Training or Teaching?

In John Milton Gregory's introduction to The Seven Laws of Teaching, he argues that there are two purposes to education: (1) the development of capacities, and (2) the acquisition of experience. For example, my daughter Lily is still in need of education. She is adorable, but her body is small (and she still can't walk), she can't speak, and she can't shoot a three pointer. She needs to develop capacities. In addition, she knows how much her daddy loves her (how could she not?), but she doesn't know anything about Shakespeare, algebra, engineering or Spanish. She still needs the cumulative experience of others. The development of capacities and the acquisition of experience are the building blocks of education.

Thus, the art of education is two-fold, argues Gregory: “the art of training and the art of teaching.” Training brings a child to full development, whether it be mental, physical, or moral, through the transfer of capacities from a model to a pupil. Teaching, however, is the business of transferring the experience of the race to students, whether that be history, math, science, theology, or philosophy. Yet since “the experience of the race” is obviously beyond any one student to grasp, it the first and most central goal of teaching “to stimulate in the pupil the love of learning, and to form in him habits and ideals of independent study.”

Stephen Krashen, a language acquisition expert at USC, pointed out in a recent lecture the difference between training and teaching. In an effective, yet crass example, he said, “The most clear example of the difference between training and teaching is the difference between marijuana education and marijuana training. The former, many would argue is a necessity. I don't believe many would support the latter.” To educate, Krashen might argue, is more than just training somebody to do a task. It is giving them the knowledge to evaluate situations for themselves and make good decisions.

The Seven Laws of Teaching is precisely about how to pass on the knowledge of the race—the task of teaching. Gregory believed, “Having learned the laws of teaching, the teacher will easily master the philosophy of teaching.” He thought that teaching and training were both necessary – knowledge and capacities are instrumental in the educated person. Teachers should keep both in view as their seek to mature their students. Yet teachers must have more in view than “do this task that I do” (training). Teaching (thinking based on the wisdom of those who've gone before you) must consist of the formation of mental habits which frame a person's decision making skills for the rest of his or her life.

Schools debate this constantly today but only in different language. Many would say that training students for the 21st century world is the core task of education (ie, the P21 movement). Our kids need 21st century skills to compete in this global economy. Yet others would say, No, we need students with a set of core knowledge that is the inheritance of the human race. This is the real thing (ie ED Hirsch's Cultural Literacy and the core knowledge movement). Shall we train them for tasks or shall we give them knowledge for higher thought?

My answer would be: yes. We need both. As I've argued earlier in this blog, the educated person must have both a liberal arts knowledge and be able to navigate people and organizations. They are both central. But I think there is an interesting process by which a select few people become “hyper-competent” (my own term). When thinking about great leaders like John Adams or Mahatma Gandhi, Teddy Roosevelt or Nelson Mandela, each of them had a broad education, and a continuing desire to learn more as their lives progressed. Yet through difficult circumstances and trails, they were also “trained” to lead organizations, armies, and movements. The foundation was broad liberal arts-knowledge, the edifice and roof was training for a task—and the interior was decorated with a love of learning.

Teachers must give knowledge to students with an eye to what kind of habits they are forming in the student. In this dual purpose of education – development of capacities and acquisition of experience – we must begin our discussions of what it means to teach.