High school football coach.
Part 1
I want you to focus on Step 2 of the sequential steps that explains the expectation-performance connection of Self-Fulfilling Prophecy and provide specific examples.
1. Your coaching behaviors that may be similar to the ones noted in the textbook. This could be frequency of feedback, kinds of feedback, use of more or less punishment and reward, number of practice opportunities offered, etc. I never thought I was using self-fulfilling prophecies but when I took a critical look at all the ways I interacted with student athletes I had to admit that I was guilty of it from time to time even if it was not intentional. Provide an alternative way to interact with your student athletes that would change this behavior.
2. If you can not think of any ways you are using any self-fulfilling prophecies then I want you to use another coach that you have worked with or was your coach that you think used these behaviors that may have had a negative effect on his or her athletes. (no names please) Then provide your alternative way this coach should have interacted with the student athletes that would change this behavior.
Each of these can be done unintentionally and not be done in a malicious manner but even though that is not the intent the student athlete is making their own interpretation of the behavior which may or may not have a positive effect.
This is one of the ways we become better coaches or administrators; we continue to focus on ways we can improve our communication with athletes and others that offers the best motivational environment.
Part 2
There is a list of characteristics, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that are common for all coaches. They compare and contrast each of these between a Pygmalion-Prone coach and Non Pygmalion-Prone coach. Consider yourself in each of those 7 characteristics, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors and rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 for each one. Number 1 would mean you are the worst Pygmalion-Prone coach and 10 is that you never have those thoughts and you are thinking like the world’s best Non Pygmalion-Prone coach. Just list the 7 items and put your number behind the item.
Then I want you to take 2 characteristics that have a lower score and develop some strategies (2-3) for each of 2 characteristics that will help move you up towards a 10 on that characteristic. These don’t have to be earth shaking revelations but things you can do and or say in your coaching/administration that will improve your interaction with athletes an or other coaches.
