Teach Like a Coach

O-H-I-O

Anyone who knows me, understands my love an passion for OSU Football.  I wear my scarlet and gray every Saturday and look forward to cheering my team onto victory.  Win or Lose, the Buckeyes will always be close to my heart.  

As I am sitting here getting ready to watch the first ever National Championship game, I am in awe over the OSU Head Football Coach. Urban Myer.   The Coach believes in those players.  There is no doubt in his mind that they will win.  They will be National Champions.  The passion he has for the players is what needs to be displayed by all teachers all of the time.  

Believe

Do you believe in every student in your classroom?  Are you excited to see every student excel and do their best every day at school?  With the third string quarterback, Urban Myer still believes that his team will win.  Do you think your third string student will win and be successful?  

Today, while I was in a classroom working with the a school that is going to start the blended learning process, I watched a teacher start out his lesson.  The students walked into the classroom, sat down, started to do their work.  Not a word was spoken, not a hello or greeting was given to the students.  Just work.  The fist time a student or teacher talked was 45 minutes into class.  

TeamWork

I would love to see that teacher treat those students like they are playing for the National Championship Game every day.  By greeting the students at the door, telling the students that he believes in them, and that the students have the ability to work as a team to get through the day.  By believing and creating teamwork, those students might have a more positive outlook on school.   

Coach

In order to create change, I have to demonstrate what it looks like to believe in the teachers.  This is a new journey for them.  The teachers have long way to go, and teamwork is key to creating a blended learning environment.  To me, It all starts with the commitment  as their blended learning coach.  I will make sure that: 

• I will follow through with what I say I am going to do and make sure that they have time 
  
• Greet them like they are going to playing the championship game every day
• Believe that they will be able to create the blended learning environment 
• Coach them to be the teachers that see their students as national champions

We can learn a lot from coaches from all sports.  The dedication, endless hours, and passion for players can be seen in almost every coach.  Do you see that passion and dedication from almost every teacher?  Think about how you can believe in your students even if they are the third string.