There’s a saying,
Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.
As far as ubiquitous lies goes, this is at the top of the list.
It’s an insult to teachers and coaches everywhere.
It’s one thing to excel in something, even achieve mastery. It’s another thing to teach effectively. Mastery in a subject or discipline doesn’t make you a good teacher.
The ability to do something well and the ability to teach someone else how to do that thing are two completely different skill sets.
In fact, sometimes the most masterful practitioners are the worst teachers. And some of the best teachers are people who struggled to attain proficiency.
Demonstrating, conveying information, or even sharing knowledge, are not teaching.
At its most foundational level, teaching requires the ability to break down the actions or information into digestible nuggets, and skilled communication of those nuggets.
You must communicate the material in a way that the student can absorb and integrate it. This requires that you know how your students best absorb material.
It is axiomatic that if the student didn’t learn — if the student cannot integrate the new information into their lives — then the “teacher” did not teach.
If you consider yourself to be a teacher or you do anything that falls into the category of teaching (which includes coaching, parenting, and advising) you may want to check in with your students to assess whether and what they are learning.
And if you’re a student looking for a teacher, coach, advisor, or mentor, vet carefully. Don’t assume that the person with the best personal results or most credentials is the best teacher. Seek out the teacher who understands where you are on your journey.
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