I was going to post about my daughter's new arrangement of attending middle school from home. There is much of interest to talk about regarding the positive changes for all of us, and I promise to post on that later, but something happened today that is small, but huge.
Most of you who know me know I am deeply interested in teaching and learning; both with animals and with people. I am constantly contemplating the best ways to impart knowledge and I seem to figure things out in some unusual places. While there are differences in how one would go about teaching people vs. teaching animals (and each animal species as well as individual animals may require unique methods), the concept is strangely universal.
What I have found is that a teacher (and that term can be applied very loosely) must achieve three things in a particular order to be able to teach a subject. First one must gain respect from the student. Second the teacher must gain trust. And Third an effective teacher must gain interest. Without these three things, and without gaining them in order, quality teaching will be an extremely difficult task. I will discuss these three steps in depth, in the future.
Enough back story. Today I found a humming bird trapped in our garage and she seemed to be frantically trying to get out. She was hovering at the ceiling and couldn't seem to fly out of the door opening which was partially closed. At first I tried shooing her out but that just upset her more; so I stopped to think logically and called upon my horse/zebra training knowledge. I had to think like a humming bird. Whenever I train a horse or zebra or bear, or teenager, I am most successful when I try to think like my student thinks.
Instead of scaring the bird by shooing her I remained very still to calm her down. Next I slowly raised a bristle broom and held it still in front of her. She must have been tired, and the bristles must have resembled twigs because she rested on one of the bristles. She respected me for not acting as an aggressor, then she trusted me (or at least trusted the broom; I don't take credit when it isn't due), and then I gained her interest, as she was truly interested in resting and escaping. She let me slowly lower the broom and carry her out to the driveway. Once in the open she remained still for a couple of seconds, turned her head to me and made two small peeps (previously the only noise she made was from the buzz of her wings) as if to say thanks, and flew away.
Small but Huge, depending on your perspective.
I truly believe these three things will make a great teacher in any discipline; the trick is figuring out how to adapt to the culture and perspective of the students.
Anyway, I felt it was an accomplishment and a reinforcement to what I know about teaching.
Ciao.
