Developing a Philosophy
Teaching and Coaching 2 Group Activities Rotation 4 Generic Lecture 4: Developing a Philosophy Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Dance Games Gymnastics Athletics
Reflective commentary: (2000 words maximum word limit) Reflect on your developing philosophy as a teacher or a coach. Critically discuss how your knowledge of learning will underpin your practice.
Learning Objectives
Overall module aim: explore more advanced pedagogical knowledge and principles underpinning effective teaching and coaching. Intended Learning Outcome: begin to construct a philosophy for effective teaching and coaching.
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What is a coach?
A positive coach has the following traits: Puts Players First A positive coach wants to win but understands that he is an educator first. The development of his players is his top priority. Develops Character and Skills A coach seizes upon victories and defeats as teaching moments to build on self-confidence and positive character traits such as discipline, self-motivation, self-worth, and an excitement for life. Sets Realistic Goals She focuses on effort rather than outcome. She sets standards of continuous learning and improvement for the athletes. Creates a Partnership with the Players He develops appropriate relationships with the players based on respect, caring, and character. Treasures the Game A positive coach feels an obligation to the sport he coaches. She loves the sport and shares that love and enjoyment with the athletes. She respects opponents, recognizing that a worthy opponent will push her team to do its best.
A Coachs Philosophy
"When the game is over, I want your head up and show me that you did your best...This means to do the best you can do; no one can do more...You made that effort." "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." John Wooden (1910-2010)
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Events occur
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Why coach?
When establishing your coaching philosophy you should also consider your motives for becoming a coach. For example, why do you want to get into coaching? For yourself or for others, or a combination of the two? Are you more interested in the long-term development of riders or short-term success? Is your burning ambition to coach a team to win medals at the Olympic Games or simply to help riders improve their skill levels? (British Cycling).
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Coaching Philosophy
A coaching philosophy may provide answers for difficult situations in the future, and will reflect your interpretation of what constitutes good coaching practice. It is based on your thoughts and actions regarding issues such as:
your role in relation to athletes and others associated with your sessions, such as parents, other coaches, officials and administrators the extent to which your athletes are responsible for their own behaviour and development, setting goals and contributing to the design of the programme the relative importance of the outcome of competition in relation to the long-term development and well-being of athletes the importance of adhering to the rules, the meaning of fair play and the use of banned substances to enhance performance the intensity of training and competition for children and young people the need for a single-minded commitment or the importance of balance in the athletes' lives.
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Coaching Philosophy
It is important for every coach to develop a personal coaching philosophy. Your coaching practice is strongly influenced by your coaching philosophy, which is what you feel is important in coaching. It is a set of guiding principles that reflects your personal beliefs, values, motives for coaching and your choice of how you will conduct yourself as a coach.
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Developing Self-Awareness
If you realize that you do not like everything about yourself, don't panic, nobody's perfect. The key factor is not for every coach to be a perfect individual. It is crucial, however, that the coach is honest with himself, and willing to take the appropriate steps to change for the better.
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Teaching Philosophy
Within research investigating what PE teachers think their subject should be about, 'enjoyment' featured prominently and for the most part is an explicit outcome. This is held to be true regardless of the age, experience or gender of the teachers investigated.
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Summary
A coaching philosophy is a comprehensive statement about beliefs and behaviours that will characterise the coachs practice. These beliefs and behaviours will either reflect a deeper set of values held by the coach, or will be recognition of a set of externally imposed expectations to which the coach feels the need to adhere. A coachs philosophy is a set of principles which guides their practice. A number of factors will influence these principles and therein, the overall philosophy of a coach: interpersonal behaviour ( degree of athlete autonomy, collaboration) direct intervention (communication, decision making, selection) social context (competition ethics, professional standards) nature of the coaching role (lifestyle control, objectives).
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Indicative Reading
Cassidy, T., Jones, R and Potrac, P. (2009) Understanding Sports Coaching: The social cultural and pedagogical foundations of coaching practice (2nd Edition) Abingdon: Routledge. Chapter 4: Developing a Coaching Philosophy (pp.55-64). Green, K. Exploring the Everyday Philosophies of Physical Education Teachers from a Sociological Perspective. In R. Bailey and D. Kirk (Eds.) (2009). The Routledge Physical Education Reader (Pp. 183-205). Hardman, A. and Jones, C. In R. l. Jones, M. Hughes and K. Kingston (2008) An Introduction to Sports Coaching: from science and theory to practice Abingdon: Routledge. Chapter 6: Philosophy for Coaches pp.64-72 Jenkins, S. (2010) In J. Lyle and C. Cushion Sports Coaching: Professionalisation and Practice Elsevier. Chapter 16 Coaching Philosophy (pp.233-242). Lyle, J. (2002) Sports Coaching Concepts: A Framework for Coaches Behaviour Abingdon: Routledge Lyle, J. (2002) Chapter 2 Coaching Philosophy and Coaching Behaviour (pp.25-46) in N. Cross, N. and J Lyle (Eds). The Coaching Process: Principles and Practice for Sport. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Martens, R. (2012) Successful Coaching (4th Edition) Champaign: Human Kinetics. Chapter 1: Developing Your Coaching Philosophy (pp.4-14).
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