Learning and Teaching

Riding down an elevator I observed two young fellows, both with guitars in identical cases. One fellow was about 21 and in a hog helmet; the other was slightly balding, about 31, with blond hair and beard, and obviously the teacher. I couldn't make out whether he was the teacher of the intricacies of the motorbike they had parked outside, or of the guitar. At any rate, he said to his companion: "I will teach you how to play it."

The other boy said, "No. Nuh-uh."

The older one said, "Why don't you want me to teach you? You are going to have to learn it. Why don't you let me teach it to you? I'll take fifteen minutes."

The younger boy said, "No, look, well, maybe - " And he stalled and stalled and stalled until the elevator got to the ground floor and the door opened.

It struck me that maybe those in the upper five to ten percent of their classes are there because they enjoy the exhibition of themselves learning something, while the majority are embarrassed at showing that they have learned something in front of other people. the volunteer in the classroom is probably an exhibitionist. Why is it that so many of the men of brilliant scientific or scholarly achievement were so often last in their classes, so seldom one of the top five?

I think the group system of learning is perhaps no longer an acceptable or functioning method.

Learning is finding out what you already know.

Doing is demonstrating that you know it.

Teaching is reminding others that they know it just as well as you.

We are all learners, doers, teacher.

Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself.

You teach best what you most need to learn.

Live never to be ashamed when something you do or say is published around the world - even if what is published is not true.

"There is no problem so big that it cannot be run away from."

-Snoopy the Dog

Open any book and read what's there: you'll find your problems. Hold a problem in your mind. Open a book.

Don't turn away from possible futures before you're quite certain you have nothing to learn from them. You're free to choose another (different) future, another past.

There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts.

You will find a helping hand at the end of your arm.

Anyone worth knowing is also a little odd.

1971

Nicholas Ray - I Was Interrupted - 6, 7.