The job, the career. And it begins!

We study to learn, to create a stepping stone to our career. We chose our career based on a number of influences. Hopefully it is because of a love of the job. A passion that drives us, a little whisper telling us this is what we are supposed to do. But it's not always the case. 

I remember my first education lecture at university.  One of the first questions asked was why people chose to study teaching. There were a number of answers but the most overwhelming answer was 'for the holidays'.

To be perfectly honest,  I didn't think much of it at the time. But after a number of professional experiences and a number of professional conversations with peers and mentors I have grown more and more shocked by the answer. For me, it isn't, nor has the appeal of teaching ever been the holidays. It's about the time spent in the classroom,  not away from it.
These reflections to, these thoughts are becoming more regular and more passionate for me.  And this is how I know. I know this is the profession for me.

On top of that is another aspect that often goes with any profession. And that is the specifics of any job. The things that become second nature. That may not be thought about and you don't realise how specific they are until you're speaking to someone outside of the profession. I find this very interesting.

Because only 3 and a half years ago I had very little idea about teaching. Now, I am ready to start my career and am extremely confident standing in front of a classroom. I didn't completely believe I would ever get to this point.  Where the excitement of teaching far outweighs the nerves.  But it is one of the greatest feelings!

This unit has taught me many things, but I think the greatest has been the understanding and the importance of reflection in teaching.  Without reflection we can not grow as learners, so how can we help others grow? This unit has been a complete and utter joy to be a part of and I am so grateful that it has fallen at the end of my degree. It is one I will remember with very fond memories

Thank you..

Nearing the end..

What have I learnt from this unit? What have I learnt from my experience of university? What will I take forward with me as I begin my teaching career?
Funnily enough these questions are ones that I have not consciously thought of too much over the past three and a half years. But today it dawned on me. I have learnt how to learn.
I have learnt the skills of learning. I now better understand how and why I learn as an individual, but also how and why others may learn. I learn because I want to. I learn because I have a thirst for knowledge. Because I have a drive and passion in me that makes me look towards the future. I can not help but be intrigued by the world and the people that surround me. I can not help but be hungry to learn why people and things work the way they do. I want to know.
So, in order to take this particular skill of learning and make use of it I need to understand that of my students. What drives them? How do they learn? And do they want to learn?
The last question is one that is intriguing and one that was hinted at during our tutorial last week. As a teacher, there is only so much we can do in the way of teaching. But the first step, before any teaching and learning can be done is for the students to be there. To turn up. To show an interest in learning. Beyond that, we, as teachers, need to motivate and engage our students so they 'press the button'. So they turn around and open their eyes to the learning that can be done.
Whilst learning can be inflicted it can not be enforced. If someone does not want to learn then they won't.
As I begin my career this analogy of the button and the turning chair (from the tv show 'the Voice') will remain with me. I hope that I can get my students there, to press the button, turn around and open their eyes to their own learning.

A teacher and a mentor....

The word mentor has come up regularly during my studies. And it is an important part of the profession that I am about to enter. Thinking back to my days at school, particularly those years in high school, my 'favourite' teachers were not only teachers, they were mentors. 

"Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be." Eric Parsloe, The Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring

I think this definition of mentoring is a very good one. It focuses on the student, not the teacher or mentor. The idea of mentoring is to allow someone to recognise these things on their own. To develop as a person. A mentor simply facilitates and assists in this process.

This concept of mentoring is more than being a good teacher. It is about assisting students to recognise their own potential. For them to grow and develop academically, physically and emotionally. This is something that I am looking forward to doing. To be a mentor I will need to have the students respect. I will need to have their trust. From this, the teacher/student relationship can be formed and then mentoring can begin.


Reference:
Eric Parsloe, The Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring, Mentorset, What is Mentoring?, (2008), http://www.mentorset.org.uk/pages/mentoring.htm

Presence, Voice, Demonstration

'Teaching is an act.'
This statement shocked me when I heard it, only to soon realise that it is exactly what I do every time I step in front of a class. I have to speak a particular way and I have to have a strong presence. This is what I HAVE to do. Otherwise, I would be eaten alive. Though I have an 'outgoing' personality, I realised that I don't always want to be strong, or speak with conviction. But as a teacher, during a class, I have to. I have to demand students attention with my presence. I have to speak with conviction or the class will fall in a heap. It's strange to think that I will be performing for my entire career, but if I believe what it is that I am teaching then the job is much simpler.

Learning through feedback

The concept of feedback is very familiar in the sporting and teaching environment. Without it, students and athletes do not learn and therefore can not improve. Feedback for a skill can come in many forms, all of which are valuable sources of information and therefore can become learning experiences. These include internal and external feedback. How the skill feels or how it looks.
As a coach or teacher it is important to remember that feedback needs to be constructive. This is used as a motivational tool. It should motivate students and athletes to strive for more rather than give up.
Therefore the timing of feedback is important.
One thing that I learnt from a lecturer was to always finish a session with a skill that the athlete deems as 'good enough to finish on'. Never should you finish on feedback because there is no time to practice and implement the feedback immediately, therefore it is pointless and lost. By ending on a skill that is deemed good enough, an athlete will walk away from the session feeling positive. Therefore motivation is high. Rather than a feeling of negativity and failure. Never end on this!

How to train?

The concepts and principles of training are what we, as coaches and PE teachers, use to plan, sequence and teach training sessions and classes. These principles have been identified as important to the learning and progression of skills and fitness. They are:
Strength, strength endurance, aerobic endurance, speed, speed endurance, power, mobility, agility and flexibility.
All of these, when planned correctly and well contribute to a perfect training plan. However, as a teacher, there is one aspect that is vital but not on this list. And that is FUN!
If we do not make these sessions, lessons and learning experiences fun, then students will not be interested. They will not be motivated. They will not try their best and therefore the lesson is lost. So while these principles are key, especially in elite coaching and training environments, we as PE teachers need to remember that 'elite' is not what our students are. They are there for fun, to learn some new skills and hopefully to find something that they enjoy!!

The media

I read the following quote today about a performance review, it got me to thinking about how this concept has the ability to make or break anyone, particularly those in the public eye.

"For one performance review, I received a report that bore little resemblance to my own appraisal. So incongruent was its assessment of the quality of my work that I thought I had been sent the wrong review. As I glanced through the error-strewn missive, I was astonished by the ability of the author to conjure such a fictional narrative from so poorly informed points of history: innuendo, gossip, circumstantial evidence, gross inaccuracies, simple untruths and other cosmic distortions littered the document. I was confronted by invective masquerading as objective assessment. I stared at the offending document more in amazement than disbelief, but worried about how I might begin to extract myself from this hornet’s nest. I was gripped by a sense of impending doom, as if I were about to be hauled off to the Tower and my head impaled on a spike".              - Richard Hill

So how can this make or break a career? Well, unfortunately the media is a powerful source of information and distribution. And this is the main source of information for most of the public. Also, unfortunately, many people blindly follow what they read in the media. They recall the information that they hear and they take this word as truth. This is not always the case. The media are not always an accurate source of information. The media will generally only know small amounts of information or truth and from there they build their story. Therefore, we can not believe everything we read.



References:
Hill, R., http://keithlyons.me/personalising-performance-observations, viewed 16/4/2013

I'm getting there!!!

As I continue through this journey I am becoming increasingly excited about the prospect of being a teacher. It is now under 2 months until I will sit my final exam and be ready (everything going to plan of course)!
As I sit and reflect on the last 3 and a half years I think about how much I have grown. As a person, as a learner and as a teacher.
All of these experiences will assist me in becoming the best teacher I can be and in doing what I love. It's interesting to think of all the nerves, the moments I have felt scared and the feeling of triumph when you leave a classroom knowing how great that lesson was. That your students learnt something, were interested and engaged and enjoyed your lesson. That is one of the best feelings. And it is that feeling that makes me confident that I have chosen the correct carrer path.
I now only have 3 days of professional experience remaining. Three days left to prepare myself for the start of my career. After that, the next time I stand in front of a class it will be me and only me. There will be no back up, no mentor teacher, no safety net. It will be me. For that, I can not wait!
If I can pass on this passion, this excitement that I have for Health and Physical Education then I believe I can make a difference. I can make a difference to my students. Not only at school but for the rest of their lives.

Participation - the most important thing!

As I continue through this unit and continue with my professional experience in a school something has struck me. Why do we put such an emphasis on winning when participation is the most important part of physical activity?
I understand the excitement and competitiveness of sport. I understand the thrill of winning. But it would seem that this thrill has overtaken the important aspect of participation.
In the school environment I teach a range of students. From the competitive to those who couldn't care less. The highly talented to those who have never played sport in their lives. The struggle with this is involvement. Making a game or activity challenging enough for those who want it to be more competitive yet simple enough for those who struggle.
The other challenge is trying to convince those who are highly capable and competitive that the physical education classroom is about participation. I know this feeling. I was a highly competitive student in PE. I continue to be highly competitive. And this is something that I often pull myself up on.
To give constructive feedback to all students to assist with improvement is vital to a student's learning. This applies for all students. Not just those who struggle or those who are talented.
However, as a teacher, I need to remind both myself and my students that the main reason we are here, in the PE environment is for participation. That is why a 'participation mark' makes up 30% of their final grade. That is why we are Health and PE teachers. To assist students in becoming healthy. To help them find physical activity enjoyable and to find something that they can continue as a life long activity.

Professional Experience

I am currently undertaking my final professional experience at a high school in Canberra. There are many things that I have noticed over the past two weeks, about me and my students.
The first thing I have noticed about myself is how passionate I have become about this profession I am entering. I have always been slightly nervous about teaching, especially in a new school. I always took this as pretty normal but it did concern me. I have recently realised that these nerves are an important part. I am nervous because I care. Because I want to be the best teacher I can be. I know I have found this passion because I walk away from classes and I am buzzing. I have an strange excitement when everything goes well. It is addictive.
I have also recognised the passion that I have for health and physical education. About teaching my students how important it is to be active and healthy. It seems to be all I can talk about.
The students I am teaching have taught me a lot. I am really lucky as I am currently teaching a great group of students who all seem to be motivated and interested in participating in PE. This is something that I have found to be quite rare in high schools. There are usually a number of students who are not interested in participating in PE. It has given me a little more faith. That with the right nurturing I can help students to become as passionate and interested in health and physical activity as I am.

Learning on the Job

I am currently undertaking my final professional experience for my teaching degree. It is interesting to find myself at the end of my degree and reflecting on what I have achieved over the past three and a half years. It is even more interesting to reflect on how I have grown as a teacher. 

After only a few days of placement I am itching to get out 'into the real world' and become a teacher. As each lesson goes by I become more and more confident in both my teaching style but also my career choice. 

I have been very lucky with mentor teachers off whom I have learnt so much in the last three years. They have varied and all have had a unique way of teaching. But they all have had one thing in common, that is, they have all supported me immensely throughout. 

While it hasn't always been rainbows and butterflies, the feedback I have received from each of them has allowed me to grow as a teacher, as a professional and as a person. For that I am truly grateful. 

I still have over three weeks remaining of my professional experience, but I can already tell that that time will fly. I am looking forward to continuing this experience with enthusiasm, making sure that I learn plenty along the way. 

Video Analysis

An interesting point was made last week about the way we use video to analyse sport.
It is not uncommon for teams to use video analysis to assess their performance to improve their future performance.
It is a strange feeling when you watch yourself performing a skill or playing sport. We all have this picture in our head about how we look. But this seems very different when you actually see yourself.
Ultimately, the way we usually see ourselves is as a reflection. In a mirror for example. But when we watch video footage of ourselves we see ourselves as everyone else does. And that is strange.
Using video analysis is a great way to help athletes understand what they are doing and how they can improve their performance.
Allowing them to see what they are doing, whether right or wrong, will give them a better understanding of the reasoning behind concepts in sport.
Simply watching the performance will not allow the athlete to fully understand the positives and negatives in their game. This needs to be highlighted. It needs to be discussed. And, if possible, watched again.
Explanation, pausing and dwelling on certain ideas and concepts will depend on the age and experience of the athletes. For inexperienced athletes it is important that they are given time to understand the reasoning behind video analysis and have time to comprehend what is happening in the performance they are viewing.
More experienced athletes will be able to pick up on both positives and negatives in their game and learn from the video analysis. They will probably have one or two key aspects that they are trying to work on and seeing their performance will allow them to have a greater understanding.
Video analysis is a great tool for athletes to learn with. When used correctly and at the right time it can be a very effective tool for learning. 

What I want...

Knowing your students or athletes is one of the most important aspects of being a successful teacher or coach.

As an aspiring teacher I am looking forward to creating my own style of teaching and creating a great learning environment for all of my students. While I have had many opportunities to experience great classes and schools on my Prfossional Experience through university it is 'my own classroom' that I am truly looking forward to.
I want to create a classroom that is fun and inspirational. Where students are able to express themselves openly and learn at every opportunity. But surely that is what every new teacher wants?
The key is to find out how this happens. I think knowing my students is vital.
Something as simple as learning their name. Asking how their day has been. Asking what they do outside of your classroom. Finding out why. Why didn't they hand in an assignment? Why weren't they at school? Why were they acting diffently?
But students won't respond if they don't trust. If they don't respect and have my respect. So this rapport is what I need to build. That is my goal as a teacher.

Statistics in sport

I was at one of my club Netball training sessions earlier this week and was asked to take statistics for the match play during selections. Without thinking too much about I took the statistics on an iPad using a special netball app.

Later on that night I got to thinking about the app and the use of statistics in sport.
This app was able to tally almost everything a player did right or wrong on the court. Whether they got an intercept or threw a bad pass. It could all be documented. But how accurate is this? Do we count a 'tip' of the ball as a positive? Despite the ball still reaching the desired target, hence the tip has no effect?
And what about the work what is done 'off the ball'? There is never any solid evidence for this. It is only what a coach or spectator observes and how they perceive the work being done.
While the use of statistics has its benefits in sport it is vital that all aspects of a players game are taken into consideration. Also, combinations of players are important. A game of netball (for example) would not work if you had 7 individuals on the court. Instead you need a team. While individual talent is needed, a team doesn't work without combinations and a solid understanding of the players around you.
Statistics are one aspect or perspective of sport. And while they are valuable, they are not the be all and end all.

A sense of entitlement?



I am lucky to have a job at a large elite sports facility here in the ACT. I often enjoy observing the athletes and the staff that deal with sport in every day life and how sport has become the main focus of their lives.
It was late last week when I was approached by an international athlete who was asking about the facility. He was in awe of the place. He wanted to know why and how and what happened in such an amazing place.
Though he wasn't a volleyball player he enquired if there were volleyball athletes that used this facility. He then went on the tell me that there were members of his team that did play. Though, when they played at home they would simply play on gravel courts without shoes. I was taken by surprise.
Living in Australian we are spoilt by the facilities that we have access to. This is the same in schools. It made me realise that I need to use the resources available to me and be grateful for what we do have, rather than what we are lacking.
Schools in the ACT are well equipped. While some are better than others it is important to realise that these resources and facilities are fantastic.

A Learning Experience



Moments of learning come from unexpected sources. And unless it is reflected upon often these opportunities are lost.
Last week I attended a football training, not to play but observe. One of my close friends is a coach and he was conducting trials at the time.
When the session finished he came and sat with me and we had a chat about the session, the players, and the potential of the squad. He vented about his frustrations with the trials and what he was struggling with. It became clear that one of the main concerns was that a range of players from both U18's and U16's were trialling. They were selecting two teams, yet training them together.
After speaking for a while I mentioned the possibility of splitting the squads into U18's and U16's. Then, if U16 players were being considered for U18 positions then you could pull the 'stand outs' over into the U18 trials. He has mentioned this was something he had considered and would think about doing it in the next trial.
Earlier this week, after the next training session I received a text message thanking me. I really didn't know what I had done. At the trials the teams were split for the last 1/3 of the session. There was more clarity and decisions were made somewhat easier.
I denied having any influence, knowing that he had considered the use of splitting the squads prior to my input. However, he said 'it was exactly what I needed to hear. Don't undervalue a perfectly timed suggestion'.
I have since realised the importance of this. While often suggestions are undervalued or disregarded completely, sometimes all we need, as a coach or a teacher is someone to confirm our thoughts. To remind us that we have the ability and knowledge to create our own style of teaching or coaching. Sometimes a little shove is all we need to truly recognise the power that we have.
So, often the key is confidence, with a fraction of apprehension to keep us grounded. It's during those moments that we might need a little shove, a word of advice, or a bit of encouragement to do what we know we can.

Sports Coaching Pedagogy - Week 2

 It has been an interesting start to my final Semester at the University of Canberra. I have started this year with the intention of finishing my Bachelor of Education in May. Though I think I may have gotten ahead of myself. I have tunnel vision, my mind is firmly fixated on the task of finishing. I seem to have forgotten how much learning I still have to do. 

Sport Coaching Pedagogy has already provided me with the opportunity to learn and broaden my perspective on teaching. While I am keen to finish I am also intrigued by learning. I have realised that I need to stop looking forward and start living in this moment. 

After the first tutorial I went home only to rave to anyone that would listen about how much I enjoyed my first class. While I couldn't fully participate I was given a role within the practical lesson. I was given a role that made me feel involved and responsible. People asked me for direction. Immediately I admired and noted the importance of doing something small and quite simple in both a coaching and teaching environment. Students in particular thrive on responsibility. They flourish when they are given opportunity and guided through their own learning experience. Something as small as this makes a big difference. 

The other detail that I noted from our first lesson was the use of 'Icebreaker' games as a way of introducing students to one another. 


While I have always recognised the importance of this at a new school or with a group of new students, I had forgotten about the importance of this at any level. It makes people get to know one another. It forces them to interact help one another. It gives them a sense of belonging and pushes people outside of their comfort zone. Immediately they are companions. After the tutorial last week we had a lecture and I found it interesting that I found myself talking to a number of classmates who I had only met that morning. We were laughing and chatting like old friends, yet we had only known each other for a couple of hours. 


 
My opinion and outlook of this semester has already been changed. I am now looking forward to the learning opportunities that I still have, rather than having my mind fixated on the finale. Mind you, the finish line is still in sight and I am looking forward to that as a reward at the end. 


 

 

 Photo Credit: Coach Boeheim Lays Out a Plan, Matthew D. Britt, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Inspirational-learning-quotes-for-studen ts-Anyone-who-stops-learning-is-old, aashu tosh,CC BY-ND 2.0