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I have only had a few structured lessons but I made notes after each session to document the key things I learnt. I add to this list whenever I learn something new in self practice or at my local casting club. Sexyloops and other fly fishing forums are also a good source of information and articles for me.
I revisit my notes occasionally particularly if I'm trying to refine a particular aspect of my technique. There is quite a lot of accessible information about basic fly casting techniques but it's harder to access and pick up information and tweaks for more advanced techniques. In my experience this is usually only achieved when mixing with or getting lessons from experienced and seasoned instructors. If I'm ever lucky enough to be in such company my notebook is never far away.
You are a smarter man than me. I listened to Bernd present his 6 essentials but got so engrossed thinking about the implications of the 2nd one, I missed the last 4
My short term recollection is usually about 25% but often find I remember other details later, particularly if I hit problems and do some research which triggers the memory. I think reinforcement is required by refresher training.
regards
Vince
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction.” — Ernst F. Schumacher
Both answers above are examples of what happens with most of us: we concentrate on learning the things we believe are the key details of a lesson. That's fine, and a good way to learn, but as inexperienced students, we can easily misconstrue what is actually a key detail. We focus on details that may solve our immediate problems and forget those details which aren't applicable until later.
For those who teach, the way around this is to highlight points that are important as you make them, and to present less information in each lesson. Focus on improving one aspect of a skill at a time, rather than piling information on top of information. Important information will be lost if too much is presented in one session.
In subsequent sessions, reinforce the lessons learnt previously before moving on to new skills.
We could use the learning by discovery method that the FFF was talking about a few years ago. Don't tell the students anything and let them discovery casting on their own. This has several advantages including the fact that if the student discovered something they aren't likely to forget it. But my favourite is that if I'm not going to actually teach someone then I can easily not teach hundreds of students and earn a lot more money.
Personally, in a private lesson, I have some students that will ask a lot of questions and this can lead to a lot of stuff to remember. I always finish the lesson by identifying at most 3 simple things, such as work on tracking, for the student to remember when they are practicing later.
"There can be only one." - The Highlander.
PS. I have a flying tank. Your argument is irrelevant.
PSS. How to generate a climbing loop through control of the casting stroke is left as a (considerable) exercise to the reader.
For one day courses I always provide basic course notes for everyone and some pens. Not everyone takes notes but many do. On a one-one I do as Walter does. For trainee instructors I try to give comprehensive notes. Although that becomes more difficult if the group is large.
I think it's very important to find out what each student wants at the beginning of the day/lesson. That should shape the lesson.
"The only advice it is necessary to give the angler… is to avoid any approach to foppery, as trout have the most thorough contempt for a fop…”
WC Stewart
Hey guys,
in my experience most of the students can remember 20-40% of the details I have been teaching during a full day course (6-8 hours). I used to sit down for 30-45 minutes at the end of each lesson and let the students write down all the key points in their own words. Their own words would always be easiest to understand later on I thought. I did that for several years. It worked well for me/them.
Then I decided to hand over a sheet (at the end of each lesson) offering all key points written down in easy understandable terms by me. That was to safe the last 45 minutes for further teaching.
Since yet no students ever showed up with having a piece of paper and a pen with them as well as yet no other instructor I took a lesson with (being the student myself) offered some kind of sheet to help remembering, I was wondering, if it mostly does not matter much, what happens after the lesson?
I know this sounds ridiculous (well I personally think it does), but this is my experience after having participated (being the student myself) in more than 50 fly casting courses (quite well known instructors inbetween, from different countries).
In most peoples job life this is handeled completely different I think. I never had any lesson in chemistry in which no sheets were handed out or in which there wasn't something to write down to remember it.
Since I think it will be far more important what the students do after the lesson and if they will work with what they have been offered during a lesson, being able to remember the lessons content seems to be a key to success to me.
Btw. was that ever part of any instructor exam, how to control and to prepare the student to be able to take home all the content of a lesson?
I too have realized that quite some students sit down at home and write down their own notes. But how effective can that be, if remembering just 50% is quite difficult?
Hi Everyone
I think it is also very important ,how much you want/desire to learn, or teach.
The attitiude is very important.
If we have " aa what ever " attitiude then it will come in one ear and go out the other. this is when the 20% stays in our brain.
I wil give my wxamples from tye atudejt point of view.
First Ive learned italian in one year, becouse I really like it, and wanted it. and the most important I wasnt forsed to do it.
From casting side I went to Hungary to learn single handed spey casts. I made all that way, because I really wanted, and I really cared what Im about to learn. After tue lesson, I repeated all the casts in the back yard, before to go to bed I pantomimed all spey moves, before meeting my teacher the next morning, I repeated all casts again as my first thing in the morning.
When repeating what Ive learned that day, I went back to the begining of the day, starting from meeting my instructor, his first few words, the moment we arrived on the river,and then all the casts.
My bottom line is , If you want to learn something,and remember it after all -YOU MUST WANT iT
If you want to teach and remember what have you teached to the student - YOU MUST WANT IT ( to be a teaxher in this case)
cheers
mike
p.s
ignore those line below-typing misteake
n the
river, and then all the casts.
My bpttom line
