Why I like Teaching and Education

The words teach and educate are sometimes used interchangeably.  They are synonyms, but the etymology shows that they do have subtle differences.  Teach is defined as “to cause to know something” as while educate is defined as “to provide education, or to train by formal instruction“.  Regardless of the word you choose or how you define either term, I have to say that I enjoy both.

I won’t even get into the term Training.  I see training as corporate buzzword that businesses use to define an educational class that it provides to employees. (see Education)

Teaching for me is the process of sitting down and showing someone how to perform a task or a skill.  For example, I spend a lot of time TEACHING people how to operate their computer.  This task is teaching exactly as webster defines it.  Usually it is informal and the “student” and I are sitting by the computer as we go through the sequence of events to to perform a task such as installing antivirus software.  I enjoy this aspect of teaching because of the relationship building with the individual person and the thrill I get when the person “gets it” and understands the task we just performed.  I am further encouraged when he or she is able to repeat the task without my help.  Now they have a skill that can be repeated.

Education is a more formal process.  Again it is to cause to know something, but generally takes place in a classroom.  My personal definition of educate is teaching a group of people in a classroom.  There is still the relationship and the interaction.  It is different, but I still enjoy the learning environment.

Teaching for me comes naturally in the one on one basis.  The classroom is a different animal, and I have had to work hard at improving my skills.

• Classroom control
• Presentation skills
• Eye contact

These three skills are the ones I have been working on for the last couple of years and I have improved.

What are your favorite aspects of teaching and education?  Are your definitions different from mine?
Let me know in the comments section or send me an e-mail with your thoughts.

-Loren
http://www.theteachingbox.com

“It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers.” (Ephesians 4:12)

We are individuals with the different talents. I believe that it is our duty to take these gifts and use them to the best of our ability. Sometimes we know early in life what these gifts are and are able to develop them right away. This was not my case with the gift of teaching that I believe I have been given. The best way to present this topic is to tell my story.

My Story -
I have always been interested in things mechanical. While growing up I was always taking things apart, and tried my best to reassemble them, not always successfully. I was sure my gift was to be a mechanical engineer. Even though I had this aptitude I was not sure that it was what I wished to do for a living. Upon graduation from high school I proceeded to join the Navy to pursue my career. I was trained as a nuclear mechanical operator and spent the next four years on an aircraft carrier. While in the Navy I honed my practical mechanical skills. I knew for certain that after I got out, I would be going to school for mechanical engineering.

Looking back now I see that even though I had the gift of mechanical aptitude (not one of the gifts mentioned by Paul in Ephesians) another interest began growing within me. One of the assignments I had while on the ship was that of a trainer. When someone reported to the command they were required to undergo a rigorous training program to learn their job and become formally qualified. Two years into my assignment on the carrier, I was fully qualified and considered a senior operator. I was chosen by my division officer to assist in the training program that I had gone through. This was the beginning of my awareness that possibly I was fortunate to have been given another gift in addition to my mechanical aptitude.

Six years in the Navy went by quite quickly and upon leaving I was accepted by the University of Minnesota into the Mechanical Engineering program. I spent the next 5 years as a student, and didn’t think much about teaching. After graduation I started my career as a mechanical engineer. Although I focused on the discipline I had studied in school, I kept seeing areas where people needed to be shown how to do things. Maybe my gift was beginning to awaken.

Learning About My Call -
About a year ago I was speaking with a good friend of mine that is a pastor by training. In our conversation he told me I had “the gift”. Not sure what he meant I asked him to please explain. He proceeded to tell me that in the time we have known each other many of our conversations centered on my giving him help with various issues that arose with his computer. He said that I was very adept at fixing the problems, but while performing the work, I was able to explain to him in terms he understood what I was doing. Thus he said I had the gift of teaching.

Parker Palmer in The Courage To Teach speaks about the heart of a teacher. He says that teaching is more than just technique; it is part of our identity. He speaks of teaching as a true calling in an almost spiritual way. Although Palmer doesn’t share his faith with us, he talks extensively about the spiritual nature of teaching.

Even though my teaching experience is limited, I now fully understand and agree with Palmer when he speaks of finding your true self through teaching.

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This was an excerpt from a paper I wrote last year when I was taking a class in graduate school called “The Teaching Craft”.  I have recycled it here because my friend at  educationation asked the question, What Makes a Good Teacher?  He had an extensive list, and many of the points reminded me of my professor in The Teaching Craft.  She discussed Parker Palmer extensively and how teaching is more than a Job, it is a calling or Vocation.  This short post tells my story.

-Loren
http://www.theteachingbox.com