A tutor should not behave like just another teacher (whiteboard instruction, lesson plans, quizzes and tests), but must think of herself as a cross between an athletic coach and an acting teacher. What is at stake is not necessarily the intellectual, but the physical, the psychological, and the creative. Coaches train the body to develop coordination and skill; acting teachers train the body to develop expressiveness. Coaches inspire and excite; acting teachers fire the imagination.
I often find myself using this analogy, especially with my sportier students. Typically, it's the idea that there's the bit where you train the skills, which is slow and thoughtful while you break down the moving pieces; and then there's the bit where you "play the game" and develop stamina and the ability to repeat the skills flawlessly even when you're getting tired. It's the old "Michael Jordan doing 50 practice free throws after everyone else has left" bit: but I think a crucial observation about this is that you ***mustn't*** do these kinds of "rinse and repeat" drills until you have identified and nailed down the skills that you're trying to internalize. Too often people think that they just need to practice more, but all this does is cement in all the poor behaviors that cause them to look for extra help in the first place.
As an athlete the sports/coaching metaphors are spot on. I found the acting coach examples illuminating and insightful. Looking forward to trying some of these with my kids. Thanks!
I often find myself using this analogy, especially with my sportier students. Typically, it's the idea that there's the bit where you train the skills, which is slow and thoughtful while you break down the moving pieces; and then there's the bit where you "play the game" and develop stamina and the ability to repeat the skills flawlessly even when you're getting tired. It's the old "Michael Jordan doing 50 practice free throws after everyone else has left" bit: but I think a crucial observation about this is that you ***mustn't*** do these kinds of "rinse and repeat" drills until you have identified and nailed down the skills that you're trying to internalize. Too often people think that they just need to practice more, but all this does is cement in all the poor behaviors that cause them to look for extra help in the first place.
As an athlete the sports/coaching metaphors are spot on. I found the acting coach examples illuminating and insightful. Looking forward to trying some of these with my kids. Thanks!