Teaching is a lot like being a marathon runner. There are great physical and mental demands over a long period of time.
Teachers have to pace themselves, make the most of their energy in the light of continuous challenges. Like runners, they also benefit from trained coaches to give them objective information that they may overlook in the midst of the long term effort they are called on to expend.
At the same time, teachers are rightfully suspicious of some who might offer them advice. They don’t want one-size-fits-all advice because they are aware of the unique contexts that their classrooms represent. They don’t want generalized ideas from those who have not taught their subject area or their grade level. What they DO want is focused, useful ideas that they can put to use immediately.
In this quest, teachers would be wise to determine what different helpers offer and then turn to those who can give what is needed at a given moment. I have found that helpers can generally be sorted into three categories: consultant, collaborator and coach.
Consultant – Consultants can be thought of as topic-area experts; they bring us information we do not yet know, but would benefit from. Book publishers send consultants to explain how a text and its supporting materials are organized, what needs the materials address and how educators can use the whole set effectively.
Similarly, consultants may come to explain or demonstrate the use of various methods and approaches that have emerged since our own days in education schools—team learning, EBIs, professional learning communities, etc. In this way new awareness can lead to development of a new proficienc . If I feel confused or notice a gap in my own understanding, I might purposely seek an “expert” to fill me in and broaden my understanding of a difficult technique or an uncomfortable situation that has developed in my classroom.
Collaborator – We might turn to a collaborator when we become aware of a problem ; collaborators work with us so we can create solutions together. Department planning teams often act as collaborators. They create units or activities that emerge from discussions and much “tweaking” — many people make suggestions in order to create the whole.
If I feel stale or stuck, I may turn to a collaborator who will help me brainstorm a new approach or build a more engaging lesson by enriching my thinking with ideas of his or her own.
Coach – Good coaches watch analytically and ask us about our own thinking, our plans, our hopes and our analysis of what is going on in our teaching. They do not offer ideas or new approaches. Rather, they help us find the ideas underlying what we choose to do and they encourage us to discover approaches within ourselves that we had not yet had time or focus to identify.
Coaches can make us more thoroughly who we are as they help us identify resources within ourselves. If I am tired or frustrated, a coach can help me find a new perspective and the energy to try again.
Getting the wrong sort of help can be annoying and not very useful. Yet no one knows what we need as well as we ourselves do. As we grow up as professionals, we learn to identify and seek the precise input that will help us most. That way we can continue the race in good shape and finish strong.
