My former principal, and now current brother-in-law, taught me something a long time ago as a novice teacher that has always stuck with me and transcends the brick and mortar classroom into so many applications for life. Probably the easiest place to share his guidance would be in the math classroom. More often than not the common practice for a math teacher would be to assign as homework to do the odd or even numbered questions in the textbook. Sometimes that would be around 25 questions, not unreasonable by any means and usually received with a sigh of relief from the class when it was announced that the students were only required to do half the problems. The issue wasn't necessarily the assignment, but more the preparation for giving the assignment. As Mr. Kanipe explained his thought process, he often started with a question such as, "What is the purpose of homework?" To which the expected response was, "To check to see if they understand what was covered in class today." Sounds like a good plan huh? Well this is where the teachable moment came for the apprentice teacher. With that statement in hand Mr. Kanipe would probe into the idea of how much time was spent to confirm that the students got what was covered in class that particular day. If the lesson extended till time for the class period to end and the assignment was made just as the students left the room, then obviously not much time had been given to assuring the students understood the math concept before assigning the "homework" to assure they understood the math skill. Well the logical teacher might respond that when the assignment is checked the next day, any parts of the mathematical process that appear to have given the students trouble would be the focus of the beginning of that next class period. Here's where Glen Kanipe set the hook. "If you send home 20, 30, or more questions and you haven't assured they know how to do the complete math process, then potentially your students are going to go home tonight and do the homework problems incorrectly 20, 30, or more times. Basically, ingraining in the student's mind the wrong process enough times to make them believe they are doing the skill correctly. Now you are going to have to work at breaking the wrong process that you reinforced numerous times, before you can actually teach them the correct process." Here he would ask the question again, "What is the purpose of homework?" To check for understanding correct. So, if you check for understanding in class by doing multiple examples following the I do, we do, you do model of teaching, the "you do" portion of that needs to only be a small number of questions that provide evidence that you can do the simple problems all the way up to the most complex math problem associated with the lesson of the day. Long story, short take away, without correction we literally are reinforcing incorrect behaviors, skills, actions. Correction is not only necessary, but is a paramount component in teaching or as we have established coaching.
That story has stuck with me and I have used it more often than not in my classroom, on the mat or court, and with my own children. If we allow an athlete to perform a move or skill incorrectly and they actually have some "success" performing the skill incorrectly, then it becomes extremely hard to break that habit. In the athlete's mind, it worked. Yes, it did, but in the long run a bad habit or incorrect technique will be highlighted when the athlete progresses to more advanced play. At work and even more so at home it gets even more challenging to correct incorrect actions or behaviors. In your workplace, you may not want to appear to be the "know it all", but if you have the knowledge and you have been verified as doing your work correctly then by all means you are obligated to correct incorrect behaviors. In the home parents may be under the assumption that there isn't any reason to tell their child that they are doing something wrong. "They'll figure it out on their own" or "Well I don't want to hurt their self-esteem" may be where you are, but that doesn't fare too well for the student in your life whatever age he or she may be.
Countless references to correction can be found in the Bible, everything from Hebrews 12:6 "For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” to "For whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights." Proverbs 3:12. A key word in each of those scriptures is the word "love". Basically, if we love someone, we are going to correct them when they do wrong, head the wrong direction, are making unwise decisions, or even hitting the volleyball incorrectly. Taking the time to correct bad behaviors, incorrect processes, or dangerous choices requires effort, but it is worth the time invested to modify and align someone that is going astray regardless of what area in life we are discussing.
Correction is difficult, the easiest thing to do is to allow someone to continue on doing what they believe is the right thing to do and allow them to reap the outcomes as they present themselves along the way. Going back to our scripture in Hebrews, "... the Lord corrects the one He loves", if God loves us enough to show us our erring behavior, and provide us with correction that will make a difference, how can we refuse to correct those we live with, work with, coach, teach, and share life with together each day? My supposition is that correction is important to development, it is a display of care and love, and it is the true pathway to teaching someone how to get it right without practicing it over and over incorrectly until it is founded in mind and/or practice.
If you love'em, then coach'em up with correction that guides them to success in life!
“Behold, how happy is the man whom God corrects, so do not despise the correction of the Almighty." Job 5:17
Coach Carter
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