The Gentle Art Of Being Coached

There are good and bad teachers. But there are also good and bad pupils. With the holiday season upon us and many heading to centres home and abroad, Harty, with a few thousand coaching hours under his belt, offers much advice on how to get the most out of tuition.

Everyone who went to school will have something to say about their teachers. Interviews with high achievers often reveal a familiar storyline. The headmaster’s report read something like: “Tracey is disruptive, rude, stupid and will amount to nothing in future life.” But somewhere along the line, a quirky English teacher saw something in her, sparked and nurtured a desire to write and now she’s a ‘Man Booker Prize’ winner.

“She taught me all I know” is often how you praise a treasured mentor. She almost certainly didn’t – she just taught you how to learn. Yes you might have had a natural affinity for the subject, but the game changer was that you felt she had a genuine interest in you – she ‘got’ you. You liked her for that, wanted to please her and hence listened and radiated enthusiasm. But in the other classes, in a ‘cutting nose off to spite face’ situation, you were deliberately distant and inattentive to punish the poor teacher for being old and boring. You can blame them for your failure - but you had a hand in it too. Admit it – in that class, you were a rubbish student. Windsurfing tuition is a long way from the high school classroom. You’ve actively sought it out, so at least you start up for it and keen to improve. However, what you get out of it, depends on your basic understanding as to what coaching is, your role in the affair, your preparation and your expectations.

The right coach (beware the guru!)