Process

On April 4, the NCAA held its 2016 Men's Division I Basketball Championship game. The game was played in Houston, Texas between the two finalists, the Villanova Wildcats and the North Carolina Tar Heels. The teams were closely matched and neither team was able to put the game out of reach. With 13 seconds left, Villanova led by three points. On the ensuing possession, North Carolina guard Marcus Paige hit a three point shot to tie the game leaving just 4.7 seconds on the clock. The coach of Villanova, Jay Wright, called timeout to set up the final play. The ball ended up in the hands of Kris Jenkins who hit a game-winning, buzzer-beating three point shot. Villanova won the NCAA Championship title in one of the most dramatic finishes in the history of college sports. This was Jay Wright's reaction,

The game was hailed as one of the greatest ever. Jay Wright and his team had reached the pinnacle of collegiate basketball. Yet, one would never know from his reaction. After achieving the greatest feat in your profession, why not an outpouring of emotion? Why just a shoulder shrug?

The outcome of competition is determined by factors often out of control of a coach or a teacher. Mr. Wright and his team of 14 players put in hours and hours of practice to put themselves in a position to win a championship. He preached about the importance of belief in the process. That is, through deliberate practice, his players would improve themselves and become a more coherent team. Perhaps wins would come, perhaps they would not. But, because they did it the right way, they were successful. His subdued reaction is a reflection of dedication to process-oriented thinking.

This mindset must permeate a teacher's whole being, especially at times when the stakes are high. Inevitably there will be losses and there will be great disappointment. In South Korea, competitive spirit is ubiquitous and amplifies these emotions. It is easy to celebrate the victories. It is much harder to demonstrate physically and spiritually to one's students that the losses are okay too.

The PEAI Project Fair will be held at the end of the month. Best wishes to participants.

-Brenden