I just re-read Tuesdays with Morrie, a terrific non-fiction book about a college teacher who gradually died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neural disorder. The book made a point very similar to one made by Frank McCourt in his excellent memoir, Teacher Man, about his days teaching high school: If you want to teach, take opportunities to teach whenever they arise. For instance, Morrie used his march toward death as an opportunity to teach others about both how to live and how to die (they are related!). Frank took his amazement about the creativity students showed in their forged excuse notes (for missing school, etc.) and generated an assignment for students to write an excuse note from Adam and Eve to God. In both cases, the teacher reached outside the usual to grab an opportunity to teach something both important and interesting. That’s creative teaching! But don’t think that only professional teachers can follow the examples of these two, who both became celebrities. Parents teach — so do coaches, work supervisors, religious leaders, and so on.
Yesterday, I taught a group of international students, who needed practice in taking notes in a class taught in English. I volunteered in part because I had a secret agenda — I wanted the students, who are making a difficult transition to a new culture and language, to learn more that how to take notes. I wanted them to learn psychological strategies about how to solve problems. So I taught about problem solving strategies. I also wanted to show them effective ways to teach (they may go back to their home countries and teach what they learn). So I pulled out all the stops to interact with them in a friendly way and to present information systematically. I started by pointing out that I was also born outside Australia. In response to a student comment (I got them talking, in English!), I managed to fit in information that I consider important about how an hour of exercise, on average, is associated with an extra hour of healthy life. I had 50 minutes with them — I did not waste the opportunity.
I also seized one other teaching opportunity yesterday. I went to play softball with a coed group that included some players who were very good and quite athletic and some who were closer to beginners. When I saw one player throw a ball very hard to another player who was not capable of catching the ball, I suggested that we all consider how hard to throw the ball, even in the heat of game play. I know from my prior experience how easy it is to injure someone by throwing the ball too hard for the person to handle. To my pleasure, our best player then did as I suggested on a close play, got an out, and killed no one. I was not creative in my teaching, but I did seize the opportunity that arose.
What have you taught today? Did you seize an opportunity?
John Malouff, PhD, JD
Assoc Prof of Psychology
Sometimes as a parent it is all in the timing and delivery – too much didactic “teaching” can be irritating, and principles and metaphors can get lost in translation! I attend aikido with my daughter, a martial art where there is essentially no physical striking, and looks more like choreography to the uninititated, but … it is dangerous … and a class may contain an incredible diversity of experience, from first timer to 30 years of experience. As the senior student, every different person you work with must be treated differently to avoid injury and make for a better future skill set for both the more and less experienced practitioner (beginners are the most dangerous students). In some aikido groups you can’t tell who is more experienced (by belt colours) as everyone (except the most senior practitioners) wears the same white belt. Very quickly (to avoid injury or injuring) you develop the skills to adapt and teach and learn.
Nice piece John, thank you and I agree 100%. It’s funny how sometimes it’s only after reading something that I realise “hey, that’s what I do most of the time”. Since I’ve been studying psychology (a few years now) I seem to want to spread the knowledge to anyone who’ll listen or shows the slightest interest. (My family will also earn their degree in psychology via osmosis…or so they tell me!)
My most recent example is a discussion with my ironing lady (yes, I do have one) but sadly, she smokes cigarettes. When she asked what I was studying this trimester, I told her I intended doing my major project for this unit on helping someone I care about very deeply to finally quit smoking for good. She was intrigued and said “Oh, I’d LOVE to give up again…so I took the opportunity to stay with her a while and discuss some options I’d been reading about preparing my proposal. My feeling at this point is she is in the contemplation stage, but not quite ready to make the commitment to head into prep for action. Nonetheless, I got her thinking about quitting again and she thanked me for the information and for offering her my support. Who knows? Perhaps what I learn from my project may just help me to help another smoker finally quit for good! I like that thought… 🙂