“I became obsessed with how to develop great teachers,” she said. The first step in that complex, difficult process is to create a school environment that has standards high enough and challenging enough to appeal to very good people. “You put all of your focus on finding great people,” said Ms. Kenny, “and you establish a culture that helps them constantly learn and grow and become better at what they do. You have to provide a community in the school that supports and respects teachers. And you have to give them the kind of freedom that allows their passion for teaching to flourish.
“We’ve created a culture that brings out the passion of the teachers and they bring out the passion of the kids.”
“I had five core things in mind for my kids, and that’s what I want for our students,” she said. “I wanted them to be wholesome in character. I wanted them to be compassionate and to see life as a responsibility to give something to the world. I wanted them to have a sophisticated intellect. I wanted them to be avid readers, the kind of person who always has trouble putting a book down. And I raised them to be independent thinkers, to lead reflective and meaningful lives.”
I wish I had a teacher like this growing up. These are not short term goals--We'll get you ready to pass the AP--these are positive habits that lead to fruitful and driven lives. All coaches, teachers, and parents should seek to instill these characteristics in children, through showing that they care about more than just A's, statistics. If you're a person of influence to someone, don't let them settle for only short term goals.
If you have only eight practices with a basketball team, much more important than teaching them offensive plays is teaching them how they should think about the game. That is,letting them learn how to play by making mistakes as opposed to turning them into drill robots. Tell them what it takes to succeed, and depending on the age, be honest, yet encouraging.
"It never crossed Ms. Kenny’s mind that a rich and abiding intellectual life was out of the reach of kids growing up in a tough urban environment."
Why should this be any different for basketball players?
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