One thing I do frequently when beginning students are having trouble - I grip the end of the tool handle with my thumb and a couple of fingers while they are making the cut.. I can then keep bevel on the wood, roll the tool, and adjust depth of cut while the student makes the cut. When the tool is moving correctly my fingers just go along for the ride.
I call this "co-piloting" and do it with all students, explaining that it's done to help them get a feel for (a) what a good cut feels like, (b) where the sweet spot. is and (c) how the way we hold the tool makes a difference. It's to serve as a reference point. Further mentioning: Once the cut feels good, best not to keep fiddling. Of course, they learn later on how those angles change depending on the cut that's being made.
".... building muscle memory is key to making great achievements.
I think practicing to build that memory is important. But read “Talent is Overrated” (by an unrelated Geoff Colvin). He really iterates that, just as Bill Jones noted, hours in the saddle is important. But it is more important to work on the items which you cannot do well. Not simply rehearsing those items you have already mastered.
Kind regards,
Rich
Agreed. Muscle memory is
essential. And, IMHO, it's important to start with good mechanics -- as opposed to just throwing a student on the lathe and then correcting what's "wrong."
I learned this approach to teaching from a Dressage trainer from Sweden in the '90's -- it worked for both riders and their horses. Teach "this will work, it's effective" not "don't do it that way, it's wrong." Students are more relaxed with that approach. As mentioned early, undoing habits is much, much harder than developing the appropriate ones from the get-go.
I almost never use the word "wrong" when I teach. "Not safe" - yes. I ask them to stick with my instructions "for awhile" knowing they'll venture forth and try other things (from YouTube
😱.) Just explaining "This is my approach, learned from a number of professional turners of good standing, but you will see other methods down the road. You'll decide."
Muscle Memory again: Last year I channeled Lofstrom at the beginning of a class and had them stand in a semi-circle away from the lathes with roughing gouges in hand, facing me. Then they learned the whole "turn from the ankles" basics (balanced stance, feet shoulder-width apart, move from one foot to the other, etc.); then learn the "Starting Position" with the gouge -- handle below horizontal, tool at a bit of an angle pointing toward the direction they'd cut, flute rotated slightly in that direction. (Yes, we talk about the Analog Clock). Then they sway from right-to-left or left-to-right while I help them keep square, level and the gouge in a good position. Then the reward: "See that, you're turning!" (grins all around) After that class, and others, students have told me how much that "dance" helped them.
During class, it's easy to reference the exercise: "Remember when you danced earlier?" and explain what they need to do.
I much appreciate
@Donna Banfield 's comment "That requires the ability to adapt YOUR teaching methods, sometimes on the fly, to the student's learning methods coupled with the ability to carefully observe the student's body movements and methods, to help them find a better body movement or tool presentation." Recently, half-way during the first day of class, a student said "I'm a visual learner, not audio" it really helped me tailor how I was explaining things to him. Rather than talking and showing simultaneously, I'd slow down and break it into steps more."
So, many thanks for all the time folks took in responding to this thread. Improving my teaching continuously is a very high priority, and I've learned a lot reading this.
BTW: Our beginning classes are equivalent to semi-private lessons. Student teacher ration is 2:1 with 4 students max, 9 hours total over 3 days. Because they need to get checked off on the lathes and be able to turn in Open Studio unsupervised, we vet them carefully. Out of 200+ students since I started in 2017, only three needed more help before being cleared. I realize this is very different from classes where there might be fewer resources for instructors.
