Lifetime of learning

This month’s T-SQL Tuesday #008 “Gettin’ Schooled” is being hosted by Robert Davis [Twitter | Blog] and the topic is on learning and teaching, which can be found here.  Great topic and I can’t wait to read other people’s blogs on the subject.

How do you learn and what am I learning?

I am a hands-on learner.  I need to read it, touch it, and test it, (smell it and taste it) to get a good understanding of it.  I generally start by reading an article, then step through the process, and finally test the process to get a better understanding.  My favorite types of blogs are those who are very detailed and step through the process.

I am currently studying for my Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Implementation and Maintenance (70-431) exam.  This process has been very challenging and rewarding for me.  I am learning new aspects of the software that I have not used in my current position, like service broker and end points to name a few.  For my studying I purchased Wiley’s Microsoft Office Academic Course (MOAC) book and I love how it is arranged.  It does a great job explaining the topic and then goes into a great detailed lab that details the steps of the task. 

How do you teach?

I did some teaching at my previous job.  I taught a 5 day admin course on the ERP software that the company developed and did several conference style sessions.  The classes were generally small with on average of 6-10 people and the conference sessions could range from 15-30.  This was a huge challenge for me because I am generally a shy person and getting out in front of people presenting was really terrifying.  I tend to be a very technical person and this was my style of teaching.  I tried to give technical information in a way that was easy to understand and follow that up with hands-on labs that helped put what you learned to practice.  With more practice I think that I could be a better speaker and I may look into that in the near future.

What is successful teaching?

I think that successful teaching has to have content that is delivered in a fashion that the person being taught can understand it, remember it, and be entertained in the process.  I am not a big fan in which the instructor is reading the information from a book or slide deck.  I don’t get anything from it and I can do that on my own.

I think that we all something that we can teach each other and learning, well it takes a lifetime.

I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. 
-Pablo Picasso

Thanks Robert for the great topic.  Look forward to next months T-SQL topic.