Comments on: The Coach in Your Head: How to Get Better at Self-Talk

By: Jason Maxwell

Jason Maxwell — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:17:05 +0000

Hey Daniel, Getting To Got It by Betty Garner is a book that is usually considered specific to teaching, but I think it has wider implications. It describes the various mental constructs that humans form during development (conservation of mass, spatial relationships, temporal relationships, etc). She discusses it from the standpoint of teaching. Her argument is that reason students have troulbe mastering concepts is that they haven’t developed the necessary mental construct for it. For example, if a student has difficulty mesuring liquid, it is probably a lack of development in the construct of conservation of volume (can’t remember her actual phrasing). I reccomend it to anyone interested in the learning process as it has helped me understand and overcome many of the challenges faced by my students.

By: djcoyle

djcoyle — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:34:33 +0000

Hey Jason, Great comment. When I read about you walking around the classroom with your lips moving, I realized: I think I do the same thing in my office. Nice that your students can see you modeling that.
On another front, I’ve never heard of the Garner book you reference. Should I check it out? Thanks, Dan

By: djcoyle

djcoyle — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:30:55 +0000

Hey Matt,

Listening well is all about identifying patterns. The first step to that is decoding what makes something good. I’d suggest taking some of your favorite alltime recordings and breaking them down — dissecting them, on paper, to see what exactly makes them work. Sorta like a quarterback looks at game film, or a writer analyzes Dickens. See what patterns you find. Good luck, Dan

By: Jason Maxwell

Jason Maxwell — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 01:58:22 +0000

I’m in my 8th year as an elementary school teacher and have come to understand the intricacies of good teaching. Or, more accurately, after 8 years I am BEGINNING to understand the art of teaching. This self talk thing often gets a laugh from my students because it isn’t always to myself. As I’m moving around the classroom engaging with the students its not uncommon for my lips to be moving. Sometimes I am practicing what I’m going to say next (Where do we see adaptations in plants?), sometimes it is the kind of self talk described above. Usually I am checking myself and my attitude (calm and assertive, calm and assertive). Either way its good for me and the students get a kick out of it. They no longer ask me, “Why are you talking to yourself?” at this point it is just, “What are you going to say to us next?”

On an aside I love The Talent Code. I’m convinced that if I could merge the concepts in The Talent Code, Switch by Chip and Dan Heath, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, and Getting to Got It by Betty Garner I could pretty much crack this education thing. I’ll be sure to let you know when it happens.

By: stephwn waymire

stephwn waymire — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 01:34:21 +0000

GREAT SIMPLE AND TO THE POINT. I love the way u use simple words to get to the point. I teach little kids tennis and always try to teach them to use positive self talk. Tell yourself what to do and not what not to do. ALSO TALK TO YOURSELF LIKE WOULD TALK TO YOUR DOUBLES PARTNER.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 22:40:24 +0000

Hey Daniel I have a question, I am studying audio engineering and I was wondering if you could think of any inventive ways to help me to continue to grow my critical listening skills. I already do frequency ear training and apply many of the techniques in the book. If you think of anything please let me know

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:39:36 +0000

Good stuff Daniel!