Teaching
As we were conducting workshops on this tour I was reminded of a passage from “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran and I want to share it with you.
“No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge. The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness. If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind. The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space, but he cannot give you his understanding. The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space, but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm nor the voice that echoes it. And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and measure, but he cannot conduct you thither. For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man.”
-Kelvin
Great quote, Kelvin! Thanks for sharing!
I try to remember the concept when I’m a student. The student should be engaged, curious, and ready to learn. The “You can lead a horse to water…” (a less graceful version of your quote) concept summarizes the student’s responsibility in the learning process.
I think differently when I’m in teacher mode, however. A great teacher can sometimes win over a reluctant student. While there is nothing to be done for a totally disinterested, passive student, a particularly inspiring and passionate teacher can win over a student who is on the fence. So I try to set the bar high for myself when teaching with the hopes of having an occasional victory.