About teaching: a two-minute post
Do you enjoy teaching others? Talk about a time you taught someone how to do something.
I don’t have a lot of time for a long post tonight, because I want to get on with some freelance work this evening. But I will quickly say this:
- It gives me great joy to help others, and if that involves teaching in a particular instance, then, yes. I enjoy teaching others.
- Generally, I prefer to give an account of similar things I’ve gone through as an example of what to do… or what not to do. I also tend to heavily caveat the fact that no two circumstances are exactly the same, so please adapt as they see fit. Because I was a pretty bossy kid, I’m VERY mindful of becoming preachy and prescriptive. If the teaching moment comes more in the form of encouragement rather than advice, I’d happily do it. I believe great teaching can come from positive reinforcement. Even greater teaching comes by example.
- As I grow older, I want to learn how to mentor others. Mentoring is such a wonderful investment in others, and I really don’t see enough of that in my personal or professional worlds.
- The only example of a teaching moment I can think of quickly is that one time I taught a friend how to bawk the Singapore National Anthem. Yes. Like a chicken. I’m afraid that’s the best I can come up with right now.