Courtney-Coyle-Ch. 8-9

 Chapter 8: The Talent Whisperers

Summary

This chapter focused on three different master teachers. The first one was a cello teacher and the Meadow Mount Music School who was able to adapt not only his directions and feedback, but also his teaching style to the needs of each student. The second teacher was a basketball coach who created one of the most successful college teams of all time. The majority of his feedback was given in short, direct sentences. The third was an older woman who taught piano lessons and nurtured students to love playing the piano. 

Application

As a teacher (of both myself and others) I need to make my directions shorter and more concise. The feedback I give needs to also be tailored in manner and in wording to the student, and I need to really value the time I get to evaluate and perceive my students. I think as a beginning teacher, it's also so important for me to remember that I may not be the teacher that gets my students in to college, but I can be a teacher that helps ignite their desire to keep learning. 

Chapter 9: The Teaching Circuit: a Blueprint

Summary

This chapter covered what Coyle calls "The Four Virtues of Master Coaches." He calls the first virtue "The Matrix." This refers to the deep well of knowledge that Master Coaches can draw from and their ability to approach a skill from a variety of ways. The next virtue is perceptiveness. Like the cello teacher, one must be able to understand their students and their individual needs. "The GPS Reflex," is the name for the third virtue. This refers to the idea that coaches give quick, direct and tailored feedback. The final virtue is honesty. Teachers must be willing to call out their students on what needs to be better while also being honest about what is working. 

Application

I could definitely work on having multiple ways to approach struggles students are having. I often can only think of things that work for me, but I need to be able to tailor my direction more specifically. Other than that, the application is very similar for me to chapter 8. I need to streamline my directions and really pay attention to my student every opportunity I get in order to tailor those directions.