Chapter 38: Make Ready. Aim. Fire.
“If I had my time to go over again, I would make my sermons much shorter, for I am concious they have been too wordy.” Martin Luther
So often less is more with words. A kid is running towards the road. Does the parent issue a long winded command about why this is unsafe, or simply holler, “STOP!” In many parenting books, they discuss how simple word commands are best received. One gave the example of the parent wanting the dishes put in the sink. They would say, “sink” and the child would know to put dish in the sink. I tend to give a few more words to my commands to at least make a well rounded sentence, but this is not always necessary, and not always better. Many parenting books also discuss the need to parent without repeating. Say it once and be done. I, sadly, fail in this quite often. Many times I repeat it as I’m saying it the first time, such as “pick up, pick up, pick up.” Saying it three times didn’t make them listen to me better, but probably made them turn off their ears to my wishes entirely.
When I met Mr. Modern-Day Mountain Man, I had the opportunity to go to church with him and his family. They are strong Missouri Synod Lutherans, living less than 30 miles from where the church originated. I was blown away that an entire service could be conducted in less than an hour, that the sermon was always less than twenty minutes, and that all children were a part of the entire worship service. As it was explained to me, less is often more. Once a pastor gets past twenty minutes, he just begins repeating or lecturing, instead of just stating the point. Allow the point to be made and move on. Knowing your audience and acknowledging their ability to sit and listen for a limited amount of time is imperative to their learning from the words spoken. Repeating your point over and over will not make it stick, say it once and be done.
When leading a group, you may on occasion, have to remind them gently of your expectations. When starting a hike, I go through the etiquette of the trails; stay to the right, stay single file, stay behind the leader and in front of the caboose, yield to those going uphill. Out of a group of hikers, several may not heed your instructions, but when they see everyone else following the expectations, they will hopefully follow as well, even if you have to gently remind them of what should be done. Make Ready. Aim. Fire. Prepare your participants, focus on the goal, and allow them to try your instructions. Part of the learning process is not hearing you tell them why something will or will not work, but allowing them to figure this out for themselves. Protecting your children from making the mistakes you made by telling them all about it over and over, will not guarantee that they will not themselves make the same mistakes you did. Our job as educators is not to inform people of every little thing that could happen, but give the broad points and allow them to make their own choices, within reason.
As I’m writing this, I am watching one of my kids use a tree, a rope, and a milk crate to make a fort/swing/elevator. I gave very little instructions, “don’t put your head between the rope, and be prepared to fall,” and no help, minus supervision from a distance. It has been an hour of watching her try to heave a rope over the branch, use the figure-eight knot she knows to tie in a milk crate, and seeing her swing and raise and lower herself up and down on the rope. She made ready by getting her supplies, aimed by putting them all together, and fired by succeeding in her goal. Watching her learning take place has been enlightening and educational to both of us. In instructing a group, give them the supplies they need to be successful, the knowledge they need to use the supplies, and allow them to give it their best go and learn from their mistakes. Not having enough information is frustrating to a learner, but having too much and not being allowed to actually use that knowledge is much more frustrating. Make Ready. Aim. Fire. Go out and teach, learn, and enjoy the adventure!
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