What Running a Half Marathon Taught Me About Teaching

This summer I decided to force myself to workout by completing the Runner's World Holiday Run Streak Challenge.  The challenge was simple: run a minimum of one mile per a day, everyday between May 27th and July 4th.  What started as a simple run streak quickly morphed into something completely different.  I am the type of person that struggles once I get an idea stuck in my head and at some point in May I decided that I wanted to try to run a half marathon this summer.  Up until this point, the longest I had ever run was nine miles, so I knew it was going to be tough.  At the same time, I also thought it was achievable.  As it turns out, I was correct.  I completed my first half marathon on July 13th and I was able to accomplish all of my goals for the day: finish, run it in under three hours and don't be last (a speed walker finished roughly ten minutes behind me.)  The process of training and running the race itself taught me many valuable lessons about teaching.

1.  Celebrations-I was in the back of the pack for the entire race and by mile six there was no one within a mile in front or behind me.  Yet, as I crossed the finish line, the other racers cheered like I had won the race.  We need to celebrate all of our students and their accomplishments, no matter how trivial they may seem.  We also need to build strong relationships with our students, so we understand how important little accomplishments may be to them individually.

2.  Awards-I received two medals from this race.  One for finishing and one for finishing second in my age group (you guessed it, there were only two females in my age group.)  I am not saying we need to hand out medals everyday, but we need to reward students for their hard work.  This can be as simple as a high five or a word of congratulations.  The important thing is that students realize that we are on this learning journey with them and that we are proud of their achievements.

3.  Individual Goals-According to my goals, this race was a huge success personally.  I finished in two hours and twenty five minutes, I was not last and I only had to walk once (during the steep hill portion.)  At this point in my life, I run between a ten and twelve minute mile.  Therefore it is pointless for me to compare myself to other runners.  I simply don't compare to those who run miles in under nine minutes.  I understand comparing students to grade level expectations, but we all know that people learn at different rates.  As teachers, we need to set personal goals for our students and help them reach objectives that make sense for them as individuals.  I will feel nothing but disappointment and frustration if I go into a race expecting to run seven minute miles because it is not a realistic goal.

4.  Hard Work-Long runs during training take time and planning.  Running everyday also takes effort and hard work.  Our classrooms need to provide an environment of coaching where students learn the importance of working hard every day.  Achievements are rarely made in one day, but it is constant effort over a period of time that leads to learning new concepts and skills.