I had a lot of time to think while I was walking... and stopping... and walking... and stopping. Hence, what you see before you now. I present to you "Dogs vs. Humans: A Study."
Observation #1: Every moment is a teachable moment.
Subtitled: Consistency is key.
I did some reading on dog training earlier today. One of the suggestions that stuck with me is this: "Until your dog has mastered this concept, consider every walk a training time." It's so true! If I am strict with Kensi and only let her walk on a loose leash for one walk, and then I turn around and let her pull like no other on the next walk, that won't teach her anything. It will only confuse her. I have to train her consistently, or nothing will happen.
The same can be said of humans. For example, right now I'm trying to teach my confirmation students about respect for each other. One way I'm doing this is to only respond to them when they're being respectful (i.e. not talking out of turn, not talking over each other, being kind, etc.). If I kept this up for one class and then let them do whatever they wanted the next class, they would never learn about respect. I have to be consistent if I want them to learn.
Observation #2: Don't underestimate or overestimate.
Subtitled: Listen!
Kensi is a smart dog. She's a shepherd/retriever mix, and both of those breeds are very intelligent. However, just because she's smart doesn't mean she's going to automatically understand what I want her to do. I shouldn't overestimate her, and I shouldn't underestimate her. Instead, I should do my best to listen to her. If I'm observant, I can tell how she's reacting, what that means, and how I should proceed.
This is also true for humans. My main confirmation class is on Wednesday evenings, but one of my sixth graders can't make it that night. (She is in 14 school activities. I'm not exaggerating.) So I'm teaching her one-on-one every other Monday. I walked into our first session on Monday not sure what to expect. Given the amount of activities she's in, I assumed that she was probably very smart. However, I had no idea what her faith life was like. The best course of action for me was to not overestimate or underestimate her. Instead, it was my task to listen and find out where she is that way. Through my observations, I was able to get a sense of how we should conduct class in the future.
Observation #3: Everything takes time.
Subtitled: Duh. But really!
I've had Kensi for a week and a day now. We've come a long way in that period of time. I know what her favorite thing is (tennis balls). She knows that I'm probably coming back if I leave. I know that she's full of energy. She knows that I give her tasty treats. However, there are many, many more things for us to learn about each other - and there's no way to find them out except to continue learning. It will take time, and that's okay!
Again, this is the case for humans as well. Last Sunday, I gave my first children's message. It was delightful! The kids responded just like I hoped they would. (Except for the part where they got me to admit that I'm not dating anyone in front of the entire congregation.) However, I know that I won't get that kind of response every children's message. I have to take the time to get to know them - all of them - in order to be an effective Director of Christian Education for them. That's the way it is and the way it should be.
There you have it, folks: teaching humans is just like training dogs, except with less drooling. Usually. ;) I'll leave you with a picture of Kensi training me to throw the tennis ball. See that intense stare?
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