Next week I am starting a Newsletter series on Being a Good Student. The series is based on a short article I wrote in a magazine many years ago. Now I don’t pretend to be the worlds authority on educating, but I have taught dog training to people since 1988 and I am pretty observant so I feel I have some good ideas to share on this topic.
I love to challenge my students. Sometimes I put “pressure” on them just for the opportunity to give them a chance to see how well they respond to pressure. Like in this photo of one of my students. During a seminar I asked her to pose for a picture for me. Now she only tried this balancing board for the first time only a day or two earlier so to put pressure on someone while they are fairly new at something may seem unfair but it actually is helpful. I was patient until she had success (which she did pretty quickly because she is a cool cucumber). But by adding “pressure” it helps you to learn how you react in pressure situations. Laying down a great foundation for future “pressure” events.
I decided to write this series not only for all of my newsletter subscribers but for myself as well. I am a perpetual student. I love to learn so am constantly signing up for seminars or on line courses of my own including but not exclusive to the subject of dog training. Some of the topics I study are unbelieveably frustrating to me because I am such a neophyte and the learning curve is so steep. Being the best student I can will help me maximize my learning opportunities.
By studying the characteristics of people I feel have made massive improvements while in my classes or courses I am helping myself to be a better student while I am learning.
I would love to get feedback from all of you. What do you think makes you a great student and what do you think holds others back from learning. Would love to include some of your ideas in my series (especially if you are an education expert). As I said I am publishing this series only on my newsletter so if you are not a member sign up by November 1st–that is when the first article goes out. You can sign up both here on the blog or at my website at www.clickerdogs.com
Today I am grateful for that I am going home after being away from John and the dogs for 8 days.
I think 2 of the most important qualities that a good student has are focusing/paying attention and trying.
Looking forward to your articles!
Interesting article once again: it taught me 2 new words as well:
perpetual (everlasting student) and neophyte (novice)…
and that sums up some of the qualities of a good student: being willing to keep learning forever (can u ever learn too much?!), even if that means you’ll have to do new stuff – and always looking for opportunities to learn more (2 more words in my dictionary) 😀
Melissa….that was awesome! It explains why some students “just don’t get it”. When really, it looks more to be a defense mechanism.
I think the exceptional student is the one who is so hungry for the information and learning that it outweighs any other negative thoughts or fears. They are so focus & driven that their ability to be present and in the moment while learning allows them to “soak like a sponge” and immediately apply it.
As a music teacher, I’ve found this adventure in agility with my rescued BC to be very educational. My music students frustrate me when they are (1) unprepared (2) unmotivated (3) not inquisitive. When I was a struggling young musician itunes and youtube didn’t exist. We went to great lengths to seek out good performances. I find it’s very rewarding to do the same with agility, and all I have to do is sit at the computer and search. If I can show up to my classes with a question or two from my research, I feel both my trainer, my dog and my classmates benefit as much as I do. It ‘s easier to teach pro-active students.
What makes a good student…willing to take rishs and not care about what other learners think. What holds ME back…..everytime I got ahead or was successful in school, they gave me MORE to do….which is not to say that continual improvement is NOT important but what I learned was ‘if you succeed, there is always more to do whilst if you are mediocre, you just do what you do’. I happen to be a perfectionist which holds me back becuase it’s impossible…but I also remember the rule of succeed and get more of the same work to do. funny how our brains work.
A good student is one who pays attention to the detail, a student who tries to solve the problems, a thinking student,
a student who makes extra effort, a student who does research on the topic. Someone who is passionate about the topic.
Looking forward to seeing you in oz soon :))
Suzie
What makss a good student? good listener, pays attention to not only the instructor but to other students questions and comments. Taking notes doesn’t hurt so you remember what the heck the instructor said, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone and try new ways of doing things even if waht you are doing now with your dog is working. Do your homework!!!!!
I work with emotionally disturbed adolescents and I am finding that many of them gain the skills to move on, but are so used to being comfortable in ‘not moving on’ that they are afraid to progress. Because I understand that feeling – I have the skills to go to regionals, but I am still afraid of failure there – that I am able to connect with them and together we can process what we are feeling. Your blog – your thoughts and words, help me to move ahead and to verbalize what my students need to hear also.
Being a ‘good’ student involves trust in the teacher, and a lack of fear (or at least a strategy for dealing with) failure. We are so mentally ‘trained’ to see failure as a failure of ourselves that it is very difficult to get past that one failure. To re-think failure and to be able to go back to a peak performance after failure is huge. Your posts, your experiences and your ability to find words for them is invaluable to me and something I am very grateful for.
What would make a good student?
Hmmmm….
I had a simple answer but after reading all these comments had to think again.Maybe this is more complicated than first perceived.
..Nope,think I will just keep it simple and just answer what was asked.
Attributes I think would make a good student.
1 be a good listener
2 have a desire to learn
3 be respectful
4 ask questions that are relevant
5 have a good memory(….would be a bonus)
6 possess a good sense of humour and have some “thick skin”
As for the other question re”members only”
I think this is reasonable as it gives people a choice.
ie separating the ones that want the “quick fix” from the ones that want a broader understanding.
CONSISTENCY!
Not so much what makes a good student – but more what makes a great trainer 🙂
Learning about how people learn has been a real eye-opener for me.
Acknowledging that people needs different considerations to understand and that one is not necessarily better than another – just a different way of understanding.
eg:
Handler 1 can have their back to a sequence and be able to understand verbal instruction (ie blue jump, yellow jump, left turn and over the purple one, tuen around and go out and run it.
Handler 2 needs to watch someone walk it to understand
Handler 3 needs to go out and walk it to understand
Handler 4 needs physical help (ie with instructor there saying put your foot here, turn this way with your hip level with the upright here etc etc)
The great student takes things in no matter how, asks sensible questions once they’ve digested the informaiton and keeps trying and working when they are outside their comfort zone.
Great students don’t need patting on the back every 5 mintues or need constant reinforcement of how good they are.
Great students acknowledge that learning takes time and don’t expect perfect reps of a new skill the first time they try it.
I think a good student is someone who does their homework ,tries really hard helps set courses and listens and watches .We all learn at different levels as do dogs . I am directionally challenged where some of my classmates are not I am very lucky to have great teachers and have been to alot of seminars where they seem to notice my problem and help me through it.Now if only I could stop not being frustrated at myself my world would be perfect : )
I think a few things make me a good student. I love to learn and recognize that I may learn as much from a another student next to me as I do an instructor. Knowing this makes me very attentive to what is happening around me.
I know how I learn best – I am very visual, but often also need to do/try something too. I love an instructor who uses multiple ways to teach the same thing. If they don’t I will often ask them for a visual image or to watch me try what they are asking and give feed back.
I am not afraid of asking questions.
I am looking forward to these articles.
Bravo, Melissa. You hit a hot button with your post. I’ve had people like this in class, alongside the 10-year-old who desensitized her dog to the car. Now what would it take for this type of procrastinating learner to jog herself out of that rut?
I feel inspired by all the wonderful posts to write a second time.
A good learner learns even in unexpected places and from people s/he does NOT respect or admire. Years ago, I was in a class where the instructor ordered me to ear pinch my dog. When I refused, she berated me loudly in front of everyone. I swore to myself I would never, ever do that to a student of mine but would find another way to handle the situation.
Great topic! I hope you follow up with what makes a great instructor. I once had an instructor that announced in her first 15 min. of a seminar that she does not hand out evaluation forms anymore, because she does not care what people think. I believe that great instructors, as well as great students, are always open to ideas for improvement.
I touched on this in a recent blog post I wrote:
Embracing the Foundational stage means to receive eagerly. In other words, you are passive and the information is brought to you. How nice. “I don’t have to DO anything, I just have to sit there and take it all in. AND, I don’t even have to take notes because Melissa takes GREAT notes and she’ll give them to me anyway, which I won’t read, but at least I’ll have them tucked away for a rainy day.” Ok, I’m being very sarcastic, but it does happen to be my observation, and has now become a pet peeve.
Engagement means to become involved, to assume an obligation. That’s active vs. passive…about as active as it comes. So many people believe in our foundations program. Yet, when they get puppies or new dogs, they come to class and they struggle – even more than some of the newbies off the street! Several have been to all the same seminars I’ve been to over the past 4 years, watched others bring their dogs up in our program successfully, but when they get their own dogs…struggle. Why is that? I think it’s because there’s been this safety zone of “someday” that they’ve been living under and now that someday is here – well, it’s more work than what they thought and a true lack of engagement on their part.
There’s also this thing called “learned helplessness”. Learned helplessness is a term used in animal training, but it’s when a dog (or a person) learns to react helplessly in order to avoid being wrong. I think we definitely have some folks our there who have such a defense up about doing something wrong, or being wrong so they do nothing. Our new students don’t know what’s right or wrong, so they try to do the best they can. Our more educated students have an idea of what’s wrong, and they are scared of failure, so they do nothing until someone tells them to and are being passed up by the newbies. Hopefully, just being showed up by a 12 year old with a mix that they got as an adult, untrained dog from the pound will help some of these more educated individuals get the kick in the can that they need to get ENGAGED in their dog’s development. Here’s a newsflash, you aren’t going to wake up some day soon and your dog suddenly know this stuff. We all had to work at it. And we had to TRY, and we all FAILED sometimes, and we all were scared because we were the spotlight too. But, what we did that you aren’t doing, we took an active role in our dog’s progression. So, to quote Nike, “JUST DO IT!”
I think several things tend to hold folks back from being a great student:
Fear of making a mistake in front of others
Fear of their dog making mistakes in front of others
Letting their nerves get the best of them
Negative self-talk such as, “If I were a better handler maybe my dog would have a chance to get this right.”
Showing up to class to show off and run their own agenda
Responding to suggestions/guidance with a rebuttal or justification
Shouting & spouting a barrage of commands while the dog is non-responsive rather than establishing a connection with them
What makes a great student:
Show up prepared, on time, and in the frame of mind to be open and accepting of information – no matter what form the lesson may come in
Be in the moment with your dog – be present
Absorb the critique, instruction, and be willing to change your behavior in an attempt to create a different behavior in your dog
Have a good attitude toward your dog, the class, AND your instructor
Seek out an instructor you believe in – otherwise, you’ll not believe a thing they say and be a fault-finder
Understand that whether you are doing this for fun or for sport, the lessons are the same 🙂 The training is the same 🙂
Do not rehearse failure – ask for help if you are struggling
Be kind to yourself and your dog – there is no such thing as perfection!
Learning to get comfortable with screw-up’s and grow your understanding of why they happened – it’s part of the learning process
I too am a perpetual student. Nothing makes me happier than learning.
I think the single most important factor for my success as a student is enthusiasm.
Next come focus, study, and practice.
You have heard a lot about being a good student. To be a good student you need a good teacher!!
As respectful as I am of the teacher, the teacher also needs to be respectful. Not make you feel like all the training woos are your fault (even if they are). Together a good student and a good teacher help each other get the most out of the student and the most out of “that” dog. Not all dogs are cookie cutters so modifications need to be made to help the student teach their dog. I have had several teachers and have learned a lot, although some styles I found to be demoralizing and my learning stopped. Fortunately I have found the right teacher(s) for me which makes me a great student, very keen and enthusiastic.
Its really a two way street!
The topic is excellent. No matter how much we know about learning or “being a good student,” there is always more to consider and more from which we can grow.
The format is really up to you, Susan. I don’t know what advantage you see to a members only section, but if you chose that route, I know you would have your reasons. Maybe it is to boost membership. Maybe it is to maintain a comment or dialogue section that is managable. I know that it can’t be just to make the members feel special. We ALREADY feel special! No member would be gaining anything less if the information was available to the general public. Diana made an interesting point that the content would be given correct attribution which would be easily accissible. A public series of publications like this one on being a good student may even boost interest for your next class. Either way you go, it was very gracious of you to ask for input!
I am grateful to be a member of your email list, and will encourage others to sign up. Your post is the first thing I check on my comupter in the morning…. I always wonder what you will offer that challenges me or makes me laugh – they usually do both!
Sometimes I’d like to know how my instructors rank me as a student, but sometimes I think I’d rather not know. I’m certainly not the one who grasps and implements everything quickly, that an instructor can point to with pride. Nor do I think I fall into the PITA category. I do listen and try, and try again after I fail, so maybe I’m a fair to good student.
But this topic reminded me of something. Seems that a very well-known, actually brilliant, dog trainer once said something to the effect that your dog is a reflection of your ability as a trainer. It then occurred to me, especially when I have a student that doesn’t seem to “get it”, that our students are a reflection of our abilities as teacher. So I think that as a teacher of anything, we can take more pride in the PITA’s, or the slow learners, if we can give them an “aha” moment of help them progress, than we would for the brilliant student who rises above our abilities. And I think that making the extra effort, thinking outside the box, and being successful with the difficult challenges will only increase our capabilities as teachers.
>Would love to get your feedback; both on the idea of me having “members only”
Everyone pays for services/privileges–membership here is little different than a membership in the local gym where you work out.
>and on the topic of What Makes a Great Student.
We place so much focus on training that dog that we forget the agility relationship is a partnership. We forget to ask: what physical skills do I need to handle this dog? what mental skills will help me in this process? Do we simply assume it’s ALL just dog?
I say bravo for looking at the other side of the coin. I am looking forward to some stimulating Good Student newsletters.
I try to learn from each teacher. Being relatively new at this sport, I feel like I have so much to learn. I’m very interested in being a better student.
As a speech therapist I was very interested to see this post and about your comment about a learning disability in a previous post. Working with people that have cognitive impairments is almost identical to working with our dogs. The work of BF Skinner and Pavlov is used today with students with Autism. Using positive methods, repetition, and letting them figure it out or reason it through does impact on any persons learning and ability to place information in their short term memory. We learn using our 5 senses so they must be used during the learning process, also we have and use our emotional frontal lobe during all interactions with another person so this must be considered when teaching.
What makes a great student
-you must be willing to actively listen…not just hear the words but interpret them and own them
-feel comfortable enough to ask a clear and specific question…look to clarify information so you understand not debate (that is for another time and place)
-be willing to go outside of your comfort zone but be able to say ‘no’ if not what you feel is appropriate. (This is where I continue to struggle, the eternal pleaser I will forefit myself and dog to please a teacher)
Personally, during a class I find the student that has an argument for everything that is suggested or tried and failed the most frustratiing. If you would just stop explaining why you ‘can’t’ and just try it you would go farther faster and stop wasting everyone elses time.
I think a good student is someone who grasps an opportunity to learn from every situation. Has an open mind, is prepared to try different things and be challenged. Someone who can see another point of view, even though they dont agree with it. Someone who knows their strengths and weaknesses and can take constructive criticism without getting offended or defensive. Someone who learns from their mistakes, and doesnt continue to make them. I try really hard to be that person.
I agree with so many of the comments (Gale and Mary M just to cite 2) they are all super!
Basically, as a teacher, what I want to say to my students is: “Trust in me and be attentive to the words that fall from my lips.” and “Put in the work following the guidelines I set out for you.”
I tried to be a good student on the recallers course however working alone it is difficult to self-evaluate.
I do have others who comment on how they see me: at the moment I get told I “think too much” about handling strategy, and I don’t run with long enough strides. I would like to be a great student and my dream is to hear “Brilliant!” and I can respond with “My instructor is Susan Garrett”
@ Brittany- WOW! May I also add that people who are naturally extremely intelligent are often not used to things being ‘hard’ for them. It takes them out of their comfort zone, and that can be quite discouraging. So a good student is one who practices functioning outside their comfort zone with a minimum need for mental management.
I wouldn’t say I’m an education expert, but I am a graduate student in History. At this point in my life, I can say the best quality a student can have is sheer, bloody-mindedness.
What do I mean? I mean be stubborn. Stick it out. Find a reason to stick it out, even if it’s just to stick it to the man! I’ve done that, and come out on top for it.
A bad student is one who can’t find a reason to learn. Bad students are often naturally extremely intelligent and simply can’t move beyond their natural ability. They never learned to fight for it.
I am an educator, so I feel I have something to add to this topic. There are three “channels” for learning: auditory, visual, and tactile/kinestetic (doing). To be a good teacher means you have to understand this so that you build your lessons to hit all three channels. Some people remember hearing an important fact. Others need to see it on a computer screen or read it in a book. The third group needs to feel and do something to drive the point home. A teacher who offers a variety of learning experiences that hit all the channels will have a better success rate of students retaining what they have experienced. Here’s an example: Teaching the front cross. For the visual learners you could draw the dog’s path and the handler’s path on a board. For the auditory learners you could lecture to the group. And for the K/T learners, get them on their feet and practice the front cross foot placement.
Hope this helps you to understand your students.
Yes to this! I think accessing the different modes of learning is so critical.
As for the question of what makes a good student, I think there’s a lot to be said for a student really being OPEN to learning, presenting themselves with some humility, & actually listening to what the teacher has to say.
BUT at the same time, in the dog training world, it seems you have to warn people to be ready to leave & to not do things that they don’t think will work for themselves or their dogs. Too many scary stories of people handing over a dog to a teacher who then traumatizes the dog somehow….. or finding themselves doing stuff they really don’t want to do.
As a teacher I’d have to say if you want to know what makes a good student try your hand at teaching!!! There’s nothing like being on the other side of the partnership to see that being a good student is just as hard as being a good teacher
Ditto to that Denise. I find that when you have to teach a skill you internalise the knowledge of it and have some of my students teach things to others – gives them self confidence and allows the other student to hear it from a peer as well who may explain how they learnt something that may make more sense to the other student than the way I explain it. Just one idea. Multi modal always – visual, auditory, kinaesthetic of course.
I could be a great student if the teacher presenting the topic makes the subject interesting. If the teacher addresses all the students equally then each student will feel they are truly part of the lesson.
What would hold me back is a teacher who tells me I am not ready to move on so I just keep coming to the lesson with no motivation,no success and never progress. Then I just leave the class.
I had that happen to me in field work. The instructor put an E-collar on my dog. He proceeded to tell me the dog was not ready to move on. I was also told to cancel from the trials I had entered. Luckly I ignored these comments and moved on to a different training setting. My dog now has his HR hunt title. I don’t attribute that to the teaching but my persistence at finding someone who will part with their knowledge appropriately and fairly so that I could successfully learn and do the tests. I now have taken my puppy who is 1 year and 3months old to the same level. And best of all I trained him myself.
The teacher has to want to help the student so the student progresses. Yes there are always some that are difficult students and don’t progress or have not got the ability. A good teacher should be able to direct or channel the student into another venue more suited for that student.
I would also love to have a teacher impart the information in a manner that is not deameaning nor critical in front of all the others taking a lesson. So often in field you find you are getting comments because of your lack of knowledge.Yelling and swearing are not acceptable but it goes on. Comments are made because you do something wrong. Isn’t the reason one comes for lessons is to learn and have fun and enjoy? I have no explanation nor understanding why someone assisting or teaching would make these demeaning comments to a student. This turns me off.
Please do write on this subject. I have trouble being a good student, and I think what you have learned being an instructor and working with many different types of people with different learning styles could apply to any learning situation in life, not just agility training.
what a great idea. i have had a few students that neither time nor lessons would ever help. you explain and explain and they simply dont hear you. i usually chalk it up to my ability to communicate effectively.
i look forward to more articles
Hi Susan, I am the pain in your a… student. I know this, I’m positive I drove my very good trainer CB who is brilliant “nuts at times”. I learned a big lesson in taking your e-course on recalls. I’m visual so watching “you” helped me pick up the things that are missed or lost in translation. Every single thing I watched you do made perfect sense. I’ve had very good results with this and am seeing huge growth in the relationship with my dogs. I am now retraining my weaves with 2×2’s stick in the ground poles, Susan Salo jump grids and circle work and loving every fun moment of it. I’m working hard at home and trying to focus on my mental game to improve our ring performance. When I get this all together I’m going back to class. Thanks for all you share with us.
What makes a GOOD STUDENT???? Someone who “GET’S IT!!!”
I could not believe this, I was just getting my class organize to teach Novice Agility tomorrow morning. Most of my students are keen to learn and do their homework. However, I have a couple of Students who (for the first time after teaching for two years) continual disrupt the class. They talk, make comments on everyone else and are very opinionated with everything. I was just thinking how I was going to take a different approach tomorrow morning, and read this :-). Great, I love to learn and sometimes feel like a sponge that cannot get enough. Far from perfect and always willing to accept advice and help. I am so looking forward to this, and trying to be a good student you when you come out to Australia. Thank you!!!
A good student really wants to learn and doesn’t give up.
I am both the teacher’s pet (fast learner) and the bane of the teacher’s life (slow learner, awkward questions about sometimes irrelevant details or inconsistencies) and I seem to have found a dog to match. We both clearly show we know what to do and how to do it and then only do it sometimes.
What holds me back? Both fear of success, and fear of failure. Fear of failure is obvious but fear of success – what if I’m really good at this? How then will I explain when I stuff up? Or I don’t go ahead and win championships? It can be easier to not quite do enough work and then blame that for failing to reach full potential. What if I’m only medium good at this, I do all the work and the evil hound still goes off to sniff/eat the possum poo?
I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes with this dog because she only does what I tell her – sometimes. She’s not like any other dog I’ve trained. And I’m using all positive methods for the first time. No more screaming, nose taps or rolled up newspaper or even choke chain, they don’t work on this dog. Am I consistent enough? Have I practiced the recall training three times today? Yesterday? Um. Maybe not. Do we practice heel work and then I let her wander off after a smell without releasing her? How does she know the difference between release to go do her own thing, or release – ready to work – over the jump?
And sometimes I do all the work, pull the instructions to pieces, find points of confusion (When can you let the dog out of the crate? At the start of stage 3 – yer in yer out, or not until end of stage 3), follow all the instructions, ready to do “yer in, yer out”, and she won’t go back in the crate. Unless I chuck a treat in there. And yet to start at stage 1 – she went in of her own accord. Excuse me, hound – you watched the same instructions I did, weren’t you paying attention? Note – she did do better jumping after watching that dvd – go figure.
With the Agility training – it’s not like studying for Maths when you have learned and understood – you’re done; for Agility – I have to be physically co-ordinated as well so it’s more like (field) hockey for me. Got to do the practical physical movement as well as the analysis and academic stuff. With field hockey – I’m brilliant at the academic side but my body won’t go fast enough to be great at the physical side, but I can compensate by being sneaky and thinking ahead. And I am hoping Agility will be as much fun even if I’m only mediocre – as it is to play field hockey.
I think that the way you describe you challenging your students to help them learn about pressure has much in common with Ric Charlesworth (World’s best Field Hockey Coach among other things). He made the training harder than the games – because then the actual competition would be relatively easy. His methods have transfered across many sports, but sometimes he can take the fun out of it with too much pressure and uncertainty – finding the balance is key, of course winning is always more fun.
I love free open content, but there is also good argument to valuing what you pay for or have to work to get (eg share a name and email etc). I think perhaps – what every dog owner should know in the dog’s best interests – maybe that info be free or public, and then the rest is up to you or your marketing people.
I do like Dan Ariely’s take on it in “Predictably Irrational”. Humans are really illogical when it comes to free bonus gifts and how much something is worth. Use to your advantage. Are you more likely to read a book that is free or one that you paid for? In my case – more likely to read what is recommended by a friend I admire, but more likely to pay/work for this too.
So looking forward to the Australian seminar. Sorry about the long post.
@MRB in OZ — Predictably Irrational is a great read!
As a trainer (for people), I have developed my own opinion of what makes a “good” student. It is not the person that you initially think “wow” they are a natural, and a bad student is not always the person that you may initially think doesn’t have the natural talent.
A good student is the one that even if they are uncomfortable, frustrated or stressed; even if they don’t get it, they keep taking a risk and putting themselves out there. They are the ones that keep putting forth the effort and don’t give up, no matter how hard it is.
I think we all have strengths and weaknesses in all we do; I will list a few of my strengths and weakness in being an agility/dog training student.
Strengths:
– I LOVE my dogs and this comes out when I am with them, for me training is about the teamwork and learning with the dog I have at that moment, for their best interests.
– I am interested in theory of training; I very much like to think through all aspects of suggested approaches and appply the best ones.
– I enjoy learning new things, and perfecting my skills, my sense of compitition is to complete with myself, for the dog, not compare to others.
– THIS ONE IS BOTH….I am a perfectionist and will work to get it right
Weaknesses:
– Taking negative criticism (if delivered in a judgement type of a way) personally, usually I think through this type of criticism and learn from it at a later time, but it is difficult for me to internalize the lesson in the moment.
– Being so focused on my dog I have trouble absorbing content while working with them (better at processing after or before I work the dog).
-Related to my strength above, I like to think through all aspects of a suggested training intervention before applying…can frustrate my trainers, but the right trainer, for me, is willing to debate through my thoughts with me to come up with the best overall approach.
– THIS ONE IS BOTH….I am a perfectionist and this can hinder my ability to acknowledge the levels in-between
—————————————–
On the flip side my undergraduate degree is in education, so I would say some of the most important things I have in my toolbox when teaching something new are:
-focusing on the strengths the person brings, and using these to enhance their overall skills
-clearly communicating the incorrect execution of the task as I observe, without judgment (it is the persons journey to learn a different way, and we all start somewhere)
-Offering lessons in multiple learning styles (i.e. lecture hands on, in writing, showing, etc). ——FYI a big kudos for Say Yes, as you incorporate all styles for your students, really sooooo important.
-Holding onto hope for excellence in the students (students/employees/friends/ etc.) even when they don’t know they can get “there”, I can visualize them “there”
—————————————–
Love that you are offering this through the newsletter, thank you sooooo much!
Mary
My dogs are making me a better student than I have ever been in the past. Every time I think about not pressing forward to learn better ways to commicate with them, one of them looks me in the eyes and my passion for wanting to understand burns bright.
I want to be a great student. I think in some subjects I am but in agility I’m very much a work in progress as a student. I do have a great trainer who understands that often I do need to be told the same thing more than once – not because I’m not listening but because the whole agility thing is so new to me.
As a student I try to listen, apply, ask questions to clarify. I’m not afraid to fail – because if I was perfect I guess I wouldn’t need instruction.
One of my own weaknesses is probably not being quick enough to say “I don’t get it” and spending too much time trying to work it out even when I really don’t have a clue. There is a fine line between wanting to be spoon fed and being too stubborn/insecure to ask for more help I suppose.
I need lots of help to be a good student, so I look forward to your articles, Susan. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.
Yikes! I had no idea my name and photo would be posted!
I think your idea for a book of essays on what makes a good student is very good. As a student, I was just recently thinking about how not getting any real feedback from my instructor often makes me feel uncertain and, at times, almost anxious. I think it’s important that feedback happens both ways — and students need to know if they are good, mediocre, bad or brilliant students — it’s not self-evident!!
I fit into the “bad” student category. I try hard, but because of circumstances beyond my control I can’t commit to things. So I start out with a bang, than have to quit. I get demoralized easily because I know I usually can’t finish what I start. I think that now I’m gun-shy so even just getting back into things is overwhelming. I feel bad for instructors who I have approached because they have invested time in me…coaching or teaching someone like me needs a huge mixture of skills. A little compassion, and a dose of life-coach along with being able to kick my butt into shape but not too hard sometimes.
I have learned that mistakes and failures are a big part of character building. Believe me, I’ve failed many times in my 56+ young years and I felt miserable; it took my joy right out of me. Being the stubborn person I am, those mistakes/failures became a challenge to overcome them and turn them into victory. The first 23 years of 39 years of working, I had a 10th grade education. I married in my late 16th year of my life. (Lord willing we will celebrate 40 years soon). Those 23 years were the greatest learning experience in a 70s and 80s working enviroment. With no highschool diploma, I had to work hard to prove myself. I wanted one job so bad, I was there at 0800 every day until the man hired me “because I got tired of looking at you!” he told me. In my 39th year, I received my GED, tested and was placed into a registered nursing program (a dream come true). I worked as an Oncology Nurse the last 12 years and loved every bit of it. I don’t say all this to pat myself on the back, but to say, there is nothing to hold one back if he/she really wants to gain knowlege, experience, education or just learning life! My greatest lesson was and is to listen and listen well, practice, practice, practice and never be afraid of saying “I don’t know, please show me”.
My newest learning experience now is with my Red/White Border Collie “Snap”. In her young six months, she is teaching me something I never experienced in our human world…. she wants to please me so much, it hurts. Her eyes show me the most wonderful unconditional love. I now can understand the love of God…
Great idea. I look forward to reading Nov. 1.
I agree with you Jane this should be an interesting series.
Would also be nice to have the same question asked of trainers, What makes a good trainer.?
Show no Fear and Keep coming Back. Do the homework. Be joyful.
I am part of a Novice A team. We have a Q in each of the AKC areas. My partner is 2 and a half. At this point I am amazed at what we have achieved. My teachers have made it all possible. Knowing what I do now I would start my next dog with different initial foundation work, but I am savoring every moment of being brand new.
What makes a great student?
* Have an open mind;
* Be willing to have a go;
* Understand that perfecting things takes time and patience.