This week something very significant happened, I began my very first official teaching role! This is so exciting, even if it is unpaid and I am actually an assistant basketball coach, I'm am really looking forward to the learning opportunities that this will provide.
For the first session I resolved to stay out of the coaches way and watch how he interacted with the players, I was surprised to find another volunteer present that I was not aware was assisting the coach. I was caught of guard as I thought it would only be the coach and I as I had previously met this volunteer in a different setting, and was unaware that he had any experience in basketball, however, I had already resolved to keep and open mind, so I reserved judgement.
Even in my first week I learnt a lot about teaching from the coach (who is also a qualified science and HPE senior teacher). It must be tough for a young male teacher to be coaching middle school female girls in a sport that requires a large amount of contact, as well as technical positioning. I was pleasantly surprised at his lack of hesitation, and yet professionalism in his interactions with the girls. He explained complex basketball concepts in ways that the girls could understand, and demonstrated them with a sense of humour, utilizing the help of the before mentioned male volunteer whenever the concept required a demonstration of physical contact. I was honoured by the Coach's trust in me when he suggested I separate from the group with the year seven and eight team to run a drill up the other end of the court. My first official teaching role reminded me why I wanted to be a teacher to begin with. I love the look on a students face when they see something you told them to do help them achieve a goal, and I love watching students make something you told their own. For example, they may mix and match the moves that you taught them, so instead of a cross over and jump shot, they may try a cross over and lay-up. This kind of creativity is what we should be encouraging from students in all areas of life. If we restrict them to only being like their parents, teachers or coaches, then how will they bring anything new or innovative into the world?
I was so excited by how much the students inspired me that I thought back to my own basketball coach. He definitely wasn't perfect, but he did have some good traits. I considered the things that I struggled with the most when he was teaching my team and I, and then I thought about ways that I could make it easier for the girls I was coaching.
I identified that something I thought would have helped me was some form of reflection, so I could see the progress I had made from the beginning of the season to the end. I put together two worksheets, one for after training, and one for after games, that have 5-10 questions on them. The idea was that the girls would fill in a sheet each week and then by the end of the season be able to look back and see how far they have come.
I emailed the completed worksheets to the coach and now I am waiting incredibly nervously for his reply!
I've also had a look at some pictures that I thought would be inspiring for the girls and if the coach approves the worksheets I'm hoping to give the pictures out at training as well.
An example of awesome defence! Showing that there's no excuse to let a taller girl out rebound you!
To inspire the girls to work hard, even when the other team seems better.
No one likes to practice, but everyone like to win!
Sometimes life sucks, but we always have God protecting us!
Don't complain about uniforms when girls used to play in dresses and stockings!
Practice, practice, practice!
Sometimes it's tough, and it always makes us better!
There's more to basketball than skill, and there's more to life than success.
Believe in yourself.
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