When we were younger, the impact of our teachers was monumental on our self-esteem and life direction. One kind word could send us on an entirely new trajectory. Then came our post-college years, when we were expected to be self-directed learners, be it books, YouTube, Google, or maybe the online courses of MasterClass or Massive Open Online Courses. These are wonderfully valuable; however, it is not anywhere near the same as having an actual teacher. With the advent of machine-learning algorithms such as ChatGPT, there will most likely be a push to automate more of the learning experience under the guise of personalization and cost savings; however, this is again not the same as having a teacher.
There is more to learning than information transfer; there is a relational part which is where having a good teacher comes in. Good teachers are a gift which keeps on giving for a lifetime, long after the specifics of the lessons are forgotten. This is no different for adults than it is for kids. My current learning takes place daily on the steep pitches of a snowy mountain in Park City, Utah in the form of The Park City Masters Ski Race program. My teachers are the race coaches; Don, Kati, Andy, Bill and Bob have skiing skills and knowledge that I will never have, but their expertise is not what make the program so wonderful; it is their teaching skills. Park City is the land of Olympians, and one quickly comes to understand that being a champion is not the same as being a great teacher; in fact, it is usually the opposite.
The soft skills of teaching are where the magic happens. It is knowing what a students needs, when they need it, and how to effortlessly provide it. None of us Masters racers are destined for the World Cup, or anything even approximating it. Our progress is in tiny increments. The coaches could be teaching younger super-athletes who actually could be in the World Cup one day but they are there every day with us, patiently working with us to improve our less-than-Olympic skills. They are there every day if we are or not, never harsh, always encouraging, and because of this I feel a great sense of loyalty and gratitude. They are getting us to do things that I would never ever do on my own. If they say I can do it, even if it is messy, I do it. The big lesson here is not snow skill, but that there are things we assume to be outside of our capacity which the coaches know are possible for us. It’s them saying, “Yes, you can do this, great job” that brings me back day after day. That is what makes a great teacher, and what keeps expanding our self-imposed boundaries. That is the gift I will bring with me and hold close to me. Sometimes it is not the education that matters, it is other stuff we learn from those who teach us. Call to action: if you have something you want to learn, you don’t have to do it online; go find a live teacher.
Onward and upward,
David