For about the last six weeks, I have been peppered with questions asking if I was going to do what other Pagans have started to do – teaching online. I have tried to be light-hearted about the potential idea – but the true reality is that I am not the kind of teacher that folks would really get much out of way. My way of teaching follows the same perspective of how I learn – it’s about discussion and experience. Honestly, theory blows by itself because there is nothing tangible to hold on to until you try it out. That turns theory into experience and puts this right into my wheelhouse. Makes sense? No? Perhaps, I need to dig a little deeper into how I teach and how I learn…and why this way makes sense to me.

For a little more than three years, I taught Intro to Information Systems in a collegiate setting. The first semester I taught, I had four classes and stuck hard to the material. However, once I got the idea of what the author of the Gods-awful textbook that was assigned to the class was trying to convey – I started adding my own spin to things. I wanted to convey to the students how information systems affected their lives daily in a manner that they never really realized was taking place. I brought in examples of new computer technology, along with computer technology from back in my early hey-day in the 8-bit world. I wanted them to not only see the difference in the early technology versus the new, which afforded them a good, strong look at micronization, but I wanted them to physically hold and inspect the items for themselves. Being able to hold the technology and physically appreciate the differences is about experiencing what is there.

I also spiced up some of the lessons with stories of what I did in my days working in Information Technology Operations. As I told them in class, if there was a way to do it wrong – I’ll bet that I did it. For some of them, being able to find solutions to errors and mistakes – by making errors and mistakes – was a signal that absolute accuracy was not something that could be achieved. If you want an awesome example of that – go back a few years here in the blog and check out my horrid typing mistakes.

And all of that is how I learn best. Regurgitating information from a text or lesson plan teaches me nothing, except to memorize information for the short term. I cannot tell you how much I have learned over a high school diploma, Bachelor’s degree, and two Master’s degrees that I have forgotten shortly after I no longer had a need of that knowledge. I retain what I need to know and lose the stuff that has no real application to what I am trying to complete. I had a strong, wonderful education in Catholic history, theology, and teachings when I was in high school. I wasn’t even a Catholic and I understood things far better than most of my classmates. I graduated high school in 1984 – I can tell you right now, that my recall of that knowledge has been next-to-zero. I started on my Pagan Path in late 1986 and set aside everything I had learned about Catholicism – it just wasn’t important to me any longer…and remains in that category to this day.

I do a lot of code writing in my professional life. I have certain aspects of code memorized. Others, I don’t use as often, so I keep a lot of the code I have written over the years – so I can bring my mind back to it. I have programs that I have written in Pascal, C, C+, C++, SQL, and a few variants of BASIC. I am not a proficient programmer, since I do not understand a lot of the programming language’s syntax, but I understand the logical pattern of loops, structured programming blocks and modular programming. I don’t understand development concepts such as Agile, because I have no need for it. I know how to tackle a program’s basic constructs and move on from there.

How did I manage all of that? Trial and error – basic experience. People have often asked me why I don’t do magick workings or spell work. It’s simple. I see those as a nuclear option – essentially a last resort. I try to solve things with my hands, my brain and my sweat first. Nine-Hundred-and-ninety-nine times out of a thousand, one of those methods or a combination of some sort tends to achieve the results I want. Magick and spell-work I hold off for that one chance in a thousand….and then, I still must ask myself if I want to travel down that route. In other words, do I really need it.

I know the question…why not teach? Because my idea of teaching Druidry and Paganism is more about sitting with you around a late-night campfire and having a casual conversation. On what? You pick the topic. You pick the starting point. Over the course of the conversation, I can assure you that we will wander all over the place – and hit whatever topic you want. But here’s the real hitch to things: I don’t have any answers for you. You’ll find that those are inside of you and have been all the time – you just needed to talk it out with someone that you trust and understand, that would presumably me. Why, I am not sure…but hey, it’s a hypothetical situation. What does it cost? Maybe two or three beers. And a little time. And trusting enough to open yourself to a healthy conversation. To me, this is what teaching is about. Not pouring information INTO you, but helping you get OUT of you what’s already in there and that you instinctively know.

See, teaching online isn’t really the grandest perspective for me. Other folks are wanting to give you knowledge. I just want to talk with you. I cannot see charging you a single dime for something we can do for free on the front porch swing at your house. I’m not arrogant enough to think my ideas and perspective are any better than the folks down the road. The difference is simply that I am here, and you feel trusting enough to talk with me. I’m no guru. I’m no leader. I’m nobody special. I’ve just been on my Pagan Path long enough to keep the drama out of my life as much as I can, and to know when an experience is one I shouldn’t step into. That took time to learn. The only way you’re going to learn it, is to grab that hot pot handle and burn yourself. That’s how you’ll know.

–T /|\