Learning / Coaching-Teaching / Youngsters

Walter & Group...

From Jerry Puckett :

Gordy,

 

Excellent string.  Correct me of me if I am wrong but I think it was Floyd Franke that said as instructors we must get into the students brain and one way to do that is by asking a simple question--how do you best learn?

 

While one might get some puzzled looks and blank stares, it is best to let the student think until they start sharing how they think they learn?  It is a clue gathering process and may provide a good starting point for learning.  Helps me with the learning contract!

 

NIGHT LEARNING--very valid point.  For the last six years I have always read something I love and enjoy before going to sleep. With regularity I wake up with a writing on my mind that I could never have thought of while in my waking hours!   I just completed teaching two writing courses for the Public Libraries in Salt Lake City putting major emphasis on "Note Books and Journals" and (to use your term,) "Night Learning" to cultivate the creative learning process!  Very glad you articulated that concept.  Thanks!

 

I am doing that with casting concerns, knowledge, and the e-mails.  At present before I go to sleep I am rereading Jason's Borger's book "The nature of Fly Casting" and Mack Brown's book "Casting Angles" two of our finer young minds on casting--different ways of describing the same elephant and a good way I think to prepare for the Masters!  

 

Base on this e-mail I am going to start discussing the benefits of Night Learning and encourage its use for learning purposes.

 

Thanks to everyone for sharing their experience and knowledge and to you for making it possible--always something true and something new!

 

Jerry Puckett

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From Mac Brown :

Hi Gordy,
Some keen observations from Mark.  My father-in-law lectured me on those same clues years ago when teaching (he is a developmental psychologist). It works well with the feedback of exchanges/responses.

I like your night learning below Gordy. Most of the specialty type casts were learned this way for me. The stimulus is typically a difficult scenario which at the time is a challenge- big fish, weird current dynamics, and obstacles (this can include many). The point it hits you like a ton of bricks is when you are thinking on it while almost asleep-
___BINGO___ the light goes on. I also try it either first thing in the morning or sometimes jump out of bed and try it out right then. If I get up and try it during the night it is rock solid in my mind for good. It is funny how this works, because the solution while thinking on it  usually produces the desired outcome.

I thought of a couple other good references to learning styles since we have been on that. I think I may have posted on this same thing when I joined the group. I think Gardner's styles of learning really help explain much with students/instructors. Here are some links for those interested.
http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html

http://www.learning-theories.com/gardners-multiple-intelligences-theory.html

Many more on the web for those interested just search on Gardner and learning. I think he also can be used to explain the division even within the sport of casting today. The spatial form of learning, musical forms, ect... no doubt lie with the constant tension crowd. Those that enjoy casting in ovals, ellipses, figure of 8's, etc... I prefer these maneuvers on the water with the single handed rod (I am sure I would be a spey caster if we had more salmon/steelies in western NC). This is always thrown into the category of Spey. The spatial and musical forms of learning are very present for this style of casting.  I think the future of casting will no doubt mesh these forms into one and it shall be called fly casting. I think the 7 styles of learning that Gardner presents is spot on. When looking at the seven styles of learning keep in mind that a student can be very strong in all of them. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.

Mac Brown 
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Mac...  

That explains your term, "enlightment casts" in CASTING ANGLES !

 Yes.  One can learn a great deal by accessing Gardner.     G.

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                                                     COACHING & TEACHING

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From Mark Roberts (Please note his attachment) :

Hi Gordy

I would suggest that the Personal Learning styles document is used for those who are mentoring other coaches. I have found that sometimes too much information can blow someones mind. The point is that if the mentors have it they can be used as a resource to help with other less experienced coach/instructors.
I do think that it would be of real interest to the study group and perhaps open some new doors for them.

I should explain that I was trained as a Police Facilitator when serving in the UK Police and a lot of the teaching was based around the Experiential learning cycle.
I used this knowledge to develop the GAIA Development record so Coach/Instructors could take responsibility for their own learning and have a template for some of the aspects of coaching that are necessary to provide a professional service.

I have attached a copy for you to have a look through. It becoming out dated now as things have developed further but it is still a very useful development tool. I let Dusty Sprague have a copy when we met a couple of years ago at Caer Beris

Good health to you

Mark

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Mark...

You are correct in that too much instruction in a given time frame can yield poor results.  Some call that, "overteaching".

I can see that this Coaches Development File could easily be modified to fit new and/or different organized teaching circumstances.  I particularly liked the simplified Client Feedback section. Included, is the Risk Assessment segment .... often not included in other outlines.

Gordy

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                                                                TEACHING YOUNGSTERS

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From Lefty Kreh :

Gordy--I enjoy reading all the site info--real interesting. I don't want to intrude on the Board but one point I had not seen discussed until Gary mentioned it was the student's  age. I have found that almost any child seven or older has the strength and intelligence to learn to fly cast. BUT in my experience unless that child is really focused it is difficult to teach a youngster to fly cast until they are at least 11 years of age. 

 

It has nothing to do with strength and ability to understand--it's the attention span. If you are teaching a young child and a dog runs across the nearby park you have lost the child. However, if the child really wants to learn--and I mean focused--attention span is not a consideration.

 

Once at the Montauk Club on Long Island a seven year-old boy wanted to learn to cast so he could beat his 14 year-old brother. Within a half hour he was able to throw tight loops, double haul and grinning like a Halloween pumpkin as he threw a longer line than his brother.

 

Lefty

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Lefty ...    So true !

 

Getting around the limited attention spans of young kids is sometimes impossible.

 

No question about the fact that motivation is important.  In your example, your Montauk Club 7 yr. old was powerfully motivated by competition with his older brother.

 

Even then, we can have problems.  In trying to teach my 6 year old grandson, he had the motivation of needing to beat his older sister .  Problem was, however, that she cast beautifully while he had no objective other than besting her DISTANCE.  His statement made this crystal clear : " I don't care how I do it, I just want to show her I can cast far like Grampa Gordon !"  Later on, successful presentation to sighted fish became his motivation.  He learned that without good technique, he couldn't do that. (He's goal oriented .... the catch being the goal.  She likes the "art" and "feel" of casting and doesn't much care if she catches anything.)

 

With teen age boys, peer pressure dominates.  This can be cleverly used to provide motivation as one or two in the class excel and their accomplishments are duly noted by the instructor.

 

Gordy

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I'LL SOON  SUMMARIZE THE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN HELP STEVE WHITE WITH HIS PROBLEM OF CASTERS WHO MAKE AN IMPROPER "STOP" WHILE FORMING INEFFICIENT WIDE LOOPS. 

 

BEFORE DOING THIS, I NEED MORE INPUT FROM YOU.

 

GORDY

 

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