TED Talk: Want to get great at something? Get a coach.
This TED Talk focusses on the notion of how to get better at what one does. Anchored in observations of deliveries in rural India, Atul Gawande shares some observations as to how people improve in the face of complexity (or don't). His fundamental questions focus on how do professionals get better at what they do and how do they get great, be it through the apprentice model (school, practice, learn, graduate, share learning with the next generation) or through the sports model whereby the coach's rôle is paramount. His comment, "... You don't recognize the issues that are standing in your way or if you do, you don't necessarily know how to fix them. And the result is that somewhere along the way, you stop improving" resonates with many. All schools have an evaluation system. However, it often is (or perceived) as an item on a checklist for administrators/teachers to complete by a certain date rather than being a unique opportunity to engage in authentic one-to-one conversations about practice in terms of both strengths as well as suggestions for next steps. Atul's description, "... they are your external eyes and ears, providing a more accurate picture of your reality. They're recognizing the fundamentals. They're breaking your actions down and then helping you build them back up again' is how he described the key rôle of his coach in helping him build upon strengths and further improve. While he was referencing medicine, this notion is equally applicable to education and beyond.