My philosophy for kids and mindset

I believe that coaching is both a privilege and a great responsibility. It is a privilege to be able to guide and direct children toward becoming life-long learners. It is an honor to be in a position to train and coach future leaders and productive citizens. It is also my responsibility to address the needs of the individual child. 

This responsibility includes developing critical thinking skills and problem solving strategies that are appropriate for each child. It is essential to foster these skills by finding the positive qualities of each child, bringing them into focus, and facilitating and environment  where they can flourish emotionally as well as intellectually. I believe a positive learning-centered environment begins with a growth and possibility centered mind-set. 

Children deserve respect and recognition for the individuals that they are. I strive to coach to the individual, whether it be the child who consistently struggles or the child who excels at a rapid pace. I seek to create a trusting, open environment, encouraging a respectful exchange of ideas. Coaching to the individual serves to validate each child’s worth and place in our society. Once individual needs are identified, personalized coaching can occur. 

In order to effectively coach students to develop their own growth mind-set and critical thinking skills, it is a must that I model my own servant-leader philosophy. I must be willing to provide clear direction to promote less confusion and better understanding of vision and goals. If I am committed to their success and encourage the reaching of their own potential, chances are they will be equally committed to their own success and understand the possibilities of future focus. In that same vein, encouragement and edification builds confident children. The kids that are affirmed are more likely to take greater risks in learning and achieving. 

Any level of coaching serves to develop a pattern for achievement and productivity. My coaching philosophy includes the necessity of coaching children how to think for themselves and to learn how to find the necessary information. It is a disservice to our clients to only expect the regurgitation of information. We live in a time where most information is available at the touch of a finger. However, if our clients do not know how to find and disseminate that information, it becomes worthless and does not fulfill the goal of helping children develop the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve personal and professional success. 

I also believe that people will live up to what is expected of them. If I expect kids to be average, they will. If I expect them to be successful and achieve more, they will. To this end, I typically use Socratic or open-ended questioning to challenge children to take one more step in their thought process. I ask them to probe their own thoughts and clarify their answers. Socratic questioning helps people to firmly understand the “why” of their decision making as opposed to just know the “what” of their belief system. Without understanding their own core values and beliefs, they will have a lid or cap on their learning and ultimately achievement in any area of their life. 

I prefer to use coaching or the facilitative approach as opposed to direct instruction. Direct instruction generally has a narrow approach to learning in that the methods for gathering information are “send and receive”. Direct instruction involves limited imagination as most knowledge is gained through recall and recognition. Although there is a place for direct instruction, it is most effective to encourage kids to focus on their strengths and identify areas of growth through the facilitative approach. The direct approach gives solutions, whereas the facilitative approach guides students to find the solutions. I also find that children are more attentive and grasp concepts to a much higher degree when given the responsibility for their own learning. Rather than simply ask students to describe or explain their answers I would ask them to analyze, compare and create new remedies. I believe an effective coach is one who will give students the necessary tools to dig deeper into the true fabric of learning. 

The Latin root for education is educo which means to draw out from within. The effective coach will coach students to find their own worth and possibility from an intrinsic stand point. One that develops into a core of confidence and leads them to the ability to think critically in any circumstance and to make great decisions that lead them on a future forward success road map. 

As I reflect on my past teaching and coaching experiences, I realize there were times when I wondered if it was worth it all or if I am making any kind of a difference in my students’ lives. Going back to my introductory statement, I believe that if I put forth every effort to help children achieve success, while realizing both the privilege and the responsibility of being a coach, then I will find personal success in making a positive difference in the lives of others. As a coach, I have been entrusted with the keys to my clients’ futures. I am excited when each child realizes that they have always held their own keys to unlock the great potential waiting within each of them. I was just the lucky one who helped them find those keys.