Each morning as I arrive at our college I see Joey, Brad, Andre and Matt taking our students through their paces. There are the warm-ups, the skills practice, tactical moves and match practice. Our students all look to be having a great time. They are learning while they’re having fun. In every way our coaches are ‘teachers’.
Life is about learning and I believe that learning needs to be enjoyed – it’s about having fun. Watching our students having so much fun in the mornings, challenges us in the academic lessons to also help them to enjoy what they are doing, to have ‘fun’ while they are learning. It is a wonderful challenge creating our academic program through designing the ibooks. The work that goes into these project modules is considerable, having said that, it is also ‘fun’ for the teachers. We work hard to come up with ideas to help our students to build a positive relationship to learning, and at the same time to enable them to have ‘fun’ and enjoy what they are needing to achieve.
Apart from the academic side of our college, we have our mentoring. This is an excellent opportunity for teachers to be life skills coaches. As a parent, what I believe we wish for more than anything, is that our children grow up happy with a healthy self-esteem. Through the program we are using, we have the opportunity to tackle issues that we all face – peer pressure, healthy friendships and relationships, being part of a community and dealing generally with what I like to call: ‘The Human Condition’.
So, is a coach at IFS a teacher? And, is a teacher at IFS a coach? Definitely, yes.
Kind regards,
Rodney
I think all the teachers are doing a great job. This has become especially apparent since my son, Carson, injured himself. As much as he loves the training offered at the college he also loves the academic program. He can’t participate in training, yet he still begs to go to college despite his current limitations. This time last year Carson would have begged me to stay home. Well done to all of you.
I agree with you Karen. Connor was sick with a sore throat and headache on Thursday and I gave him the option to stay home. He didn’t want to as he said he loved being at college. On Friday when he was worse again we had to make him stay home. Last year he would have had a term off if we would have let him, and not due to anything to do with his peers. We are thrilled with the change in him!