Yeah But can they TEACH?

There are a lot of mediocre teachers, some good teachers and very few great teachers. The ability to impart knowledge to another and have the individual take in that information and really learn from it is a gift. It's a gift for the recipient in reaping the benefit of a gifted teachers wisdom. Knowledge is empowerment. Knowledge is growth. Knowledge is priceless. It should not be taken lightly and neither should being a teacher. Teachers come in all forms, some more recognizable than others. Sometimes they stand in front of a room filled with students and sometimes they stand right beside only you. They can come in the form of a highly "degreed" educator, a coach, a parent, a mentor or even a friend. Never underestimate the power of information whether it be verbal or non-verbal and it's influence and never be fooled by bravado and it's lack of substance.

Being "wowed" by someone's ability to perform a skill to perfection, or just perform or even how they look is admirable, however it does not necessarily translate into the ability to be able to properly teach it to someone else. And that's what I mean by "never be fooled by bravado"...yeah but can they teach? It's the trap I see the unsuspecting person fall into time and time again. Think of this...You read a best seller written by a fabulous writer and perhaps what comes to mind is, I want to learn how to write from that person. Just because he/she can perform the art/skill of writing into a best selling book does not necessarily mean they can teach you how to write a best seller. That is not suffice to say that there are exceptions to that, but I believe more often than not it's the other way around. Those who can not necessarily do (to perfection), teach, and actually teach sometimes to perfection. So don't necessarily rule them out, as they may just be the jewel among the sparkly glass.

There are "performers" and then there are "teachers", and one world I know very well is the fitness world. I know I am biased but I can tell you without question my husband Dennis is a top rung swim teacher. He may not be able to "perform" and swim like Michael Phelps but he can sure teach a student to achieve that level if desired. I have witnessed personally him show a scared 2 year old who was so frightened of the water in the beginning of a 30 minute lesson embrace and feel the love of the water by the end of the 30 minutes. Amazing. It is truly a gift. His secret is trust, and building an honest relationship with his students. He's been teaching swimming for almost 30 years to kids from as young as 13 mos to 80+ yrs and he does it with love. He is passionate and compassionate and believes in the benefits of what he teaches. It goes beyond just arms and legs moving in the water arriving at a destination. It is about the journey, his students and the self esteem and confidence he sees grow and develop within and live within long after they get out of the water. He has seen this self belief emerge beginning with the simplest goal of just floating to scuba diving hundreds of feet underneath the ocean water. He makes his students feel safe, curious for more and empowered. He wisely figures out how they learn and then teaches to their ability to "get it".

I've had the pleasure and fortune over the years to have a select few teachers who were great. Unfortunately, I have also had very mediocre teachers and some really bad ones. I remember one teacher I had in college who was so awful, I stopped writing and forgot how much joy it brought me until I asked myself why this idiot had so much power over me to stop me from something I loved to do. "Screw him", I said to myself and I started writing again, albeit many years later but I did and that's all that matters.

I learned a lesson in that and have used it in my own instruction as an educator.

When I began my fitness career 29 years ago I started out as an "aerobics" instructor (circa 1981 that is what it was called) because I loved to dance and choreograph and needed to make money. This was before the days of "certification" and everything being so technical, it was just about having fun, sweating and losing weight and of course, wearing leg warmers. We learned quickly about shin splits and the importance of beats in music, it was easy and again just FUN. I performed on a platform to my "fans" and made sure I could outlast everyone who was in my class regardless if my heart was pounding out of my chest and my feet killing me. I had to be better and I had to show it because it was of course all about me. My students were WOWED, kept coming to class as long as I pushed them, made them sweat regardless of how much they hurt or were sore for an entire week. The more pain they were in, the better I thought I was doing my job of kicking their asses (kinda like what Jillian Michaels does now on the biggest loser show except my students were not as large back then).

Fast Forward it's now 2010.

I still see "instructors/trainers" (group or private) still do this except now the audience sees it on TV or You-Tube. I watch an individual perform Yoga moves twisting themselves into knots while reciting something "zen", or a testosterone laden guy (or female) pumping 100lb dumbbells (or a body) over their head or a Pilates instructor doing a succession of very impressive moves on 4 different pieces of equipment upside down. And they are all in enviable amazing shape (OK - I will admit a slight bit of envy of what their body can do and mine cannot...ugh).... But that is not why I am writing about this and it is not about jealousy or envy it's about....CAN THEY TEACH???? Are they even qualified to teach? Can they make it about their client or student and not about them? Yet the public will see this and be enamored and mesmerized and completely taken in and fooled into believing they can be transformed to be just like their "guru" oops instructor.

I love what I do and can honestly say have come a long way since the days of headbands, thong leotards and leg warmers. I've spent time over the past 29 years educating myself (formally and practically) to go well beyond just fitness "training" my students and clients but really educating them about their bodies from the inside out. I have worked very hard to gain their trust and belief in me when I take their body into my hands (so to speak). This is a responsibility I do not take lightly, ever. Even though I have been in this fitness field for 29 yrs their is always something to learn because it is dynamic and ever-changing. I feel I have done my job well when my students have learned something beyond "the classroom" or "studio" and take that knowledge with them integrating it into their everyday lives. I feel honored when I see a client who was hunched over stand up aligned and they tell me their back or hip no longer hurts. I adore hearing how they have become physically stronger carrying that into them becoming mentally, spiritually and emotionally stronger. Regardless if it is in fitness, writing, swimming, math, reading etc... We need to seek out and honor great education in any form. We need to demand it (not just in the formal classroom but everywhere) so this way the performers can just go on and do what they do best, which is "perform" and teachers can do what they do best, impart knowledge and wisdom and "educate".

Until next Sunday...Ciao and I hope you learn something new today from someone...you never know who may teach you something wonderful.