On The Fly

July Customer Service All Star “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” I was reminded of this recently while learning a new job in the Electrical department of Home Depot. After almost 30 years of working in the jewelry industry, I found myself overwhelmed this summer with: new training materials, employee names, technical terms, acronyms, advice, procedures, passwords, and of all things - locker combinations. Developing a readiness to learn is the art that all good teachers practice. I’m afraid people tend to forget what it’s like to be a beginner. I know I do at times. Let’s face it, you tend to take for granted the things you do by habit. In hindsight, it’s easy to explain experiences based on your level of knowledge and understanding, rather than a student’s level of mental preparedness. There’s the key - mental preparedness. Learning a new job is not just having the right attitude towards the job; it’s being able to process the information and DO ...

“It is our attitude toward life that determines  life's  attitude towards us.” I must have been about nine when that quote first entered my subconscious, growing up in Cuba, Illinois. My family’s morning breakfast routine was to listen to Earl Nightingale’s daily five-minute radio program, “Our Changing World,” on the local radio station: “WBYS - AM and FM—Canton, Illinois.” That jingle vividly echoes in my mind. Nightingale’s deep, resonant voice captivated my imagination. Little did I know that program would have such a profound impact on my thinking. Subsequently, Earl Nightingale shared many profound quotes that have influenced my life. “Your attitudes and expectations are a merciless reflection of you.” I’m proud to say that I’m a life-long learner. A student of the game of life. Almost 50 years later I still start my day with this positive daily routine. Set aside time just to listen, read, and reflect. All these years I’ve read and lis...

Evaluating diamond rough in South Africa “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” I was reminded of this quote recently while teaching a diamond grading class in Seattle. The teacher is the student in you. As educators, we tend to forget what it’s like to be a beginner. You tend to take for granted things you do by habit. You explain things based on your level of knowledge and understanding, rather than on the student’s level of mental preparedness. People selectively hear what they’re ready to hear when their experience, confidence, and skill balance. I call this selective absorption. Learning  a new skill can be a struggle. Facts, figures, and formulas, set up mental roadblocks for students who think they must memorize these things to understand the concepts. It’s not always true that memorization leads to understanding. Students learn best when the instructor challenges them to teach themselves.  That requires drawing out what they know...