Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Coaching is for Everyone

In our school division, our teachers and administrators have started to work on the Instructional Coaching model of professional learning. But it is not only teachers or administrators or central office staff who need and thrive with coaching. In baseball, the American League Most Valuable Player was named and Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers won this prestigious award. Did he state that he was at the top of his game and he had nothing left to learn? In his press conference did he praise himself? Did he feel that his coaches were insulting his professional skills? No. He said his winning the MVP and his being considered a great player by his peers was all about "being coachable and listening and not thinking you know everything. I (Josh Hamilton) want to continue doing this....It is an honour to be coached by them. I will continue to listen." What do you think? Can you apply this analogy to education, to teaching? Or am I off base? I look forward to your thoughts.