"Scout" wrote:

wrote in message
roups.com...
OK, I admit I am unable to teach someone. Sometimes you explain it
several times and they dont get it. What do you do? Years ago, I
taught College Physics and my students seemed to think I was good but
that is all abstractions. Teaching a skill is different. I have never
been able to teach my wife to steer a canoe either. I cannot explain
how to do it, I just do it. Its like explaining how to ride a bike.
Some people really want personal instruction and others just want to be
pointed in the right direction and let them go. My son is like my
wife, he craves instruction to the nth degree and he makes me crazy.
My 10 yr old daughter just wants some general directions and she'll
figure out the rest. Of course, my little daughter drives my wife
crazy.
Tacking in the channel was like that. How do I tell her "Steer up when
you feel power coming on from the wind and then down a little when it
goes away". "When you tack, you gotta feel when the wind begins to
catch the jib to help push the bow around in a tight tacking situation"
There is a lotta "feel" that goes into this that I cannot explain.

First you have to tell her what UP is. What is Steering UP? [I'm not
familiar with that term. I have a lot of trouble steering with a
tiller because I find it confusing]

What does it feel like when power comes on from the wind? If you
can't explain the feel part, you need to show her what it feels like
instead of telling her.

You have to go back to basics, or before basics. Although I would
think that you could see the wind catching the jib in addition to
feeling it. [On our boat, we have to pull the jib through the slot
between it and the staysail stay, and we practiced doing that quite a
lot both tacking and jibing before we had it 'down'.]

And let her practice when there isn't any pressure on. My
daughter-the-pilot (of airplanes) refuses to steer any of her
husband's boats (or any boat) when I know she could because if she can
fly a large passenger airplane she could certainly steer a boat. But
her husband apparently yelled at her, and she didn't take it well.
She will GO on the boat, and even fish, and she will scuba and
snorkel, but she won't take the helm.

That's probably what the problem is with the canoe too. You haven't
analyzed what it is you do to steer the canoe, and it may also be the
problem with the power boat when you get it. You will have to analyze
what you do and break it down into component parts.

Have you ever tried to write directions for a computer or robot or
something with no knowledge base how to make a peanut butter sandwich?
You can't start with 'spread the peanut butter on the bread'. First
you have to get the bread and get it out of the package.

Doug has it right.
The classic vocational lesson plan:
1. gives the theory
2. enabling skills are taught (how to work a winch is taught as an enabler
to teaching how to sail a boat)
3. demonstrates the skill
4. allows for guided instruction (teacher intervenes as needed)
5. student practices
6. student is assessed
7. prepare to defend yourself against politicians who say everyone must sail
proficiently by 2010.
Scout