Experience is the
best teacher—this old saying is known to most people, but modern education
usually does not seem to believe the claim. However, in ancient times, and
actually until the mid-1800’s learning by experience was common. Is it better
to learn by hands on activities and immersion into a chosen field of interest
or are textbooks and lectures sufficient? Surely we can learn something from
the past by examining history. Perhaps history will reveal a pattern which
answer the question of experience versus textbook.
Throughout most of
human history mankind has learned trades and skills from the generations before
them. Rarely were textbooks and classrooms for years upon years used to teach
the masses. Instead, a man would often be apprenticed to a master in his chosen
craft or area of expertise for years to learn and grow. In ancient Israel,
Jewish fathers felt that it was their responsibility to teach their sons a
trade because without a trade their son could not provide for his own family. Leaping
forward a couple of thousand years, one will see a similar model in early
America. The colonists would send their sons to apprentice someone at the age
of 7 to 13 or 14 or else they would train their sons themselves to learn a
skill to provide for their future family’s needs.
However, in the
mid-1800’s “modern” schooling began to grow more popular. More children began
to attend schools to acquire knowledge and very soon, high school was developed
and implemented across the United States. Prior to this time, high school only
existed in the form of a few trade schools which very few attended. Once you
were done with what we in modern times would consider 8th grade you
moved on to fulltime work or college. So, essentially, thirteen and fourteen
year olds were going to college and graduating by seventeen or eighteen, while
those who did not attend college began work, got married, and lived life.
Today, many
colleges and universities are beginning to implement the benefits of earlier
forms of learning because of demand. There is such a push by students to get
back to old methods of apprenticeship and shorter study time to get into the
workforce that many students are seeking
online degrees while working or interning to earn practical experience for
their field of interest. This shift is not just occurring in the secular world
though. Those entering Christian service are beginning to move in large numbers
to churches and denominations who have developed schools on their church
grounds or regional headquarters instead of college campuses. In addition,
distance learning options and practical ministry activities are beginning to
take the place of years in seminaries and Bible colleges. Perhaps Christianity
is returning to the model of Jesus, that is, discipling students through real
life experience over a period of a few years like Jesus did for 3 years
training his disciples everywhere he went.
In light of the
areas examined, we can conclude that experience is one of the best teachers
there is. Just reading about a subject may not prepare students adequately.
Just like a novelist will not learn to write by just reading but by writing, so
those involved in Christian service or secular fields will not be adequately
well-rounded for their fields by just reading about what to do. But above all
the philosophies on the subject, there is definitely a historical backing to
the statement that experience is the best teacher. So experience is a hard
teacher?—Debunked!
