Shakespeare-A Possible Tool For Coaches?

Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #44 – March 15, 2010

St. Crispen's Day Speech
Shakespeare's HENRY V-1599
A Possible Tool for Coaches?


(Adapted from the essay by Brian R. Price)
Shakespeare authored this work nearly two hundred years after the Battle of Agincourt (1415), and yet, it remains the finest dramatic interpretation of what leadership meant to the men in the Middle Ages.

Could someone in a position of leadership today, effectively rally their men to victory using similar tactics? Someone, for example like a coach before “the BIG game?”

This was the situation then:
The French, aware of Henry's troops weakening condition because of their distance from England and the attacks of Dysentery that had plagued the dwindling band, moved between King Henry and Calais, the port he needed to reach in order to return to England. The French troops followed Henry's band along the rivers, preventing their crossing and daring them to a battle in which they were certain of victory.

The English knights fought on foot. Archers were to be used in support, the English and Welsh longbows having established their credentials both at Crecy (1347) and at Poiters (1356). But here the French seemed to have sufficient numbers to deal with even this threat, and they refused to allow Henry to pass, angered by the English seizure of their cities.

Morale among the English troops as they looked upon the overwhelming force of heavily armored, highly skilled French knights must have been extremely low. The English were far outnumbered and outranked. King Henry, rising to the occasion, spoke words of encouragement that rallied the English troops and carried them to a victory. As a result of the victory the French Princess Catherine was betrothed to Henry V, and France and England were at peace for the remainder of Henry's short life.

Although the speech below is a work of fiction, it is evocative of the spirit with which Henry--and all strong medieval kings—ruled, through the strength of their convictions and by force of their personality. Are these similar attributes of our great coaches today?

St. Crispen's Day Speech
William Shakespeare, 1599

Enter the KING
WESTMORELAND: O that we now had here. But one ten thousand of those men in England. That do no work to-day!

Westmoreland, King Henry’s cousin says he sure wishes they had more men to back them up.

This would be like a player telling the coach he sure wishes Joe Blow wasn’t on the injured list for the “Big Game.” “How can we possibly win without him?” asks the apprehensive player.

KING. What's he that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin; If we are mark'd to die, we are enow To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour.

Henry tells his cousin to forget about it. There are enough of us here. He says, the fewer men the better. That way, when they win there will be fewer men to share the glory of the victory.

The coach could tell the players, “We have all the men we need right here, right now. We will be the ones to share the glory of our victory.”

God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires. But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive. No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England. God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more methinks would share from me For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us.

Henry goes on to say. In fact, let any man who is afraid to stay and fight with us leave right now. I will even give them money and safe passage to get home with. I don’t want anyone who is afraid to die with us to remain here.

The coach could tell the team, “any one here who doesn’t believe we will win this game and doesn’t want to go all the way to victory in this game, give 110% of himself, any one who even has a doubt that we will win, can leave right now and you will not be penalized. These are players that are not worthy to call themselves a member of this team today, and they shouldn’t have the privilege to be a part of this great day.”


This day is call'd the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'

Henry then announces to all that everyone of them that survives this day, which happens to fall on the holiday of St. Crispian, will stand taller and prouder than any other man. Even in his old age, on this day he will have a feast. He will brag about what he endured and what he accomplished on that day to all his neighbors. He will strip off the sleeve of his shirt and show his battle scars and say, “These are the wounds I got on Crispian’s Day.”

The coach tells his players: “Men, each one of us will have memories if this day and what we accomplished. Each of us will be able to tell our friends and neighbors for years to come what part he played in this great upset. Some of us may tell of utter exhaustion or other very tough challenges. But all of us will proudly proclaim: “This is what I did, this is what our team did, the day we won “the BIG game.”

Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words- Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester- Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered-

King Henry tells the men how all of their individual names will become household words. Good fathers will repeat the story of their valiant victory for all time.

Every player here will remember this day, this game and what each one of us did today. Our names will be remembered for years to come. The story of how we won this game will be told by fathers to their sons- and will never be forgotten. It will be a victory for the ages.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Henry says that today, all of them are brothers. Those that were not among us will curse the fact they weren't. Even the poorest most common man is his equal, his brother, as if he had the same royal blood in him as Henry. All of them are of the class of “gentlemen,” none of them have any prior deeds to be ashamed of. For on this day, they are the best of men anywhere. None can claim a higher status than those that fought as brothers on this Saint Crispin’s Day.

The coach tells his players they are all brothers today. They are a family; each one of the players is contributing equally toward the approaching contest they will win. None of their prior weaknesses or mistakes will be present today. All who were not a part of this great team will forever be envious. Today, these players are the best of men. No one will ever equal this forthcoming, amazing accomplishment on the field of battle today. "All right men, let’s do it!"

What do you think? Any coaches out there?

THE POWER OF A TEACHER'S SMILE

Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #43 – March 13, 2010

A teacher’s smile is important on so many levels in the quest to reach students. Let’s face it, if you can’t reach your students, the learning just won’t happen. But how can something as simple as a smile help?

Feeling free to ask questions:
In his article about the power of a teacher’s smile, Mr.Harekrushna Behera, Unchahar shares how a teacher touches the heart of a student through the magnetic touch of smile. He adds that a smile creates confidence & love among the children. ‘Unless the children love the teacher, how can they love the subject?' The smiling face of the teacher says “love and caring,” and creates a positive vibration among the children who become fearless to express everything. They begin to ask questions. ‘Freedom automatically happens when smile exists in the classroom'. Asking questions then empowers their capacity to learn.

Feeling safe, so learning can take place
Remember how frightened some of us felt on the first day of school? It’s even more difficult today with so many “social expectations,” to live up to, especially for high school students. When you see a little lost soul roaming the hallway with class schedule in hand, your smile will instantly re-affirm your true caring nature. When you approach a child with a smile on your face, you have automatically melted down any barrier or defense mechanism that would adversly affect your communication with the child. A smile is the easiest thing a teacher can do to put their students at ease and welcome them to class. The simple power of a smile lets them know they are in a safe and caring environment. Once that is evident, learning can and will take place. Isn’t one of the reasons we teach to create a happy and nurturing environment where learning can be fun? Your smile will say all that and more!

Change their mood and your own as well…
Research shows that when we smile, even when we aren’t really in the best of moods, we actually begin to feel better. Our internal system equates certain expressions with certain feelings. We can feel good and smile; but we can also smile and feel good. As teachers, when we smile, we will definitely feel better. But that’s not all. Our smile is then reflected back to us by our students, who also feel better. Now, we have created a happy and positive environment for learning. What a great way to start your class!

An Important Responsibility
Teachers should consider it their responsibility to say or express something encouraging to their students each and every day. A smile alone, says it all. No matter how bad you are feeling, by smiling you are modeling a positive and productive attitude that will be mimicked by your students. Your smile sends them off with a happy feeling to begin their day. This may be the first (and possibly the only) act of kindness the students will experience during their day.

Conclusion
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Smile and the whole world smiles with you.”
Well, this saying is actually grounded in fact. When you smile, it sends off a triggering effect that elicits smiles in those around you. Even in non-optimum situations, a smile can easily brighten up everybody’s mood. A smile can work wonders in a classroom full of anxious children. Use your beautiful smile daily. Shower your students in smiles and watch them blossom!

Dale Carnegie said: “The expression one wears on one’s face is far more important than the clothes one wears on one’s back.”

REFLECTION-WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT GREAT TEACHING?

Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #42 – March 6, 2010

For the past four weeks we have looked at each of four candidates nominated for the prestigious National Teacher of the Year Award. Our mission was to identify specific qualities great teachers have that good teachers haven't quite met. The purpose of this short study was to find at least some of the connecting threads that seem to weave into the material that comprises truly special individuals that are a cut above the rest. Hopefully, this will motivate us to take our teaching up to the next level.

Working backwards, our fourth candidate, Cynthia Cole Rigsbee-North Carolina Teacher of the Year, is a sixth through eighth-grade reading teacher who has shown us the importance of looking at teachers as opinion leaders and as cornerstones of the community. Because of her statements, we thought about the question: Should teachers openly convey an attitude of bitterness and inability to cope when out and about in their community? As Mary Engelbreit said, “If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. “ Teachers must promote themselves and their career as one of hard-working professionals full of hope and with a large dose of optimism. They alone have been given the wonderful opportunity to change the future for the better by molding one student at a time into the very best he or she can be. Only when teachers behaving like professionals will they get the respect they deserve. Only then will legislators take teachers seriously and become advocates for public education. "People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Worship," The Conduct of Life, 1860

Our third candidate, Anthony Mullen—2009 Connecticut Teacher of the Year, is

a ninth through twelfth-grade special education teacher at ARCH School in Greenwich, Connecticut. Mr. Mullen really got us thinking about the school’s role as the greatest agent “for social change,” and the teacher as “the greatest instrument of change.” These are two all encompassing and crucial components of our society, educators are responsible for. Indeed, schools and teachers everywhere, every day, take on this challenge. Anthony reminds us that most of the knowledge used to create all the technological, scientific and artistic marvels throughout time has been the direct or indirect result of great teachers. Those of you able to read this and think about it right now, undoubtedly have a teacher to thank for that gift. I applaud Mr. Mullen’s advocacy of the teaching profession. It is because of teachers with his strength and vision, great things are still happening in our American free educational system for all.

"In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else." — Lee Iacocca

Our second candidate, Susan Elliott—2009 Colorado Teacher of the Year is a ninth through twelfth grade English and social studies teacher at Highlands Ranch High School in Highland Ranch, Colorado. Ms. Elliot pointed out the importance of continued and relevant professional development for teachers. There are always new techniques and ideas to learn about that can make a huge difference in one’s teaching; and thus in the impact one will have on students. Susan also reminded us of the value of each instructional minute. Each minute is important as the total minutes used wisely add up to many hours of important learning for our students, while wasted minutes add up to a huge disservice to them. By making cross-curricular connections, not only is she able to cover more than one subject area at a time, she is also showing students in real-time that in real life, many courses of study interact as we deal with them in our daily lives. Gaining support from the media and policymakers is critical. We need some powerful forces such as Ms. Elliot to contact local media and “tell the story” of great things going on in the classroom. Susan is right in her statement, “ Well-prepared teachers are the most valuable resource we can provide young people.” She personally wants to give the very best she can in order to empower her students to be successful in life.

Our first finalist is Alex Kajitani—2009 California Teacher of the Year, an eighth grade mathematics teacher at Mission Middle School in Escondido, California. This middle school math teacher is connecting the classroom with the world as it is. He embodies dedication, caring and determination, qualities many of his students will assimilate from his example. He is telling his students, they are the ones that can change the world and he inspires them to eventually believe him. To equip them, he invokes pride and confidence, shows them the door and says, "I'm expecting great things from you. Go out there an do something great."

To summarize here are the main threads I found these fine teachers weaving into their mission as teachers:

1. If you expect to be supported and treated as a professional, act like one at all times and in all places.
2. Recognize the power that has been entrusted to your hands as “the greatest instrument of change.” Don’t waste the important opportunity you have; use it by empowering your students with the knowledge and skills they need to make their dreams come true.
3. Use every instructional minute wisely. By making cross-curricular connections, not only can you cover more than one subject area at a time, you also show students in real-time that in real life, many courses of study interact as we deal with them in our daily lives.
4. Continue learning through relevant Professional Development. Don’t just attend these learning opportunities; try implementing what you have learned. After all, if you expect your students to be open to change and new ideas, you should exemplify this. New strategies could make a huge difference in the progress your students make.
5. Hold genuine high expectations of your students and don’t accept anything less. Inspire them, believe in them, and they will go out into the world and make a difference.
6. Be proactive. Contact local media and legislators. Let them know of the little miracles you are fostering each and every day in the microcosm of our world; your classroom.

If you decide to add even one of these attributes as you weave your plans for the rest of the school year, you will definitely see positive changes and know you are taking your personal practice up to a higher level. I wish you the best of luck!