A thought about experiential teaching.

More and more now days I seem to forget things. I’m not sure if it has to do with age or something else. However I do know that when I am focused, my memory is not a problem. So I’m working on focus...

There is another factor that comes from the philosophy of Scott Adams. (The Dilbert comic strip creator.) It is that people have a tendency to forget what they are told but remember what they experience. I certainly agree with that. In fact, if I experience something I remember it, independent of my focus at that moment.

All of the above is pretty obvious at least from my point of view. However, the telling vs. experience thing has significant ramifications concerning teaching styles. It implies that if a teacher stands up in front of a class and pontificates, then the students tend to forget the information. That is certainly true for me whether I’m listening to a friend or part of a class or group discussion. I don’t have a long attention span and pontification is boring.

So how do you teach people in a way that they will remember what you are teaching?

I think that the key lies in perspective. Whenever I’m experiencing something my perspective centers around myself. My entire sensual experience has to do with, as well as create, my state of being at that moment. This means that if the teacher teaches from the perspective of the students, the teaching will have greater impact.

OK, so how does a teacher come from the perspective of the students? Here are some steps that work for me...

1. Have a stated theme and don’t get diverted.
2. Be open minded and don’t follow a prescribed lesson plan.
3. Ask a question, concerning the theme, and get as many individual answers that can be drawn out from the group, as possible.
4. Find, and state, a single common thread contained in the answers, making sure to relates to the theme. This is easier than you might think. It’s actually fun!
5. Use that common thread in an experiential exercise to build new individual perspectives. Use art, meditation, writing, etc.
6. Ask a question to draw out the new individual perspectives.
7. Find, and state, the common thread in the new perspectives, making sure to relates to the theme. This is easier than you might think. It’s actually fun!
8. Stop before things get too philosophical. Remember pontification doesn’t work!

Yep, it does take a bit of practice but isn’t the job of a teacher to teach? I think that trying to show others how much you know isn’t productive. I also think that a good teacher, in every class, will learn at least as much as the students.

What do you think?

Sam

PS: Here are some other blog entries that might be interesting.

Some thoughts about communication...

A Thought About Listening...