Perfection
My friend Robert, an art teacher, is fond of saying, "Practice makes better." (Which I am now fond of saying too. Thank you, Robert!) The twist on the old adage of "practice makes perfect" expresses the belief that perfection is not really attainable. That doesn't mean that we should not strive for perfection. In striving for perfection, we can achieve excellence.
I think I'm a good teacher. I think I'm a much better teacher now than I was when I started. Some days I think I do an excellent job. I will continue to improve my skills, but I don't ever expect to perfect them. Teaching involves so many tasks and responsibilities plus complex relationships and personalities. Then throw in legislative and administrative pressures. Teaching is like balancing and juggling and running all at once.
So I tell my students, "Practice makes better." You've never done this before? Good! What value is there in a class in which you only do things you already know how to do? You find the work difficult? Good! When body-builders go to the gym, they don't pick up paper clips and gum wrappers. They pick up heavy weights that make them strain and develop. (I got that analogy from my friend Hap. Thank you, Hap!) I'm trying to help you develop your mind. This may hurt a little…. You're not good at a particular skill? Avoiding it will not improve that skill.
I don't expect you to be good at the work on your first attempt. (Most of the time not on your second, or possibly the fifth or tenth attempt either.) But I do expect you to try. I expect you to practice the procedures that I show you. I expect you to keep practicing and you will get better. Some of you will achieve excellence.
I think I'm a good teacher. I think I'm a much better teacher now than I was when I started. Some days I think I do an excellent job. I will continue to improve my skills, but I don't ever expect to perfect them. Teaching involves so many tasks and responsibilities plus complex relationships and personalities. Then throw in legislative and administrative pressures. Teaching is like balancing and juggling and running all at once.
So I tell my students, "Practice makes better." You've never done this before? Good! What value is there in a class in which you only do things you already know how to do? You find the work difficult? Good! When body-builders go to the gym, they don't pick up paper clips and gum wrappers. They pick up heavy weights that make them strain and develop. (I got that analogy from my friend Hap. Thank you, Hap!) I'm trying to help you develop your mind. This may hurt a little…. You're not good at a particular skill? Avoiding it will not improve that skill.
I don't expect you to be good at the work on your first attempt. (Most of the time not on your second, or possibly the fifth or tenth attempt either.) But I do expect you to try. I expect you to practice the procedures that I show you. I expect you to keep practicing and you will get better. Some of you will achieve excellence.
1 Comments:
I appreciate your credit for my quote (plus the fact that you actually use it in class). I agree with the statement that you are a good teacher, I suspect you are an excellent one. I know I have improved with my years of instruction (practice has made better).
RPJ
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