Some (probably thoroughly warped) thoughts about learning theory

Bear has lived with me for just a bit over three months now. It's been a real adventure. During that time I've attempted to "teach" Bear a great many things. Once in awhile I am successful and that's a real high. Other times I'm absolutely not successful and that's a real puzzle. And then, there are those times when I think Bear has learned, but he also has some ideas of his own, and that's humbling.

On occasion, when the "learning" appears to work I realize that I have somehow, magically, "gotten it right." Then there are those times when I just likely have not consistently applied the right stimulus with the hoped for response. And there are those times when I have been consistent but I imagine the stimulus simply did not match up to the response that Bear wanted to give - I mean, after all Dr. Fetterman, he's not a pigeon or a white rat. I'm pretty sure he's a little more complex and I'm also pretty sure of my memory that while I got an "A", I was not very a very inspired student and I just sort of "did the work." (Hence my confidence that Dr. Fetterman will never see this post or have any memory of me whatsoever. I get some sort of perverse pleasure though that I remember him and that rat so very well).

Then, there are those times when I realize that Bear has learned something which I did not intend to teach. Oh, I have a dozen or so examples, most of them too embarrassing to mention and so we'll stick with this somewhat benign example.

Each and every time, doesn't matter if it's 2 AM or 1 PM, doesn't matter if Bear is in a dead coma sleep, that I slide my keyboard tray beneath my desk, Bear jumps up and runs to the door. He knows. He knows that the noise of that keyboard tray means that I am on the move and this his desire, to go outside, is more likely to be fulfilled. He's pretty smart that Bear of mine.

So? I can hear your brains clicking away, "so what?" Silly dog runs to the door each time the keyboard tray goes click, click, click. Well, the point is this: I did not intend to pair this stimulus with that response. Nope. Not ever once did it cross my mind. Bear picked this up all by himself; in his complex doggie brain he figured it all out.

The punchline? It's got me wondering about how many other things I have taught Bear (and my children, my friends, my co-workers, my students, get it?) without ever having intended to teach them anything at all. I'm betting that maybe I should pay attention, yes? Because I'm pretty sure I'm teaching a whole bunch of STUFF that I don't want anyone to learn. Yeah - I'm pretty sure that I should pay attention to clicking keyboard trays and tones of voice and the list goes on....

You?

What do you wish to complete?

Thank you Jaimie for our wishcasting prompt today.

It's tempting for me to tick off all the fun things I'd like to complete: a knit along afghan that's made little square by little square. Of the several hundred required, I think I've knit three. I could talk about my garden bed which really produced nothing but boatloads of cherry tomatoes and a few zucchini. Once the "real" gardening season had passed, I promised to turn the beds for a fall garden. If comfrey and purslane count as a garden...maybe? Then there's the dollie on my kitchen table that was actually commissioned. Who but Lee leaves a commissioned project just lying around? I seem to be in a drifting place in my life and actually, I'm finding that's an okay place to be for awhile. I'm learning to do nothing now and again and for me, that's a good thing. I'm taking time to reflect on my life and where it's been, where it's headed. I'm learning that sometimes I use my hefty "to-do" list in order to quiet the voices in my head. The voices need to be heard I think so I'm quietly waiting and conversing and letting the flow take me where it will. For me, for awhile, this is a very good thing.

Then again, there are somethings that must be completed - no matter where I am in my life, and no matter how I'm enjoying the idleness of drifting. I sent in lesson one of an eleven lesson course just yesterday. This work should have been done a year ago. Now, the (extended) January 10th deadline looms and I am determined to meet that date, ready to request final examination.

And so, I'm not going to rattle on about my afghan, my garden, my dollies or even my sewing room or my weight loss plan, or my yoga dream. No. Oh how I want to linger there - I want all of those things! But, for once in my life I must be practical, I must set a priority. I have wanted to complete this course for a long time so that I can move officially ahead as a professional indexer. It's time to do what's necessary so that the daydream can become a reality.

On to lesson two!