Talk vs. Teach

               Teaching, it is done in many ways but there is only one end goal: to cause to know (1). Regardless of one’s experience with teachers, it is valuable to recognize that we have all had them, and continue to have them. Whether it be in a formal setting such as school, or in a less formal setting like on the ranch, in the health clinic or in the business world, there are always those who attempt to cause to know in others.  They may come in the form of a mentor, a trainer, a colleague or a supervisor; the end goal is always the same. These people want to “cause [you] to know.” As a result, they are considered teachers.

               Although so many attempt to bring about this knowing, not all are equally effective in doing so. What makes the difference? I submit the difference is found within two words; “talking” and “teaching.” This seems to be an obvious and simple truth; of course talking is not teaching yet we fail to live according to our believed understanding.

               In my relatively short, yet very intense four years of being in positions of training, I have come to discover that teachers often believe that to teach and to talk are synonymous. Somehow we believe that explaining is the same thing as exploring and talking results in learning. Not true.  

               According to studies at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, “memory is strengthened by multiple sensory inputs” (2). Again, any learner could have shared that they learn best when they do more than listen yet those who attempt to cause to know still fail in applying the principle.

               We learn best when we experience. That includes hearing, seeing, feeling, expressing, feeling emotions, and the like. So the next time you are tempted to tell someone how to do something, or talk to them in an attempt to help them learn, try adding a couple more sensory inputs to bring about the learning. Or the next time someone tries to simply talk at you or tell you in hopes that learning will take place; you take action and find ways to become more involved in the learning process. It will surely benefit both parties and it will have the potential to bring about true and lasting change. 

1 - Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 03 Sept. 2016.

2 - BT, By Atlantic. "Content Development." How the Brain Learns. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Sept. 2016.