The Content Novice By: Jennifer Warmke I stumbled across a great blog post the other day that was geared for teachers, but that I found applied for all ‘teachers’ of some sort of discipline. The blog was based off a book called Teaching What You Don’t Know. It talked about how few institutions have the money that it would take to hire experts in every field of specialization, and how so many teachers find themselves stretching their knowledge when it comes to teaching a subject that they might not be the expert in. Of course, this got my curiosity going when thinking about working with my animals (after all, we are their teachers and they are ours). It also prompted me to think about another conversation I had with a non-horsey friend a few weeks ago when I was telling him about how much fun I was having coaching a different friend through some things with her horse. He mentioned that he read a similar book that talked about the idea that someone who is a bit beyond a beginner (which is what I consider myself) has an easier time teaching a beginner because the learning principles are fresh in their mind, whereas for the expert it was long ago. The basic premise seems to be that I am what is considered a ‘content novice’. I’m far from an expert. I don’t give riding lessons and wouldn’t consider myself qualified by any means to do so. What I do understand is what I’ve recently been through (I’m new to learning the art of dressage and riding with a ‘true’ balanced seat.) and what I’ve learned from my mistakes. Because of this I find that I really enjoy helping other people who are where I was a year ago through some of those things. Basically it is my personal version of ‘keep your chin up, because we’ve all been there and you’ll work through it’. It is also what I consider to be ‘paying it forward’ or ‘passing on the gift’ that someone has been so kind as to share with me. Horses (or really any aspect of one’s life) can be challenging and frustrating and sometimes it seems as if you’ll never get it right or never figure it out. While I am a supporter of getting expert help, I also find great comfort in agonizing and venting with others who have been where I am and realizing that my fears of ‘never getting it’ or feelings of inadequacy affect everyone at some point. I have also found that some of the most valuable advice and help I have gotten has been from those just on the other side of where I am – they’ve been there, done that, and know that if you just hang in there a little bit longer that there will be light on the other end of the tunnel. So what it is that I find so fun and beneficial about being a content novice, working with a content novice, and/or helping someone else? Well… I find that the content novice has a more realistic assessment of the time it will take someone new to learn a task. Like take something as simple (and frustrating) as teaching your horse to keep a steady trot pace. Admit it...we have all been there and experienced the frustration of feeling like a first time driver trying to gauge the power of the gas pedal (giving yourself and those in the car with you a wickedly sore neck until your brain and gas pedal foot actually communicate). A content novice is (in my opinion) better than an expert at realizing the steps that a beginner will take, what kinds of mistakes they’ll make, which steps they might have to repeat, and the frustrated feelings that they will likely have. Because of that, the content novice, is able to relate difficult concepts to everyday things (for instance, sharing my analogy above of a new driver learning to gauge the gas pedal was an ‘ah ha’ moment for my friend with regards to her frustration level of teaching her horse to keep that steady trot pace – it doesn’t just magically appear, it takes works to figure it out). Again, while I love expert help, often times the expert just can’t get back to where they were long ago in order to communicate the steps as easily (and often times as ineloquently) as a intermediate person can. I guess the biggest thing I get out of being that and/or benefitting from that content novice is the realization of while we all want to ‘get it’ (the concept, the movement, the correct aid, the ‘perfection’), the content novice can relate to the struggle much more quickly and recognize when someone is breaking down and experiencing problems in order to encourage that person to take some time to make adjustments, make mistakes and then move on trusting the fact that we are all there at some point in our life and we can overcome with a little sweat, hard work and the support of someone who’s been there. So, my message to all the experts and professional teachers/instructors out there is to try to pair up your beginners with a content novice – I think it will help everyone in the long run (including your own teaching style). My message to all the beginners out there is to hang in there and surround yourself with others close to your capabilities. Take the expert instruction, vent and learn from the content novices that you are with, and pay it forward when you notice someone else struggling. And for all of those content novices out there – keep passing the gift!
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 05:09:18 +0000
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