This multi-part story shared on LinkedIn captures the parallels between Coach Walsh’s philosophy on leadership, in The Score Takes Care of Itself, and the learning culture, in Turning on the Lights: Using Learning Culture to Increase Student Success.
Sharing educational wealth: Part 1 – The Score Takes Care of Itself!
As a football fan and educator, I was inspired to read this book to learn Coach Bill Walsh’s philosophy of leadership.
Additionally, the title reminded me of my instruction to my MESA stars!
The title is inspired by Coach Walsh’s familiar saying, which also sums up his philosophy: “Do all the right things to precision and ‘the score will take care of itself.'” (page x).
A culture for learning exists in every institution of higher education, and, inspired by research (tinyurl.com/48set534) which I discovered in 2009, I developed the learning culture praxis model – including 1) having a mindset for learning (most important part!), and 2) knowing how to approach the learning, to transform the lives of my MESA stars in the San Diego City College Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program – and I did!
Once empowered with the learning culture, I created a Ten-point Strategic Plan for University Success (tinyurl.com/2tkfh3dp) with the purpose of giving my MESA stars the best opportunity for success beyond graduation from the university.
Point #1 in the plan is “protect YOUR GPA – academics must always come first. This is not a choice!”
Ironically, while GPA is important and must be protected, I also advised my MESA stars that we don’t care about grades – this is where my instruction to my MESA stars comes in:
“Focus on the learning and the grades will follow!”
Like fundamentals, the learning never fails, and herein is the secret to the spectacular success of students in the bright light of the learning culture!
This multi-part story proposes to capture the parallels between Coach Walsh’s philosophy on leadership, in The Score Takes Care of Itself, and the learning culture, in Turning on the Lights: Using Learning Culture to Increase Student Success.
Part 2 will highlight The Teacher.
Special thanks to Steve Jamison and Craig Walsh for sharing Coach Walsh’s brilliant “final lecture on leadership.”
The learning culture is proven and very powerful, but higher education leaders must be “student-centered” and have the urgency to turn on the lights to empower students with the learning culture from Day 1!
The learning culture revolution has begun at turning-on-the-lights.com. There is no longer a reason for any student to remain in the dark with regards to the culture for learning which exists in every institution of higher education. Thank you for sharing. Revolutionaries are invited to take this revolution wherever it is needed!
PART 2
Sharing educational wealth: Part 2 – The Score Takes Care of Itself: Teacher!
Coach Walsh shared, “The ability to help the people around me self-actualize their goals underlies the single aspect of my abilities and the label that I value most – teacher.” (page 3)
Inspired by this quote, I can confidently state, “The ability to use the learning culture – including 1) having a mindset for learning (most important part!), and 2) knowing how to approach the learning, to empower students to help them create their own success with the knowledge that THEY define THEMSELVES underlies the single aspect of my abilities and the nickname I value most – CORNER MAN!”
Once upon a time, one of my MESA stars shared that he thought of me as a couch.
Here is my response, “I am not a coach, and no one is playing a game here. 1) All students must know this is a fight; 2) they must want to fight; but more importantly,
3) they must know HOW to fight. I’m a Corner Man!”
This was the beginning of the Corner Man.
In boxing, the role of a corner man is to train his fighters to know how to fight, and then take care of his fighters during a fight.
In a similar way, I first trained my MESA stars in the learning culture to have them know how to fight and succeed in their classes, and then I supported them during each semester and beyond.
Truthfully, empowered with the learning culture, my MESA stars – who fit the profile of “students least likely to succeed,” transformed into “monster” scholars, with professors often saying to me, “I love having your students in my classes!”
With this proven approach, I take great pride in having transformed the lives of countless students in the San Diego City College Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program and across higher education.
This quote epitomizes the student experience in the bright light of the learning culture:
“The learning culture will take you to places you never imagined!”
To this day, I greatly value when a student addresses me as Corner Man. This reflects the fact they embrace my role in their lives, and there exists a trust that their Corner Man always has their back!
Part 3 will highlight My Standard of Performance: An Environment of Excellence.
Follow the story of the parallels between Coach Walsh’s philosophy on leadership and the learning culture.
The learning culture is proven and very powerful, but higher education leaders must be “student-centered” and have the urgency to turn on the lights to empower students with the learning culture from Day 1!
The learning culture revolution has begun at turning-on-the-lights.com. There is no longer a reason for any student to remain in the dark with regards to the culture for learning which exists in every institution of higher education. Thank you for sharing. Revolutionaries are invited to take this revolution wherever it is needed!
