Failure

I took an all day class today. I had three students, two were an easy study, one in particular has hidden talent.I just showed him, he asked a question or two and then worked happily on his own, I just intervened occasionally to sort any little fault I saw, he was even double hauling, and understanding what he was trying to do, in less than an hour. Brilliant. The second wasn’t far behind, he had dabbled a bit in fly fishing and was thoroughly delighted to add a few feet to his cast and his double hauling was coming on a treat as well.

 My problem was with the third guy. I just couldn’t get his stoke sorted out. I couldn’t find a way to sort the problem out. I didn’t hastle him like I might have done a year or two ago. I tried logically to work out what the problem was. We tried a few things, some worked for a while and then didn’t, some didn’t work at all. He wasn’t an idiot, he knew what he was supposed to be doing, he just couldn’t do it.

 I take this sort of thing personally, I failed, not the student. I just couldn’t press the right buttons.

 I have a friend who teaches and then guides beginners to their first fish every working day of her life; how the hell does she do it?. I think I will book a lesson with her.

 Pete: if you ever read this get in contact, I owe you as free lesson.

 Please read the comments below from Gilly and Stefan, sound, practical instucting advise from both, thanks.

 Whenever I have a lesson- which I try to do, at least once a year- I never expect to come away a better caster on the day. In this respect I am the same as Stefan. I take most of it in but will work it out, on my own, at my own speed. I now try to make sure the person I am having the lesson with understands this as well because, as an instructor, I now appreciate how frustrating it is for the instructor when he thinks  (she as well, sorry Gilly) he is not getting across to the pupil.

 If Stefan and Gilly have the same problem occasionally at least I’m in good company.