RMS Weekly Event Calendar
September 17 - September 21
What's going on at RMS?
What Can We Learn From a Coach?
All of you that know me, know that I absolutely love college football. If asked what my favorite season of the year is, I would have to answer "football season!" If you also know me, you know that I am an avid "Alabama" fan. Ok...I get it. Not everyone loves Alabama football like I do (ummm....Mr. Bonds), but I think all would agree, that the coach of the Alabama football team has achieved great success....which doesn't just happen by chance.
When I start my Saturday morning with ESPN's College Game Day, I watch and listen to coaches talk about their teams, players, and strategies. As I watch games throughout the day, I observe how coaches behave on the field with their players, coaches, and fans. So when I watch these football coaches that are so extremely successful, I ask myself "What things can we harness from their success that we can bring back to our school?" A few of the things that I have seen that we could learn from successful coaches are:
1. They start with a plan - No successful coach goes out there on Saturday simply hoping they will win. Successful coaches research their opponent through watching game films, studying game stats., etc. and develop a plan of action based on their data/research. They collaborate with their other coaches and formulate a plan and strategies that they believe will help them achieve their goal of winning. They are aware that they have weaknesses and that every player does not have the same strengths or talents, but they use this knowledge to devise a plan that will capitalize on the strengths they do have. A successful coach realizes that if they fail to plan, then they plan to fail....bottom line.
2. They have high expectations....for EVERYONE! In any organization, all members of the organization have roles. However, successful coaches realize and promote the belief that for a team to be successful, each individual must not only perform their role, but must also perform it well! These coaches don't accept mediocrity as a status and settle for less that the best. They don't listen to or accept excuses. They hold each individual accountable for their performance and insist that each person performs their role each day to the highest level possible. Successful coaches know that they are only as strong as their weakest link and therefore, demand excellence from everyone!
3. They continue to search for ways to improve. Successful coaches always believe there is room for improvement and are never satisfied with "status quo". If one thing doesn't work, then they diligently search for something that will. They push others to be the best they can be and don't settle for less. A successful coach refuses to let complacency set in but rather, continually reflects on the performance each day and determines ways to be better tomorrow than he was today.
4. They maintain intensity. If you ever watch an Alabama game, you will notice that Coach Saban is coaching just as hard in the last second of the game as he was in the first. To him, every second is just as important as the next. Even though the team may be winning by 40 points, he insists that each player and coach operate at their top level of performance each and every play. Winning and being successful is as much an attitude as it is an action. A successful coach's attitude determines their altitude and they realize that if they every stop moving forward, then success simply won't happen.
5. They promote teamwork. A successful coach realizes that he/she can't win and be successful alone. There are no "I's" but only "We's" in success. To create a winning game plan, the successful coach must collaborate with others and work as a team. The same goes with the players. Everyone may think the quarterback is the most important part of the team...but think about it...would he be successful without an offensive line? You know the answer to that question...NO! To be successful, the coach must empower each person on the team to work together and pull in the same direction with the same goal. A successful coach realizes that without the "team" approach and the support from each other, there will be no success. No one can do it alone!
6. They are teachers first! As the legendary coach, John Wooden, said, "The coach is first of all a teacher." If a coach doesn't teach their players, how would they know what to do? We assume that college players already know everything they need to know about football and their positions, but I can assure you that they don't. Successful coaches realize that their players have a great deal to learn and that it is their role to make sure they learn it. They don't give up or quit until they do! If they don't learn it one way, then they find another way to teach them.
So how does this relate to what we do each day? Think about the attributes that were described above. What if we demonstrated those every day? How would it change the culture of a school? How would it impact the learning and success of our students? What if we came to school each day with the intensity of a successful coach and refused to quit? What if our focus each day was to purposefully plan, challenge our students to higher levels than they thought possible, and reflect on continual improvement. Yes, I believe there is a great deal we can learn from a successful coach. If we could bring the attributes from the coaching world into the school world, what a difference it could make!
Displaying Student Work
Visual Aids to Support Student Learning and Understanding
Visual aides may include:
- pictures
- models
- charts
- maps
- videos
- slides
- real objects
Visual aides can also stimulate students and make learning more interesting and exciting! Look for opportunities to incorporate visual aides into instruction and learning activities for our students.
A Look at Burial Traditions
Allow students to see so that they will understand!
Vocabulary Visuals
Monday, September 17
- RMS Volleyball vs. Hatton - Away - 5:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 18
- Instructional Meetings - Office Conference Room - Please plan to attend during your instructional period.
- RMS Football vs. Winfield - Away - 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, September 19
- 4-H Meetings - Cafeteria - Meetings will take place during mentoring periods.
Thursday, September 20
- ACIP Meeting - Media Center - Immediately after school. All teachers who are on the ACIP team should plan to attend.
- RMS Volleyball vs. Deshler - Home - 4:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Friday, September 21
- RHS Football vs. West Point - Away - 7:00 p.m.
Weekend Activities
- RMS Volleyball Tournament -September 22 - Home - TBD