Page 117 - NAVAL SCIENCE 3 TEXTBOOK

122 LEADERS HIP

Navy divers give instruction in water survival skills to a group of NJROTC cadets during a Leadership Academy. The effective instructor is careful
and thoughtful in the way he or she interacts with students. They should be challenged to learn, not intimidated. (James Foehl)

skill; interest mily hilve wilned; or the student may need a diA-erent An instructor should be cautiolls about using Ilcgntil'c /1lOtj-
method for incrc;:lsing progress. Olle should keep in mind that the 1'(1(;011 in the classroom. Impressing students with the seeming
apparent lack of progress does not necessarily mcan that further impossibility of a problem can make the teaching task difficult.
learning is impossible. The point is that a le\'eling process is nor- Usually it is better to show that i1 problem is not impossible ::It
mal, especially when learning 1110tor skills, ::Ind should be expected all, but is within the student's capability to understand and so"'e.
nltcr iln initial period of rapid improvcment. The instructor should Regardless of tht.: learning situation, it should contain at least some
prepare the student fa]' this situation to ward otT discouragement. things that affect the student positively and give him or her a feel-
If the student knows this may occur, frustriltion 111<l}' be lessened. ing of satisf<lction. Every learning experience docs not ha\'e to be
Getting a student ready to learn is important. A student with entirely successful. nor docs the student have to master each les-
a strung purpose, i1 clear objective, and a wcll-ddillcd reason for son completely. But a studt.'nt's ch"lllce of Sllccess is increased if the
learning something makes more progress than one who lacks learning experiellCe is pleasant.
motivation. A student who is ready to learn meets the instructor at Certain states of mind of the learner are known to affect learn-
least halfw<lY, and this simplifies the illstl'llctor's job. ing. Motil't1tioll is the drive or desire to do a particular thing. No
Several t~lCtorS in the learning situation are known to speed, one will learll somcthing very well that he or she doesn't want to
slrel1glhe11. or othen\'ise ellilance learning: learn. The t~lCtor that has perhaps the greatest inOuence on learn-
ing is motivation. the fo)'(.:(' that causes <l person to move toward a
Learning occurs best when it progresses from kllOIl'1I to
goal. This force can be rooted in allY or all of the necds of the stu-
/II/kIWII'll and col/crete to nbstmct. The new learning can be
dent- fo r example. the lleed for security. for new experience, fa r
attached to areas of existing knowledge.
recogn ition, tar self-esteem. for belonging. or for helping others.
Learning is strengtht.:Jled whell accompanied by a pleasant or
Such needs C<luse people to act, to movc, to start working toward
satis~'illg feeling, and learning is weakened when it is associ-
an objective, or to achieve a purpose. The instl'llctor's responsibil-
ated with all 1I1lpleasilnt fix'iing. An experience that produces
ity is first to recognize and identi~' thcse needs in students, and
feeli ngs of defeat, ti'ustratioll, anger, confusion, or filtility in
then to seek WilYS of siltis~'i ng them through teaching.
the student is unpleasant.