THINK
Cognitive Evaluation and Communication
Not just what, but how and why
It’s been around. It works.
We cannot consider our concept entirely new or original. Witness the school science laboratory where students “discover” reactions known perhaps for centuries. This hands on approach offers the student an opportunity to utilize many different parts of their brain. It works. Yet for some reason in the classroom and in life we often overlook this helpful tool.
In Cognitive Evaluations and Communication we do not deal with test tubes and chemicals, but rather the effect of words, i.e., language, on individuals. With youth soccer flourishing throughout the country, we feel safe utilizing this metaphor. After all, soccer presents a rather simple scenario---score on the opponent, and defend your goal, basically the ‘what’.
How and why in a game.
If you have attended a youth soccer game with youngsters 6 to 16years of age, you may well have witnessed what I am about to describe.
Tripping, falling, and ending up on the turf can be considered part of the game. Watch most children after a fall, and you see them get half way up, and start looking around to see where the ball has gone. Frequently you will hear the coach shouting, “Get up! Get up!” This has little effect other than to have the player turn to look at the coach to see if the message is directed toward him or her.
When I coached I insisted that players who went down quickly get to their feet—then look around, part of the ‘how.’ The ‘why’: one cannot contribute to the team effort while remaining a ground hugging spectator.
Secondly, if this fall occurs in the defensive end of the field, the player should not only get up quickly, but start running toward his/her own goal to protect it. Once moving, the player was instructed to quickly observe the situation. The ‘why’: If the play is moving toward his goal, the moving player is in a position to assist the defense. If the player hesitates to take in the situation prior to moving, he may effectively find himself arriving too late.
The optimum.
If the player understands the ’why’ of his behavior, accepts our teaching that mistakes happen, and then looks to improve his performance by seeking input, he stands a good chance to become a better player. A person who is told to just do this or just do that, does not have to think. Believe it or not, sports as well as life, requires thinking and evaluating to succeed. A player, employee, or soldier who understands the why of his orders will continue operating efficiently when confronted with new situations.
What can I, as a teacher, do?
Cognitive Evaluation and Communication strives to direct your students not just to become better soccer players, but to assist the students to grow into a more content, effective and productive life. Think back to your own school experience. Did you encounter situations where you had no clue why you were doing something? Did you have a sense of frustration? Your students still sail this troubled sea of words. Cognitive Evaluation and Communication will provide each of these “sailors” with some understanding of semantic seamanship to assist them in their journey through school and life. Take advantage of our FREE Curriculum Offer.
We cannot consider our concept entirely new or original. Witness the school science laboratory where students “discover” reactions known perhaps for centuries. This hands on approach offers the student an opportunity to utilize many different parts of their brain. It works. Yet for some reason in the classroom and in life we often overlook this helpful tool.
In Cognitive Evaluations and Communication we do not deal with test tubes and chemicals, but rather the effect of words, i.e., language, on individuals. With youth soccer flourishing throughout the country, we feel safe utilizing this metaphor. After all, soccer presents a rather simple scenario-
How and why in a game.
If you have attended a youth soccer game with youngsters 6 to 16years of age, you may well have witnessed what I am about to describe.
Tripping, falling, and ending up on the turf can be considered part of the game. Watch most children after a fall, and you see them get half way up, and start looking around to see where the ball has gone. Frequently you will hear the coach shouting, “Get up! Get up!” This has little effect other than to have the player turn to look at the coach to see if the message is directed toward him or her.
When I coached I insisted that players who went down quickly get to their feet—then look around, part of the ‘how.’ The ‘why’: one cannot contribute to the team effort while remaining a ground hugging spectator.
Secondly, if this fall occurs in the defensive end of the field, the player should not only get up quickly, but start running toward his/her own goal to protect it. Once moving, the player was instructed to quickly observe the situation. The ‘why’: If the play is moving toward his goal, the moving player is in a position to assist the defense. If the player hesitates to take in the situation prior to moving, he may effectively find himself arriving too late.
The optimum.
If the player understands the ’why’ of his behavior, accepts our teaching that mistakes happen, and then looks to improve his performance by seeking input, he stands a good chance to become a better player. A person who is told to just do this or just do that, does not have to think. Believe it or not, sports as well as life, requires thinking and evaluating to succeed. A player, employee, or soldier who understands the why of his orders will continue operating efficiently when confronted with new situations.
What can I, as a teacher, do?
Cognitive Evaluation and Communication strives to direct your students not just to become better soccer players, but to assist the students to grow into a more content, effective and productive life. Think back to your own school experience. Did you encounter situations where you had no clue why you were doing something? Did you have a sense of frustration? Your students still sail this troubled sea of words. Cognitive Evaluation and Communication will provide each of these “sailors” with some understanding of semantic seamanship to assist them in their journey through school and life. Take advantage of our FREE Curriculum Offer.
