Freelance Myth #5a: Teachers Suck
I once argued that teachers are really good at what they do, contrary to the widely held belief that “those who can’t do, teach”.
Allow me to further prove my point: I was working on a web design project, coding the wireframe defining a future site’s layout. The problem was, I was stuck on how to execute a particular element of the design, so I asked the best designer I know for some help.
Detailing the problem and its solution is beyond the scope of this post; suffice to say, the designer immediately understood the problem, quickly asked for some further details, and instantly illustrated the answer. What really struck me was that he taught me to do what I wanted to do in concise yet clear terms that I easily understood. If that’s not the mark of a great teacher, then I don’t know what is.
The story featured a really good designer turning out to be a really great teacher. An aspect of teaching proving proficiency in a certain field is that the best teachers know their subject matter. In fact, a requirement for being a good teacher is knowing what you’re talking about.
In short, a good way to gauge how well you understand a subject matter, whether it’s a design concept or technique, is how well you can communicate (or teach) it to others.
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Creativity Drivers, Ramblings of a Freelancer
0 opinions for Freelance Myth #5a: Teachers Suck
No one has left a comment yet. You know what this means, right? You could be first!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: