way to motivate students is to give them a forum, much like the football field or the stage to showcase their learning.  Sharing their findings via websites, podcasts, movies, etc. has a way of raising levels of performance, especially when they know that the information is valued by others.  Imagine a class where a group of students present information about the need for water preservation to members of a city council.  Those students will definitely remember what they learned about the water cycle, urban planning, and local government.