Teams always win

The best teachers make change happen for the small groups they work with by consistently delivering messages that resonate with their audience.

Teachers don’t use external resources to solve their problem, they use their own skills to solve their students’ problems.

They have the empathy and humility to realise that their students don’t want what they want, and probably never will.

That’s because sport is all about status, our perceived understanding of our position in the team, and where we think we’re going next. Our students use status roles to guide their decisions about affiliation, what to participate in, and what to strive for.

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“In this team, we do this” is how we build team culture. Teachers struggle with this every day because each of our students is so different, but building a culture of effort, teamwork, and professionalism as we strive towards our vision, are messages that resonate with all students.
But we won’t reach everyone first time. Some of our students are crying out for someone to deliver this message, others have heard it all before. Smart teachers make it easy for their students to volunteer on the journey, hiding the massages in activities that students will enjoy, before using those same messages to inspire them into action.

The way we deliver our messages is the difference between a good teacher and a great teacher. Your guiding philosophy might be one of effort, teamwork and professionalism, but your tactics and how you deliver that message should be guided by the students in front of you each day.
If you want to change your students, begin by developing a culture. Begin by making them a part of a community. Begin by having them set the standards to live up to.

Working with a united team beats your lesson plan every time.

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Contributors

Director of Performance Pathways

Martin Brockman is Director of Brockman Athletics, providing teacher training and track and field teaching resources for schools around the world. Representing Great Britain in the decathlon for almost a decade, Martin achieved a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Dehli, 2010. On retiring from his international career, he moved to the world-leading Aspire Academy in Qatar as the Head of Athlete Development where he designed and implemented the academy athletics program from talent identification through to international athletics.