EPTThe theory of practice in teaching
Extracting from a near-trite saying gives the phrase: Those who can’t do, teach. There has been much work in pedagogy, sometimes resulting in pedagogical treatises on pedagogy itself, which could incidentally be called the theory of teaching.
Books have been written extensively on such a (subjective and) vague topic, while numerous and largely differing discussions have been carried out only to find that no end-all method is absolutely superior in such a field as teaching. Having read some literature regarding violin playing and teaching, this experience has only led me to the mostly fuzzy conclusion that the individuality of each teaching situation trumps the following of a “biblical” text detailing an approach to teaching. In such an example of violin playing, having variables such as each violinist’s build, natural hearing, general sensitivity, quality of instrument and his family and environment diminishes solid lack-and-white text into a kind of rough guide useful for reference whilst demanding from both teaching and practicing parties creative solutions for any encountered difficulties.
Part of teaching lies in imparting to the student how to carry out effective and disciplined self-practise, to continuously internalise new concepts and their applications without the teacher being physically (or otherwise) present.
Nowadays with video conferencing and other previously esoteric media, speedy dissemination of information and homework can be carried out, yet the bottom line of self revision and practice hasn’t moved one metaphorical inch – even non-academic or -mainstream fields are not spared the frustration or monotony of such work. Starcraft – a computer game probably originally coded as entertainment, later followed a runaway evolution into one of the most successful competitive e-sports which has survived for over a decade (approximately an eon in the real world), and holds great practical and manual demands from the e-athletes. A strategical wargame likened to chess but played in real-time (players make moves all the time independent of turns) this game requires about 200-450 actions or commands a minute to play at the competitive level (this equates to 4-7 or more mouseclicks or key presses a second), to effectively control one’s virtual army and economy while fending off or attacking the (digitised) opponent. Professional competitive gamers do have teams and coaches like sports teams do, but in such an individual sport (most games are 1-on-1 or 2-on-2) practice lies literally and figuratively in the hands of the players themselves. Introduced to amateur-level play by a friend, my teachers were faceless people from all around the world on an online forum, yet they taught me the steps to turn practically fast and precise skills such as decision-making and army management into an almost instinctive second nature. Glossing through the real hours of tedious practice that was poured into learning this, the theory of practicing was indeed imparted and then applied to considerable effect (I have managed to defeat said friend after some grueling games). I am sure of those who picked up something regardless it being chess or soccer or whatnot, the ones who had a good teacher (officially or no) who detailed the ideal foci of their practice have made far more efficient progress than those who did not.
Yet one critical component lay beyond my then-superficial understanding – to teach entails being able to do, or at least demonstrate. When faced with situations in giving advice, I found myself stumped in describing how to play a cantabile (singing) tone, or how to find a pattern in an elementary-level mathematics question based on graph theory. Just as the basic human instinct in learning is imitation, the most direct method in teaching should be demonstration – thus did I realise the importance of being able to transfer knowledge via practical means. Before being able to teach, I have to know how to practice to the point that I am at least able to demonstrate how to practically apply the relevant concepts and knowledge. That is the standard that I have set out to achieve.
