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April 21, 2007
Learning while Teaching
As a college tennis player, I was a very average competitor. After 2 years of coaching I was a better tennis player. After 10 years of coaching I was a much better tennis player and achieved a number of #1 in Texas rankings. As I taught my students, I learned much about the game and was able to apply that to my own game in competition.
Our students at the Austin tennis academy have this same opportunity to “Learn by teaching”. The ATA’s collaboration with the Lake Travis Youth Association in developing and delivering the Scoop it up program allows our students to work with 1st through 6th graders. Each Saturday over 175 novice tennis players descend on the ATA tennis courts for Scoop it up, a pre tennis team game. ATA coaches, parent volunteer coaches and ATA players work with these novice players.
There are multiple benefits to academy players in helping with Scoop it Up. By attempting to transmit the information they have about tennis, our players find out how much they know or don’t know about the game. By working with these younger players, our tournament competitors gain some new enthusiasm from players fresh to the game. Communication skills are honed. Patience and poise are practiced as not every player can do what you ask them to do, the first time around. Often our older players gain a new appreciation for their own level of accomplishment, seeing how far they have come from the beginning of their tennis careers. Being part of a big team, contributing to the whole gestalt that is the Austin Tennis Academy is also an important part for our more experienced players.
I once read an article that talked about retention of learning. The highest level of retention was from those that taught. This is a great chance for ATA players to try out this theory.
While one is teaching, two are learning.
Posted by Jack Newman at April 21, 2007 9:04 PM
+1 512.276.2271
+1 512.276.2272
