Friday, October 14, 2011

When I'm sixty-three point two one eight...

It's official, I think, I'm old. I'm sitting here in front of a group of mostly twentysomethings, completing a Certificate IV level qualification and, it seems that unless I "drive" them, they sit idle. I remember "when I was a boy", you were given the requirements of the task to be completed and off you went. I guess that's why maybe to this day , I like to learn by discovery. Piaget's theory of cognitive development is probably one of the few things that really spoke to me during my time my time studying for my diploma.
To illustrate my frustration somewhat, here's an example from this morning. I demonstrated to a student an accurate and simple process to draw a circle to a particular size, a compass big enough was not available for the process. I then sent him on his way and he drew his circle. He then approached me some twenty minutes later asking me to show him how to draw a circle, again. What was wrong with the method that I showed him before? He explained to me that the circle was a different size. Of course it was, silly me!
Now, I do realise that people are unique and learn in different ways but to me this is an example of laziness. Needing to be spoon fed.
So, is my frustration a case of me being a grumpy old man?