About Me

A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary. ~Thomas Carruthers

The Nature of Learning

I believe that humans are learning creatures. I think we're naturally curious and motivated to create a
rational framework that helps us to both explain our world and to assist us in making decisions and
solving problems. We continually gather data in the form of experience, formulate theories, and
regularly test them for accuracy and usefulness. With much time and reflection, experience is slowly
converted into true mastery.

I think we learn best through our own experience. While it is possible and sometimes necessary to
learn through other types of activities, the most meaningful, visceral, and lasting lessons are the ones
arrived at first-hand. Vernon Law, Pitcher for Pittsburgh Pirates, once said "Experience is a hard
teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward." Perhaps that's why experiential
learning has the power that it does.

While life is a series of experiences, that isn't necessarily sufficient to produce learning. "The belief
that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are
genuinely or equally educative" (Dewey, 1938). It's important that one have the right type of
experiences and that the person must reflect upon them and draw out their meaning. Without
introspection, one may be presented the same experience or lesson repeatedly without learning it.
Like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football, some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

The Role and Responsibilities of the Adult Educator

I believe learning isn't something that can be done to or for someone else. The function and purpose of
the adult educator is therefore to create experiences for learners that are conducive to learning. There
should be a bias toward creating situations where learners can experience things themselves, and
reflect on those experiences in productive ways. Thus, the role of the adult educator is one of service
to learners--The purpose being to help guide, point out hazards and interesting sites along the route,
and ease the way.

As an adult educator, my feeling is one also has certain obligations and responsibilities to learners. I
have described several I feel strongly about as a series of "I statements", to remind me they are
expectations I have for myself in this role:

1. I will put the needs of the learners before my own needs.
2. I will seek to engage a variety of learning styles.
3. I will try to organize information it a way that is interesting, relevant, and understandable for
learners.
4. I will create experiences where people have the opportunity to be involved and engaged in their own
learning.
5. I will not intentionally damage any learner's self-esteem.
6. I will foster an environment where making mistakes is an essential part of the learning process,
rather than a failure.
7. I will remember my role is to facilitate learning in others, rather than demonstrate my own
knowledge.
8. I will take learning seriously, but try to incorporate fun into the learning experiences I design and
deliver.
~And~
9. I will strive to continuously improve my own skills as an educator.