Charting the Course of Teaching and Learning in a Networked World

Teaching Technique-Coach

Teaching Technique-Coach

This will not work for everybody. But it worked for a dear friend of mine. Let us just call him Bob. Bob was the only Caucasian in an all Black school. He was also the only male.
He was 5’6” and weighed 130 pounds. He explained to me that the female teachers in the school were excellent teachers and they were demanding and hard on the students. He said they were ideal mother figures and ruled with an iron hand. He explained that he was reluctant to use any of the techniques the ladies used. He further explained that they could successfully use a GLARE that he couldn’t duplicate. Addition they did a thing with their neck and head he called “the black lady neck thing” that wasn’t about to try.
He asked with great sincerity did I have any suggestion on how he could become more effective both as a teacher and how he could get a more disciplined environment in his classroom.

My suggestion was to use this technique. He should inform all his students to call him COACH BOB. Keep in mind there were no athletic teams at this school. If they asked what do you coach?, he was to reply, ”life and learning”.

He was told to carry a large white handkerchief in his back pocket. It a student acted improperly he was told to throw it on the floor and exclaim 15 minute penalty. The student would hand to sit in the back of the room alone for 15 minutes.

The concept is that coaches like Pat Riley, Denny Crum, Red Auerbach, and Phil Jackson have been loved and accepted by black athletes. Race did not seem to matter.
So coach is a key that can open the race door. This concept worked for this teacher. He became not only effective as a disciplinarian but loved as a person and a teacher.

Last year he was voted teacher of the year at his school.
As I side note, I was invited to a six grade graduation ceremony.
I paid particular attention to the teachers. After the ceremony I overheard three veteran black teachers saying, “ I am glad this group is gone”. I further witnessed a first year white teacher in tears along with her graduating students in tears, all screaming passionately that they were going to miss each other so much. The point is I don’t believe that race has to be a limiting factor. I believe that if you work it correctly, the word TEACHER transcends RACE.

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