As many of you know, this weekend is USC Homecoming. Whether you’re into watching football or not, athletes and teachers have more in common than you might think. Let’s look at the following themes for starters:
- Practice makes perfect: Whether you’re on the field or in a classroom, practice is critical for success. I think many people assume that you can just walk into a classroom and teach a class successfully. Those of our students in guided practice know that this is easier said than done. To truly become a master teacher, it takes years of practice, dedication, and refinement.
- Getting a game plan together. In order to prepare for each game, a coaching staff will assemble a playbook and a roster of key players. They do this on a weekly basis. For teachers, this is needed daily. Teachers have to constantly put together lesson plans, evaluate their performance, and work towards one winning goal: educating students. In the same way no one combination of plays can win a game, no set formula of teaching methods can guarantee success in the classroom.
- Fighting on. Whether a game is won or lost, athletes constantly need to focus on the next game. When I talk to teachers, they often tell me that every day is a new challenge. In addition to the day to day ups and downs of the classroom, teachers are working in various social environments and dealing with circumstances that are often beyond their control. At the end of the day, they can’t let set backs stop them. It takes real focus, fortitude, and that “fight on” spirit to push through.
This Saturday when the football team charges onto the field and the stadium roars, let’s cheer for all of our MAT@USC students past and present. Teachers play in a high-stakes game where the future of education is on the line; it’s a game that we all can’t afford to lose.
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Note: Those of you in the Southern California are welcome to attend Rossier’s carnival-themed tailgate and meet some local MAT@USC students. Sarah Stultz, one of our awesome students in New York, set up this Facebook page to help connect any students who plan on attending.
You are also welcome to attend any of the Alumni Club viewing parties listed here.
If you’d like to know about how to become a teacher in California and make a difference in your local community, contact our Admissions office at 888.MAT.1USC or email us at matadmit@usc.edu.
