Jacob Lindsay: Obstacles to Following Directions
From Jacob Lindsay of Soja Mind / Body:
The number one lesson I have learned as a teacher (and a parent!), is that, given clear directions, students will generally not follow them (or will selectively follow only parts). If teaching (and parenting) was simply about giving clear and accurate directions towards a positive outcome, things would be much easier.
As I consider this it, of course, brings to mind all the times that I, given clear directions towards a positive outcome, failed to follow those directions. And what were the reasons?
1) Lack of awareness/understanding: I thought I was doing the thing, but I wasn’t, either because I didn’t really have an experience of doing the thing in the first place, and/or because I was adding something else that didn’t belong there.
2) Fear of failure/embarrassment: I didn’t want to give up the thing I was already doing, and/or I was afraid of failing at the new thing (and possibly embarrassing myself in the process).
3) Other social pressures: I felt a strong social pressure (real or imagined) to not follow the directions and/or do something else.
4) Denial of the process: I didn’t actually believe the thing would work.
5) Denial of the outcome: I didn’t actually believe I would like the outcome.
Hmmm…maybe more. So…where does that leave us?